Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War Italian campaign ‘River Senio’ M.M. group of six awarded to Private W. A. Chapman, 5th Battalion, The Buffs

Military Medal, G.VI.R. (5620908 Pte. W. A. Chapman. The Buffs.) naming officially re-impressed; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Territorial (5620908 Pte. W. A. Chapman. Buffs.) contact marks, nearly very fine (6) £800-£1,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Alan Cathery Collection of Medals to The Buffs, the East Kent Regiment.

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M.M. London Gazette 13 December 1945.
The original recommendation states: ‘Private Chapman has been employed as a Stretcher-bearer with “Y” Coy 5 Buffs during the Winter and Spring offensives. Private Chapman has throughout shown courage and endurance beyond praise, always ready to go out and fetch in a casualty no matter what the conditions or how heavy the fire.
On one occasion on the Senio when a mine sweeper had trod on a Schu mine, Private Chapman immediately went into the minefield, dressed the wound and carried the man out. On another occasion when an officer had been wounded and two men trying to rescue him had also been wounded, Private Chapman immediately volunteered to go forward with three others to get the casualties back. Despite the fact that this party was fired on by MGs and the whole time the same area was under intense mortar fire, Private Chapman dressed the officer’s wounds and succeeded in getting him back to safety. Then, still under mortar fire, he dressed five wounded men and helped carry a stretcher for a thousand yards across appalling country.
Private Chapman’s continual and conspicuous gallantry in action has not only been the direct cause of saving at least two lives but has been an inspiration and source of confidence to all those with whom he served.’

The Historical Record of the Buffs describes the rescue of Lieutenant Tutton on the above occasion:

‘Owing to the flood water, great difficulty had been experienced in evacuating the wounded, and Lieut. Tutton, who was hit six times during the withdrawal of Y Company, owes his life to the gallantry of Sergeant S. Hawtrey and Privates W. A. Chapman, B. A. Passmore and A. D. Storey, who, covered by Private H. W. G. Hill with a 2-in. mortar, went out under the intense fire of machine-guns and rifle grenades to dress his wounds and bring him back to safety. This signal act of bravery brought the Military Medal to Sergeant Hawtrey and Private Chapman.’