A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars

Three: Captain A. M. Lewis, Devonshire Regiment, later 52nd Sikhs, M.I.D. for the First Day of The Somme, on which day he was wounded, and subsequently killed in action in Kurdistan on 8 August 1919

1914-15 Star (2. Lieut.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut.) extremely fine and a rare casualty (3) £400-450

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars.

View
Collection

M.I.D. London Gazette 4 January 1917. ‘For gallantry on the 1st July 1916.’

Arthur Milton Lewis was born on 14 March 1894, and educated at King William’s College, Isle of Man, and Corpus Christi, Cambridge, where he served in the O.T.C. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the 9th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment on 7 December 1914, with whom he served in France, being wounded on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Promoted to Lieutenant on 7 September 1916, he was selected as a probationer for the Indian Army on 23 March 1917 and attached to the 52nd Sikhs, attaining the rank of Captain in July 1919.

Captain Lewis was killed in action in Mazurkha Gorge, Kurdistan on 8 August 1919, when his column was attacked by a large band of Kurds under the leadership of Rashid Beg. He was 24 years of age, and is commemorated on the Basra Memorial, Iraq. (Additionally entitled to G.S.M., clasp, Kurdistan).

The following details are extracted from a letter written by Lewis; together with his obituary notice, both of which were published in his school magazine, The Barrovian:

‘Lieut. A. M. Lewis of the Devons, writes: “My luck still follows me. I was in the casualty list for the third time today, with another soft wound. A Boche machine-gunner legged me in front of Mametz wood on the morning of July 1st. We were one of the first divisions to go over the top, and I feel no small pride that G.H.Q. sent a special aide-de-camp to congratulate our brigade after the attack.” He was in the same attack that his brother, Lieut. J. W. Lewis, was killed.’

‘...His name appeared three times in the casualty list while serving in France. He was twice mentioned in Despatches, firstly by Sir Douglas Haig in the first Despatch of the Battle of the Somme, and secondly by General Marshall, after the surrender of the Turks, for services rendered as advanced guard commander in the advance from Samara to Mosul.’

See Lot 1171 for the medals to his brother.