Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The superb Great War M.C., D.C.M. group of eight awarded to Lieutenant William Bale, Leicestershire Regiment, the first Warrant Officer in the Regiment to be awarded the Military Cross

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (5016 C.Q.M. Sjt. W. Bale, 2/Leic. Regt.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, clasps, Talana, Defence of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (5016 Pte., 1: Leic: Regt.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (5016 Pte., Leicester. Regt.); 1914 Star, with clasp (5016 Sjt., 2/Leic. R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (2. Lieut.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (5016 C.Q.M. Sjt., Leic. R.) the Boer War pair with contact marks, nearly very fine, otherwise very fine and better (8) £4000-5000

M.C. London Gazette 24 June 1916; citation London Gazette 27 July 1916: ‘Coy. S./M., 2nd Bn. Leic. R. For conspicuous gallantry. When all his officers had become casualties he took over command and led the company forward under heavy rifle and machine-gun fire. Later he reorganised his company, and was of great assistance to his C.O. in reorganising other companies.’

D.C.M. London Gazette 16 November 1915: ‘ For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on the 25th September 1915, near Pietre. During the assault, when all the officers except one had been killed or wounded, C.Q.M.S. Bale rallied the men, reorganised the unwounded ones, and led them to the attack again. Later, when held up by uncut wire, he collected, under a heavy fire, the few remaining unwounded men and got them under what cover was available. He exposed himself with the utmost contempt for danger.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 16 November 1915 and 27 July 1916.

William Bale was born on 15 March 1878, and originally emlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment in July 1897. He received the M.C. for his action at Sannaiyat, Mesopotamia, with the 2nd Battalion on 6 April 1916, being the first warrant officer in the Regiment to gain this award. Bale was wounded three times during the Great War, slightly on 10 November 1914, again on 7 April 1916, and finally by a gunshot wound to the right shoulder at Amara on 14 March 1917. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant on 21 June 1917 and died in England on 19 March 1921, of dysentery contracted on service in Mesopotamia.

The following detail relating to the action at Sannaiyat on 6 April 1916, in which Bale gained the award of the M.C. is extracted from The History of The 1st & 2nd Battalions, The Leicestershire Regiment in The Great War: ‘Private S. Garner, who on this day was Commanding Officer’s orderly, states that on Major Knatchbull being wounded, he was told to inform Major Colquhorn that he was now in command. Finding this officer also wounded, Private Garner then sought for Captain Grimble, the next senior, and met him being taken to the rear on a stretcher. No other officers being then to be seen among companies at hand, Private Garner then went to Company Sergeant Major William Bale, and suggested he should take command, which he did, exercising it until relieved later in the day by Major Weir, and rising splendidly to the occasion. Company Sergeant Major Bale, M.C., D.C.M., was gazetted Second Lieutenant in the London Gazette of 21 August 1917, under date of 21 June; he survived the campaign, but died in England in 1922 [sic] of dysentery contracted on service in Mesopotamia.’