Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Great War ‘Italian theatre’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Sergeant C. H. Freeman, Royal Welsh Fusiliers

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (9215 Sjt. C. H. Freeman. 1/R.W. Fus); 1914 Star, with clasp (9215 Pte. C. H. Freeman. 2/R.W. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (9215 Sjt. C. H. Freeman. R.W. Fus.) polished, otherwise nearly very fine (4) £1,000-£1,400

One of only two awards of the D.C.M. to the regiment for Italy.

D.C.M. London Gazette 3 June 1919; citation published 11 March 1920: (Italy)
‘From 1917 he has had sole charge of the signallers. This period includes the enemy retirement from the Ancre, the actions at Bullecourt, Ypres, 1917, the first period on the Asiago Plateau and the recent Piave operations, and he has taken part in all the previous engagements in which the battalion has taken part.’

Charles Henry Freeman served in France with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, from 29 August 1914. Initially detailed to duties as Lines of Communication troops, the Battalion saw considerable action in the late autumn of 1914 attempting to stem the German onslaught. Posted to Frelinghien in northern France, a number of the Battalion later met their German counterparts in no man’s land as part of the unauthorised Christmas Day truce. A contemporary account notes that the British exchanged plum puddings for a cask of German beer, which was subsequently rolled back to the Welsh front line.

Recorded as suffering from scabies in June 1915, Freeman was later advanced Sergeant and served in Italy with the 1st Battalion. Awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, he survived the Great War and likely returned home to Smethwick in the West Midlands.

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