Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Great War ‘Delville Wood’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant E. A. Woodward, King’s Royal Rifle Corps

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (5-4510 Sjt: E. A. Woodward. 1/K.R.R.C.); 1914-15 Star (5-4510 L.Cpl. E. A. Woodward. K.R. Rif. C.); British War and Victory Medals (5-4510 Sjt. E. A. Woodward. K.R. Rif. C.) mounted court-style for display, the first with small edge bruise and light pitting from star, otherwise nearly very fine or better (4) £1,000-£1,400

D.C.M. London Gazette 20 October 1916:

‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He displayed great bravery in repulsing a strong enemy bomb attack, and, despite heavy casualties, and lack of regular bombers, he organised fresh bombing parties with great success.’

Ernest Woodward served with the 1st Battalion in France from 24 November 1914. He won the D.C.M. for his actions during the capture of Delville Wood, 27-29 July, 1916. The regimental history describes Woodward’s distinguished gallantry during the 1st Battalion’s attack on the morning of 27th July:

‘The 1st K.R.R.C. reached its first objective by 7.15 a.m. with small loss. The trench was full of dead and wounded Germans, and also contained three machine guns, destroyed by artillery fire. At 8.08 a.m. the second wave passed through the first wave, advanced to the next objective, and consolidated there. The advance was continued at 8.38 a.m., the final objective reached at 8.50, and a line dug, 150 yards from the edge of the wood, facing north and north-east. Two companies of the supporting regiment which came up on the right dug in too far inside the wood and left the right of the K.R.R.C. in the air. From 9 a.m. onwards the enemy shelled the wood heavily. About 9.30 a.m. the enemy were seen in large numbers north of the wood, massing for a counter-attack, while parties of them began to creep up to the eastern edge of the wood, and at 10 a.m. made a heavy bombing attack, effecting a lodgement 70 yards inside the wood.
The 1st K.R.R.C. at once attacked this party and drove them back about 40 yards, but suffered very severely in doing so; Sergeant Woodward, 1st K.R.R.C., here particularly distinguished himself at the head of his bombers, and his commanding officer reported that it was in great measure due to his efforts that the enemy were driven back with very heavy loss to them.’

Sold with copied research including gazette entry, battalion war diary for July 1916, D.C.M. and Medal Index Cards.