An unusual Great War D.C.M. group of five awarded to Stoker 1st Class G. Weston, Royal Navy, late Royal Sussex Regiment, Manchester Regiment and East Lancashire Regiment, who was twice wounded as an infantryman before transferring to the Royal Navy and seeing extended service as a submariner in the 1920s

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (1981 Pte. G. Weston, 5-R. Suss. R.); 1914-15 Star (1981 Pte. G. Weston, R. Suss. R.); British War and Victory Medals (1981 Pte. G. Weston, R. Suss. R.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue (K. 58433 G. Weston, Sto. 1, H.M.S. Repulse), edge bruising, contact marks and polished, thus generally fine (5) £700-900

D.C.M. London Gazette 14 January 1916:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He attended to many wounded under heavy fire and brought them back to our trench. He then carried back five wounded in succession from the advanced trench before he himself was wounded.’

George Weston, who was born in Ashford, Kent in May 1897, enlisted in the Royal Sussex Regiment in August 1914 and first went out to France as a Private in the 1/5th (Cinque Ports) Battalion in February 1915, in which capacity he won his D.C.M. for the above cited deeds at Auber’s Ridge that May. Evacuated home as a result of his wounds, he returned to active service in May of the following year, having in the interim transferred to the Manchester Regiment, and remained out in France until June 1917. Then in March 1918, as a member of the 12/5th Battalion, he once more went into action, receiving a gunshot wound in his left arm on the 23rd of that month. Subsequently transferring to the 2nd Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, in June 1918, he was discharged as a Lewis Gunner in October 1919, in order to join the Royal Navy.

Of his subsequent career in the Senior Service, surviving records confirm his appointment to Stoker 1st Class in December 1920, his transfer to submarines in November 1923 with subsequent service in H, L and M-class types, and the award of his L.S. & G.C. Medal in June 1931. Interestingly, his last known seagoing appointment was in the M. 2 in 1928, which submarine was lost with all hands off Portland in January 1932; sold with copied research.