Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Gouzeaucourt, December 1917’ D.C.M. group of five awarded to Company Sergeant-Major E. Frost, Grenadier Guards, who was mortally wounded by shell fire on 30 July 1918

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (8421 C. S. Mjr: E. Frost. 1/G. Gds:); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1902 (8421 Corpl: E. Frost. Gren: Gds:); 1914-15 Star (8421 Sjt. E. Frost. G. Gds.); British War and Victory Medals (8421 W.O. Cl. II. E. Frost. G. Gds.) medals unmounted, together with Memorial Plaque (Elijah Frost), this with post and nut fitting soldered to reverse, the Q.S.A. nearly very fine, otherwise toned nearly extremely fine (6) £1,200-£1,600

D.C.M. London Gazette 28 March 1918:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in an attack. Seeing that one of the platoon sergeants had become a casualty and that the platoon was losing direction and suffering casualties from machine-gun fire, he doubled across the open to the platoon under heavy fire. He corrected their direction, ordered a sergeant to take command, and enabled them to reach their objective. He showed great promptness and initiative.’
Annotated gazette states: ‘Gouzeaucourt, 1 December 1917.’

Elijah Frost was a native of Long Eaton, Derbyshire, son of James and Mary Frost. He enlisted at Nottingham and served with the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards, in France from 1 May 1915. He won the D.C.M. for gallantry at Gouzeaucourt during the attack by 3rd Guards Brigade on the village of Gonnelieu on the morning of 1 December 1917. He was wounded by shell fire on 30 July 1918, and died of his wounds that night. Company Sergeant-Major Frost is buried in Bac-du-Sud British Cemetery, Bailleulval.

Sold with Memorial Scroll (Coy. Serjt. Maj. Elijah Frost, D.C.M. Grenadier Guards) this with applied medal ribbons, torn in places; together with copied research including war diary extracts and detailed report on the attack of 1 December 1917.