Three: Lieutenant H. D. Ditmas, Devonshire Regiment

1914-15 Star (2. Lieut. H. D. Ditmas. Devon R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lieut. H. D. Ditmas.) polished and worn, good fine (3) £70-£90

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore.

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M.I.D. London Gazette 28 November 1917.

Hugh Devereux Ditmas was born in Cairo, Egypt, in 1891. Educated at Kelly College, Tavistock, he was a member of the College Cadet Corps from 1905 to 1908 prior to becoming a rubber planter in Ceylon. Appointed Rifleman, Ceylon Planters Rifle Corps, in January 1910, he transferred as a Trooper to the Ceylon Mounted Rifles in January 1911. Appointed Temporary Second Lieutenant in the 11th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, on 27 January 1915, he embarked for France on 9 November 1915 and joined the 9th (Service) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment at Fricourt on 21 January 1916. Admitted No, 1 General Hospital, Etretat suffering from ‘Trench Fever’ on 18 May 1916, he was evacuated to England.

Ditmas embarked for Salonica on 29 December 1916 and joined the 10th (Service) Battalion, Devonshire Regiment on the Doiran Front on 21 February 1917. He was wounded in action, ‘Struck by hand grenade’, during operations in the Jumeaux Ravine on 25 April 1917. The Battalion War Diary for 25 April 1917 states: ‘Lieutenants Ditmas and Crimmin behaved with fine gallantry, setting a splendid example to their men’. Evacuated by HS Wandilla to the U.K. on 21 May 1917, due to ‘Gunshot wounds legs back chest severe’, he was seconded to the Inland Waterways and Docks, Royal Engineers, Sandwich, on 29 October 1917. Mentioned in Despatches for his services in Salonica by Lieutenant-General G. F. Milne, he was disembodied on 25 March 1919, with his medals sent to the Agalawatte Rubber Plantation, Ceylon, on 13 June 1921. Hugh Ditmas finally returned to the U.K. on 27 January 1939 and died at the Royal Cancer Hospital Chelsea on 19 May 1939, aged 47.

Sold with copied research.