Eight: Major E. N. Deall, Sherwood Foresters, late Seaforth Highlanders, Suffolk Regiment, Middlesex Regiment, and Royal Engineers, who was awarded a Certificate of Gallantry for his services with the Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1921, and, having been captured and taken Prisoner of War with the British Expeditionary Force in 1940, smoked his way to freedom in 1944, fooling the German doctors that he had bronchitis having smoked 150 cigarettes in the 12 hours before a medical examination in Operation ‘Big Smoke’

1914-15 Star (3133 Pte. E. N. Deall. Sea: Highrs.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. E. N. Deall.) ‘2’ erased before rank on both; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, 1st Army; War Medal 1939-45; Coronation 1937, unnamed as issued; Efficiency Decoration, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial, reverse officially dated 1940, with three Additional Award Bars, all G.VI.R., all officially dated 1951, with integral top riband bar, mounted as worn, some contact marks, very fine (8) £600-£800

Dix Noonan Webb, July 2011.

Eric Noel Deall was born in Harlesden, Middlesex, on 24 December 1896 and attested for the Seaforth Highlanders on 7 September 1914, serving with the 5th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 1 May 1915. Hospitalised on numerous occasions, he was discharged permanently unfit on 4 September 1916 and was awarded a Silver War Badge, No. 61,419.

Recovering, Deall was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the 1st Garrison Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, on 18 November 1917, and served overseas with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 13 April 1918. Promoted temporary Lieutenant on 18 March 1919, he relinquished his commission on 13 December 1919, retaining the rank of Lieutenant.

Deall was appointed a Lieutenant in the 8th Battalion Middlesex Regiment in July 1920, and concurrently joined the Royal Irish Constabulary as a Temporary Cadet on 1 November 1920. Posted as a Section Leader to ‘H’ Company of the Auxiliary Division, he was promoted Platoon Commander in February 1921, and was then posted to ‘O’ company, based in county Cork. For his services with the Auxiliary Division of the Royal Irish Constabulary he was awarded a Certificate for Gallantry on 15 May 1921, and was stood down on 16 January 1922.

Resuming his service in the Territorial Force, Deall was promoted to Captain in the 7th Battalion Sherwood Foresters in April 1928 and Major in that unit in December 1936. In the same month he was transferred to the 42nd (Foresters) Anti-Aircraft Battalion, and was awarded the Efficiency Decoration as a Major in the Royal Engineers (London Gazette 6 February 1940).

Deall served with the 2nd/5th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters during the Second World War, landing in France with the British Expeditionary Force on 24 April 1940. He was captured and taken Prisoner of War near Oignies, Belgium, on 26 May 1940, and was held initially at Oflag VII-C at Laufen, before being transferred the following year to Oflag VI-B at Warburg from 1941 to September 1942, and then at Oflag IX-A/H at Spangenberg bei Kassell from September 1942 to August 1944, sharing camps with, amongst other notable personalities, Captain Pat Reid (later Escape Officer at Colditz), Wing Commander Douglas Bader, Pilot Officer Anthony Barber (later Chancellor of the Exchequer), and Major Bruce Shand (the Queen Consort’s father).

Whilst in captivity Deall faked bronchitis by continuous excessive smoking prior to a medical examination (according to his own account he smoked 150 cigarettes in the 12 hours before his medical examination), and was repatriated to England in September 1944. He was released from embodied service on 28 June 1945, and was awarded three Additional Award Bars to his Efficiency Decoration in 1951, as a Major (retired) in the Sherwood Foresters (London Gazette 16 March 1951). Latterly living in Mapperley, Nottingham, he died on 17 May 1975.

Sold with a copy of Weekend, 23 July 1968, which contains an account of Operation ‘Big Smoke’, the recipient’s successful plan to smoke his way to freedom; and copied research.

Note: Deall’s medal group includes the Africa Star with 1st Army clasp, both of which are confirmed as officially issued on his service records, although he could not possibly have been entitled to them, having been in captivity in Germany throughout the entire qualifying period.