Orders, Decorations and Medals Including five Special Collections

Four: Lieutenant T. W. Lewis, Royal Marines

British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut., R.M.); Belgian Order of The Crown, silver and enamels, 5th Class; Belgian Croix de Guerre, nearly extremely fine (4) £250-300

M.I.D. London Gazette April 1918

Belgian Order of The Crown (Chevalier) London Gazette 25 July 1918.

Belgian Croix de Guerre London Gazette 25 July 1918.

Only six awards of the Belgian Order of the Crown were made to the Royal Marines during the Great War, three of which were Chevalier’s.

Sold with copied extract from War Service of The Staff of Coutts & Co, from which the following is extracted:

‘...granted a commission in the Royal Marine Artillery and sent to train at Eastney Barracks. In February 1916 he proceeded to France to join the R.M.A. Howitzer Brigade at Le Hamel, near Bethune, as an Observation Officer. He served in this capacity in various howitzer batteries belonging to his Brigade, 1 15 inch battery at the Somme, the Ancre and Bullecourt; and a 12 inch at Wytschaete and Passchendale. At St Quentin after serving with a heavy battery until the Germans were got on the run, he was transferred for a time to field guns.

At Wytschaete in February 1918, whilst temporarily in command of the battery, comprising one 15 inch gun, he succeeded in destroying with the ninth round the famous German observation post of Warneton Tower, and was personally congratulated by General Coxon, commanding the Australian Corps Artillery. Shortly after this occasion, the Germans began their last great offensive and captured the whole of the battery near Wytschaete. The crew had remained at the gun until ordered by Brigade H.Q. to retire, and they removed the breech block and rendered the gun useless before retiring.

Our men retreated to Locre where the German advance was held up after our line had been strongly reinforced with French artillery and infantry. He was attached to a battery of ‘sixty pounders’ as Brigade O.O. for the next two months, and it was not until August that his own battery was reorganized and, having taken over two 12 inch howitzers, went south for the attack on the Hindenburg Line at St Quentin.

After the Germans had been dislodged his battery took over field guns and continued to take their place the advance until the Armistice. He was mentioned in Lord Haig’s despatch of April 1918 and received the Belgian Order of the Crown with palm and the Croix de Guerre.’