Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Great War ‘Battle of Jerusalem 1917’ D.C.M. group of five awarded to Company Sergeant-Major W. C. Windows, 5th Battalion, Somerset Light Infantry

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (240116 C.S. Mjr: W. C. Windows. 1/5 Som: L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (240116 W.O. Cl. 1 W. C. Windows. Som. L.I.); Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19 (1246 C. Sjt. W. C. Windows. Som. L.I.); Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (1246 Sjt. W. C. Windows. 5/Som: L.I.) mounted on card for display, toned, good very fine (5) £1,200-£1,600

D.C.M. London Gazette 1 May 1918:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He took command of his company and led his men right up to his objective. Remaining in this position under heavy fire throughout the day he, on the withdrawal being ordered, collected his remaining men and brought them back with great ability and coolness.’

William Charles Windows was born at Redcliffe, near Bristol, on 14 January 1875. A cooper by trade, he joined the Royal Navy as a 2nd Cooper on 25 May 1898, aged 23, for 12 years continuous service. However, following the death of both his father and younger brother in March 1901, he purchased his discharge from the Navy on 2 May 1901. He subsequently joined the 5th (Territorial) Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry and served overseas with the 1/5th Battalion during the Palestine campaign in 1917-18. His D.C.M. was awarded for the attack on El Jib by the 1/5th Battalion on 23 November 1917, during the battle of Jerusalem, as described in the regimental history:
‘But the fighting was not yet over. After a bitterly cold night (it was the end of November, some 3,000 feet above sea-level and the men wearing khaki-drill shorts and tunics, with no blankets or greatcoats), the troops awoke on 23 November to the knowledge that El Jib was still to be taken. The 1/5th Somersets were detailed for the attack, and at dawn the Commanding Officer went forward with the Brigadier to obtain a view of the objective. Seen from the west, El Jib presented a formidable aspect. A natural stronghold, it stood upon a hill, about a mile to the east, with steep rocky terraces affording natural facilities for defence by enfilading machine-gun fire. The approach to the village was through a valley some 700 yards wide, with Nebi Samwil on the right, and, on the left, high ground and ridges leading forward from Beit Izza.

The Mosque on the lofty slopes of Nebi Samwil, which stood out in relief against the surrounding country, was occupied by the 3/3rd Gurkhas, who held on to their position most gallantly after desperate hand-to-hand fighting, in which even boulders were used by the defenders of the Mosque, in almost mediæval fashion.

This, then, was the position which the Somersets were asked to assault, with no other support than the light guns of a mountain battery, with its limited supply of ammunition, and a detachment of the Brigade Machine-Gun Company. The Battalion was now reduced to an effective strength of about 400 men, and, apart from the C.O., the second-in-command, and the adjutant, there were only four subalterns left to go into action with the companies; No. 3 Company, having no officers at all, was commanded by C.S.M. W. C. Windows. (For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty C.S.M. W. C. Windows was awarded the D.C.M.)

At 8 a.m. the Battalion left the bivouacs it had occupied overnight and moved up to the place of deployment where the Commanding Officer detailed the plan of attack to his Company Commanders. The general plan was that the 1/5th Somersets should capture and hold El Jib, after which the 2/3rd Gurkhas were to push on and take Bir Nebala, thus clearing the way for the advance to Bireh. The enemy were already busy, at this stage, shelling the northern slopes of Nebi Samwil from the direction of the Nablus-Jerusalem road, and as soon as the deployed lines of the Somersets came under observation, the Turks concentrated a heavy fire of shrapnel and high-explosive upon them.

As the 75th Divisional Artillery had been unable to reach Biddu, there was no means of keeping down this well-directed and deadly fire. The attacking lines, however, moved forward with great coolness and precision, in spite of the intense machine-gun fire which opened on them as they came within range. No attack could live long under that fire. As one of the officers with the attack described it, “every other man seemed to be falling... it was terrible... the lines just melted away.”

The machine-gun fire was coming not only from the El Jib position, where it was to be expected, but a particularly galling fire was also raking the attacking lines in enfilade from the northern slopes of Nebi Samwil on the right flank. Nothing daunted, what remained of the attacking lines pressed forward under intense and continuous fire. The fourth company, which had been held in reserve, was now thrown into the attack, together with any of the Battalion Headquarters who could be spared. Captain A. O. Major, who went forward with this company, was first wounded, and then killed outright by a shell.

The leading waves had now reached the foot of the rocky hill on which stood El Jib. Here they were faced by steep and almost unscaleable terraces which they endeavoured to climb. Three Lewis-gun sections managed to scale the terraces with their guns, and small parties of men actually reached the village itself. This was, perhaps, the most gallant feat of arms throughout the whole of the two-days operation, but, unhappily, it was a forlorn attempt, and none of these brave fellows were seen again. When El Jib was ultimately captured by the 74th Division, identity discs of 27 men of the Somersets were recovered on the position, which seemed to suggest that the men were shot down as they reached the upper terraces.’

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