Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War ‘North Africa’ 1942 M.M. group of seven awarded to Corporal D. Lenton, Nottinghamshire Yeomanry, for his gallantry in rescuing the loader from his burning tank during the attack on the Deir el Agram Ridge, 1 September 1942, in his Regiment’s first action as an Armoured unit

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (555555 Tpr. D. Lenton. Notts. Yeo.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial (555555 Cpl. D. Lenton. R.A.C.) mounted for display purposes, good very fine (7) £1200-1600

M.M. London Gazette 5 November 1942:
‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East.’

The original Recommendation, dated 6 September 1942, states: ‘During the attack on the Deir el Agram ridge on the morning of 1st September 1942, Trooper Lenton’s tank was hit and went on fire. He immediately jumped out, ran round the tank, and opened the 75mm loaders door. The tank was burning fiercely and he was met by a sheet of flame through which he entered the gun compartment, extracted the loader who was badly wounded and burned, lifted him on to a Scout Car, it being full of wounded, and then started to walk back across ground swept by intense fire from all arms. He was picked up by his troop leader and although badly shaken took over from the wounded operator and continued to operate for the rest of the day. By his gallant action Trooper Lenton was the means of saving the life of his comrade, and of setting to all ranks the highest example of courage and devotion to duty.’

Derek Lenton, a native of Mansfield Woodhouse, Nottinghamshire, served with the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry during the Great War, having previously served with the 16/5th Lancers. He was awarded the Military Medal for his gallantry at Deir el Agram on 1 September 1942, the Regimental History giving further details of the action:
‘The Regiment advanced to within 2,000 yards of the enemy and opened fire. We shelled the German positions for five minutes. There was no reply- the very quietness of the enemy was ominous. In front of us were black dots on the skyline, some moving, some stationary. It was out first view of enemy tanks.
“C” Squadron went ahead, and in open order in line sailed to within 150 yards of the enemy position. Then at last the German anti-tank gunners opened up. Two “C” Squadron tanks were hit immediately and went up in flames. Now the whole Regiment advanced and came under intense enemy fire. Six “C” Squadron tanks and one from “B” Squadron were hit and blazed. Four more were disabled. The enemy had cunningly held his fire until we were right on top of him. Major Michael Laycock, commanding “B” Squadron, said: “We went in firing hard with our machine guns and had only gone a few hundred yards when I felt something hit the offside of my tank and a piece of hot metal struck me on the neck. My wireless operator had just reported that the loader of the ‘75 gun, Trooper Lewis, had been badly wounded, when a sheet of flame shot out of the bowels of the tank and up the front of the turret.”
On this occasion, for some unknown reason, our tanks that caught fire exploded and blew up within three minutes of being hit- and were thus a total loss. This was seldom to happen later.
The whole Regiment was 800 yards from the enemy positions when the Brigade Commander ordered us to halt and withdraw. It was then that Lieutenant Sam Garrett with the Reconnaissance Troop dashed forward to collect the wounded. Tanks were blazing and exploding, and the whole ground was raked by German small arms fire. But the Kent Yeomanry helped us by putting down smoke. With great courage the Reconnaissance Troop collected all the wounded, and all our disabled tanks were towed away.
At four o’clock that afternoon the order came that the Brigade was to make a “demonstration in force”. The Regiment shelled enemy positions furiously until half past eight, then drew back into leaguer, arriving there at eleven.
Colonel Kellett, the Nottinghamshire Yeomanry’s Commanding Officer, wrote: ‘This was the end of a notable day in the history of the Sherwood Rangers. It was the first time they had gone into action as an armoured Regiment. The action, though it failed to achieve its object, has shown them to be very staunch and determined. Several most gallant acts were performed by officers and other ranks and the morale both of the wounded and unwounded could not have been higher, their only desire being to get back into the fight again and avenge the loss of the comrades and their vehicles.”
The enemy fire had been withering, and the Regiment had had its losses. Two officers and eight other ranks were killed, and 18 wounded. The Military Cross was awarded to Major M. Laycock and Lieutenant S. Garrett, and the Military Medal to Trooper D. Lenton and Trooper R. Robertson.’

Sold together with various photographic images, including one of the recipient being invested with the riband for his M.M. by General Gatehouse during a Desert Parade.