Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Ypres, April 1915’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant E. Collins, Hampshire Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (7659 Pte. E. Collins. 1/Hants: Regt.); 1914 Star, with clasp (7659 Pte. E Collins. 1/Hamps: R.); British War and Victory Medals (7659 Sjt. E. Collins. Hamps. R.) mounted court-style for wear, good very fine (4) £1,400-£1,800

D.C.M. London Gazette 23 June 1915:

‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on 26th April, 1915, when defending the end of a trench with a machine gun, and on his company being forced to abandon their trench, he protected their retreat and inflicted much damage on the enemy. Private Collins, with another man, then took steps to save the tripod and gun, and when the other man, who was carrying the gun, had been wounded, he took it from him and under heavy fire carried it back’.

Private Eugene Collins, 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment, entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 12 November 1914. As a Private he was awarded the D.C.M. for his gallant actions on 26 April 1915. As a Sergeant he was listed as wounded in The Hampshire Regimental Journal of August 1916. He also served as 34550 in the Somerset Light Infantry. Sold with copied Medal Index Card and gazette extracts.