Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Great War 1918 ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Private D. H. Dennis, 2nd Battalion, Leinster Regiment, who was granted a Divisional Citation for his gallantry during the battalion’s attack near Ledeghem on 14 October 1918: ‘the attack was a brilliant success, capturing 14 officers and 249 other ranks, and 11 field guns and 60 machine guns’.

For this celebrated action Sergeant John O’Neill and Private Martin Moffat, both the the same battalion, were each awarded the Victoria Cross

Military Medal, G.V.R. (4831 Pte. D. H. Dennis. 2/Leins: R.); 1914-15 Star (4831 Pte. D. H. Denness [sic] Leins: R.); British War and Victory Medals (4831 Pte. D. H. Denness [sic] Leins: R.) good very fine (4) £600-£800

Michael McGoona Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, June 2000.

M.M. London Gazette 17 June 1919.

Duncan Henry Dennis (also recorded as Denness) was born on 11 September 1895 and attested for the Leinster Regiment at Southampton, where he was employed as a shipyard fitter’s labourer. He served with the 2nd Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 15 September 1915, and was almost certainly awarded the Military Medal for his gallantry during the Battalion’s celebrated attack near Ledeghem on 14 October 1918, during which both Sergeant John O’Neill and Private Martin Moffat were both awarded the Victoria Cross. The Regimental History gives further details:
‘The attack, despite the appalling fog, which descended on the operations, was a brilliant success, the Battalion alone capturing 14 officers and 249 other ranks, I1 field guns and 60 odd machine guns. It was on this occasion that Sergeant O'Neill and Private Martin Moffat so distinguished themselves - the latter’s feat, in single-handed forcing a house held by the enemy to surrender, after having dashed at the back door through a hail of bullets from rifles and machine guns, is known to the world, as he received the Victoria Cross as his reward a few weeks later. It is not perhaps generally known, but directly afterwards he insisted upon marching back by himself a squad of over 120 prisoners, getting a receipt for the same from the Assistant Provost-Marshal and rejoining his unit that same morning. Sergeant O'Neill received his Victoria Cross for reckless gallantry on the same occasion, together with a repetition a few days later.’

Sold with the recipient’s original 29th Division Divisional Citation card, inscribed ‘For gallant conduct and devotion to duty in the Field on 14th Oct. 1918 near Ledeghem’; and copied research.