Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1918 ‘Givenchy operations’ M.M. group of five awarded to Private T. W. E. Jones, 2/5th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers, for saving the life of a wounded man during a raid, 19-20 June 1918

Military Medal, G.V.R. (242438 Pte T. W. E. Jones. 2/5 Lan: Fus:); British War and Victory Medals (242438 Pte. T. W. E. Jones. Lan. Fus.); Defence Medal; Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (Sergt. W. E. [sic] Jones) mounted for display, very fine (5) £360-£440

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Kenneth Petrie Collection.

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M.M. London Gazette 21 October 1918.
The original recommendation states: ‘For conspicuous gallantry during operations against the enemy at Givenchy on 20 June, 1918. During the withdrawal of the raiding party this man, who was a Company Runner, saw a wounded man in a shell hole and finding he was unable to bring him in unassisted, he returned and having obtained the aid of a Stretcher-Bearer he went back into No Man’s Land and brought the wounded man in, all the time being under heavy machine gun fire.’

Thomas William Ewart Jones was a native of Walton, Liverpool. He was educated at Walton National School, and employed by The Liverpool Tin Cannisters Company. Jones served during the Great War with the 2/5th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers on the Western Front. The Regimental History gives the following details about the above raid on Givenchy, 19/20 June 1918:
‘A more elaborate operation was carried out by the 2/5th Battalion (Lieutenant Colonel G. S. Brighten, D.S.O.) shortly before midnight on the 19th June. A force of 100 men, consisting of fifteen sections divided into five parties under Second Lieutenants W. R. Smith, W. Forster, A. Farrow, N. Mahoney and J. Wake, lined up behind a barrage of artillery, machine guns and mortars and advanced on an area which proved to contain five, or more probably seven, German machine guns. Progress was considerably hindered by a large amount of loose wiring lying about in the high grass as well as by machine-gun fire coming from the flanks and some bombs from a trench mortar. Nevertheless, four of the five parties forced an entrance into the enemy’s positions, much fighting taking place with the garrisons. Forster’s party in particular had a hard struggle; for a machine gun was brought into action in the post which was its objective, and he had to rush it with revolver and rifle fire, the team of six Germans being killed. The gun was captured and brought back. At another post, Corporal F. Crossley led his section against a machine gun, killing three of the garrison himself, seizing and carrying back the gun. A number of casualties were inflicted on the enemy and two men were taken prisoner. All the machine guns were put out of action. The raider’s casualties were 1 man killed, 2 officers and 37 other ranks wounded, and 17 men missing believed killed. The Divisional Commander, Major-General H. S. Jeudwine, in a note of congratulations to Lieutenant Colonel Brighten, wrote: “Your fellows showed a fine spirit last night and must have fought like demons.”’

The Battalion were awarded an M.C., D.C.M. and 4 M.M.’s for the action.