Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine and well documented Second War ‘Retreat to Dunkirk’ D.C.M. group of six awarded to Captain (Quartermaster) W. J. James, 12th Royal Lancers, later Fife and Forfar Yeomanry

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.VI.R. (1423930 W. O. Cl. II. W. S. James. 12-L.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Army L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue, Regular Army (Lieut. (Q.M.). W. S. James. D.C.M. R.A.C.) mounted as worn, light contact marks, otherwise good very fine (6) £2,600-£3,000

D.C.M. London Gazette 5 July 1940: ‘No. 1423930 Warrant Officer Class II (Regimental Quarter-Master Sergeant) William Sidney James, 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s), Royal Armoured Corps.’

The recommendation submitted by Lieutenant-Colonel F. Lumsden, commanding 12th Lancers, states: ‘This WO. acted as Qr. Mr. to the Regiment throughout the period 10-31 May and it is due to his excellent common sense, personal disregard for bombing, and exceptional continuous efforts that the Regiment never lacked for supplies, ammunition or petrol although constantly on the move during this period. The Armoured Cars of the Regiment covered in some cases 2000 miles and the Regiment was attached to nine different formations for operations, so that the magnitude of his task will be readily appreciated and yet without those supplies the Regiment would have been immobilised.’

William Sidney James was born at Chorlton-Cum-Hardy, near Manchester, on 16 March 1903, and enlisted into the Royal Garrison Artillery on 4 September 1922. He transferred to the Royal Army Pay Corps in April 1923, and to the 12th Royal Lancers as a Sergeant in March 1932. Promoted to Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant in May 1938, and served in that rank with the 12th Lancers in France with the British Expeditionary Force, when he undertook the duties of Quartermaster during the critical period of May 1940 and was awarded the D.C.M. Having completed 18 years’ continuous service in the ranks he was commissioned on 27 June 1940, into the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and spent the next few years on the Home Establishment as a Quartermaster officer with various units including 137 Tank Delivery Unit, 51st Training Regiment, and 161st Reconnaissance Regiment. When this latter regiment was disbanded in late 1944, he was embarked for North West Europe where he was posted as Captain (Quartermaster) to 2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry and fought with that regiment through the Ardennes, in the Reichswald Forest, crossing of the Rhine, and the charge to the Baltic, eventually reaching the River Elbe.

James was released Class A to the U.K. on 31 July 1945, amongst the first group to be released after the war in Europe ended. In later life he became the last civic Mayor of Aldershot before the reorganisation of local authorities in 1974 created the borough of Rushmoor. Captain James died at Brookwood Hospital, Woking, on 1 July 1978.

Sold with a quantity of original documents including Officers Record of Service and Regular Army Certificate of Service, letters of congratulation and testimonials, photographs, news cutings, mounted group of miniature medals, various military insignia and badges, and Past Mayor’s gilt and enamel badge for Borough of Aldershot 1973-74.