Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Fresnoy, September 1918’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Private C. Still, 1st Battalion, Machine Gun Corps, late 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, serving with whom he was wounded in October 1914 and mentioned in Haig’s despatch of April 1918

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (74116 Cpl. C. Still. 1/M.G.C.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (8811 Pte. C. Still. 2/R. Suss: R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (8811 Cpl. C. Still. R. Suss. R.) medals unmounted, very fine £1,000-£1,400

D.C.M. London Gazette 12 March 1919; citation published 2 December 1919:

‘On 24th September, 1918, near Fresnoy, he was sent forward in charge of a machine-gun team to consolidate with the infantry. He showed great courage and determination in keeping his gun in action and covering the front line post, and later he pushed his gun forward in front of the infantry, and materially assisted in checking the enemy counter-attacks. On the night of the 24th, although severely wounded himself and having his No. 2 gunner killed, he did excellent work in endeavouring to silence the enemy’s enfilade fire. In spite of his wound, he remained at his post until ordered to withdraw.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 24 May 1918 (Haig’s despatch of the 7th of April 1918): ‘Still, 8811 L./C. C. (now 74116 M.G. Corps.) Royal Sussex Regiment.’

Charles Still was born in 1888 and enlisted at Chichester on 11 September 1907, aged 18 years 10 months. He was discharged to Reserve in June 1912 and mobilised on 7 August 1914, serving with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, in France from 31 August 1914. Wounded by a gun shot in the scalp on 3 October 1914, he was treated at No. 2 General Hospital at Havre. In September 1915 he was invalided to England via Versailles with an abscess of the foot. He returned to France in September 1916, and transferred to 2 Company M.G.C. on 11 July 1917, this unit later being designated 1 Battalion, M.G.C. Still was severely wounded whilst winning his D.C.M. on 24 September 1918, and was discharged as a Lance-Sergeant on 9 September 1919.

Sold with copied research including D.C.M. and Medal Index Cards, service papers, gazette notices, and 1/M.G.C. war diary extracts.