Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1915 ‘Gallipoli’ D.C.M. group of five awarded to Warrant Officer Class II B. P. Bellamy, 6th Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, who was Mentioned in Despatches, and was subsequently gassed and wounded by shrapnel during the Battle of the Somme

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (3-3218 Sjt: B. P. Bellamy. 6/Y. & L.R.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (5362 L.Cpl: P. Bellamy.York: & Lanc: Regt.); 1914-15 Star (3-3218. Sgt. P. B. Bellamy, York & Lanc. R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (3-3218 W.O. Cl.2. B. P. Bellamy. York & Lanc. R.) mounted court-style, edge bruise to QSA, otherwise very fine and better (5) £1,200-£1,600

D.C.M. London Gazette 3 June 1916; citation published 21 June 1916:
‘For consistent good work and for the fine example he has shown to his men.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 13 July 1916:
‘For distinguished and gallant services rendered on the Peninsular of Gallipoli during the period of General Sir Charles Munro’s Command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.’

Bernard Percy Bellamy was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire on 30 January 1881, and attested for the York and Lancaster Regiment on 22 February 1899. He served with the 1st Battalion in South Africa during the Boer War from 21 August 1901 until March 1902, and subsequently in India from March 1902 until October 1907.

Discharged on 8 October 1913, following the outbreak of the Great War Bellamy was recalled to the colours and was appointed Company Quarter Master Sergeant on 25th August 1914. He served with the 6th Battalion York and Lancaster Regiment in the Balkans theatre of War, landing at Mudros on 2 July 1915, before serving at Gallipoli. The Battalion landed at Suvla Bay on the evening of 6 August 1915 and the next day advanced to Lala Baba meeting little opposition, and thence on to Hill 10. On 8 August the battalion advanced to the line Sulajik-Anafartaova and the next day repulsed repeated Turkish counter attacks. By 11 August, the battalion had suffered some 284 casualties in killed, wounded and missing and a further 31 on 12 August moving into positions on Hill 53 (Yilghinburnu). On 18 August the Battalion went into reserve before returning to the line near Chocolate Hill two days later and taking part in an attack on 22 August. The remainder of the battalion’s time at Suvla was a routine of trench warfare, until they were evacuated over 18-19 December 1915. For his services in Gallipoli Bellamy was Mentioned in Despatches and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

After a period in Egypt, Bellamy landed in France on 27 June 1916, and served on the Western Front with the battalion at the Battle of the Somme, where he was gassed on 24 September 1916 and wounded in the knee by shrapnel on the 27 September. At that time, the Battalion was in trenches near Mouquet Farm, near Thiepval. He was evacuated home, leaving France on 1 October and being sent to Horton War Hospital near Epsom, from where he was officially posted to the Depot. He was to remain in the UK for the remainder of the war. Appointed Regimental Sergeant Major on 16 February 1919 he was discharged Class Z Reserve on 9 May 1919. He died in Sheffield in 1944.