Orders, Decorations and Medals

A good Second World War Fall of France 1940 D.C.M. group of six awarded to Warrant Officer Class III J. H. Scanlon, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.VI.R. (4264033 W.O. Cl. III J. H. Scanlon, R. North’d. Fus.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, together with related sporting prize medals (2), silver, one named and dated 1928-29, and three regimental badges, extremely fine (11) £3000-3500

D.C.M. London Gazette 20 December 1940. The original recommendation states:

‘As Platoon Commander, he showed unquestionable courage, bravery and leadership during operations from Deval to Dunkirk, and particularly in the defence of Arras, where, by his own conduct, he set his men an example and encouraged them under enemy fire and aerial bombardment.’

Joseph Hughes Scanlon was serving as a Platoon Sergeant-Major in ‘A’ Company, 8th Battalion, Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, at the time of the above cited deeds, and was subsequently granted an Emergency Commission as a Lieutenant in the Reconnaissance Corps in January 1941.

The 8th Battalion’s war diary describes in detail the desperate defence of Arras, and the unit’s subsequent retreat to the beaches of Dunkirk, where its survivors were embarked on the last day of May. Scanlon and ‘A’ Company were allocated to the defence of the east perimeter of the town, where they would have undergone ‘severe dive-bombing and machine-gun attacks from the air during the hours of daylight’. By the 22 May the town was completely surrounded, and orders were received for the Battalion to make a breakout, Scanlon joining “Group III” - luckily, as a result of a thick morning mist, most were able to escape the attention of enemy machine-gun posts, a brief respite in which it would appear Scanlon’s group stopped to demolish a bridge.

As per an order received by the Battalion back in England on 22 June 1940, he was awarded an immediate D.C.M., and the following day at Church Parade, he received the ribbon of his decoration from the hands of Major-General Herbert, the Divisional Commander.

Sold with two original letters, both from officers congratulating him on the award of his D.C.M., one of which, from Captain W. F. H. Cox of the Rifle Brigade, states:

‘A few lines to send you my heartiest congratulations on your magnificent work when over in France with the B.E.F. I was delighted to read of your decoration with the D.C.M. in today’s papers, and the report in The Times was fine. In view of the lack of leadership by certain others, which to us was not at all surprising, ‘A’ Company of the 8th R.N.F. are, I am sure, very proud of you and I am mighty glad you were with them. I am very distressed at the loss of my old C.O. and Adjutant, Colonel Clarke, and Major Seth-Smith, both of whom were fine and gallant gentlemen. Was not pleased to meet in the B.E.F. Camp here my old colleague, Mr. Charles Mitchell, and with him Mr. Wilson and Captain Nicholson. If not before, I shall look forward to meeting you again in the victory march through Berlin ... ’