A Great War ‘Western Front’ D.C.M. group of three awarded to Private S. L. Hills, 1/5th Battalion Manchester Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (53448 Pte., 1/5 Manch. R.); British War and Victory Medals (53448 Pte., Manch. R.) nearly extremely fine (3) £700-900

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Manchester Regiment.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 5 December 1918.

‘While bandaging up his officer, several of the enemy came from a dug-out and attempted to fire on the rear of his company. He shot the first, and, calling on another man to help him, captured twenty-five prisoners from the dug-out. His courage and coolness were worthy of high praise.’

Sidney Lawrence Hills was born in 1880 at Portslade, Brighton, Sussex, the son of Harry and Mary Hills. A Bricklayer by occupation, he enlisted on 24 June 1916 but was not called up until 6 November 1916, initially for the Middlesex Regiment. He was posted overseas in 1917 with the 2/5th (TF) Battalion Manchester Regiment but was transferred to the 1/5th Battalion after they arrived in France from Egypt in March 1917. Hills earned his D.C.M. on 2 September 1918 at Viller-au-Flos. He was demobilised on 5 March 1919 to Class ‘Z’ Reserve. His home address at this time was 26 Maldon Road, Dyke Road, Brighton. He died in Brighton in 1949.

With original citation on cards; certificate of employment during the war; protection certificate and certificate of identity; slip to accompany the D.C.M.; soldier’s demobilization account; certificate of transfer to the reserve; and several other original papers; together with copied gazette, war diary and census extracts.