Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good North West Frontier of India D.C.M. group of four awarded to Private F. Finn, East Kent Regiment, for the famous night action at Bilot, 16th to 17th September 1897, in which the Buffs won four D.C.M.s; in addition, three Victoria Crosses were awarded for this action

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Pte. F. Finn. 1/E. Kent R. (16-17th. Sept: 1897)); India General Service 1895-1902, 2 clasps, Relief of Chitral 1895, Punjab Frontier 1897-98 (3022 Pe. F. Finn. 1st. Bn. East Kent Regt.) top lugs neatly added to first clasp, with unofficial top retaining bar; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Transvaal (3022 Pte. F. Finn, E. Kent Regt.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (3022 Pte. F. Finn. E. Kent Regt.) edge bruise to last, good very fine (4) £5000-6000

Provenance: BDW, July 1993.

D.C.M. London Gazette 21 April 1899:

‘In recognition of his services during the engagement at Bilot, on the North West Frontier of India, on the night of the 16th-17th September, 1897.’

Frederick Finn was born in Canterbury, Kent, in 1872, and attested for the East Kent Regiment at Rochester on 3 January 1890, having previously served in the 3rd (Militia) Battalion, East Kent Regiment. He served with the 1st Battalion in India from 11 December 1891, and took part in the Chitral Relief Expedition, April to September 1895, and in the subsequent operations on the Punjab Frontier. On the 14 September, 1897, Sir Bindon Blood was with Brigadier-General Wodehouse in Nawagai, and Brigadier-General Jeffreys was in the region of the Rambat Pass from which he advanced northwards to Inayat Kila, and, working up the Mamund Valley in three small columns, attacked Shahi Tangi on the 16 September and destroyed it. But in his subsequent retirement a party of Bengal Sappers and Miners, with twelve men of the Buffs and four mountain guns, were caught by darkness and Jeffreys, who was with them decided to take shelter in the village of Bilot for the night. There then followed one of the Regiment’s great rearguard actions, which would lead to the award of four D.C.M.s and no fewer than three Victoria Crosses. The following speech was made by Brigadier-General Sir R. Westmacott, K.C.B., D.S.O., at parade of the troops of the Nagpore District on 5 July 1899, to present the Victoria Cross to Corporal James Smith, and the Distinguished Conduct Medal to Private C. Poile:

‘Officers, N.C.O’s and men of the Nagpore Command. You are paraded here today by order of Her Most Gracious Majesty The Queen to witness the presentation of the V.C. to Corporal Smith of The Buffs. It is the highest order for valour in the world, is open alike to officers and men, and is the ambition of every soldier. Four men of Corporal Smith’s section were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal at the same time, a decoration second as regards valour only to the Victoria Cross. Privates Nelthorpe, Lever and Finn have already received their medals at the hand of Her Most Gracious Majesty The Queen, at Windsor, and Private Poile is on parade today. The circumstances under which these brave men won these decorations were as follows:

On the evening of the 16th September, 1897, The Buffs were returning to Camp fighting their way inch by inch in one of those rear guard actions we all know so well, against large forces of an invisible enemy. A call was made on the regiment for an escort for a wounded officer in a dhoolie. Major Moody who was in command of the rear guard, told off the left section of “G” Company as it happened to be the nearest. This was Corporal Smith’s section, consisting of 12 men, all told. They never found the wounded officer, but they came across No. 8 N.M. Battery, with some sappers, to whom they attached themselves. Being very heavily pressed it was decided to bivouac for the night in the village of Bilot. That part of the village not occupied by this little force was held by the enemy who set fire to the village to try to drive our people into the open. Lieutenants Watson, R.E., and Colvin, R.E., both decorated since with the V.C., with Corporal Smith’s section and some sappers made two desperate attempts to drive the enemy out of the village. Corporal Smith, who was twice severely wounded, continued to command his section, and only lay down when he received a distinct order to do so, and even then continued to fire on the enemy. Privates Poile, Lever, Finn and Nelthorpe were also awarded Distinguished Conduct Medals for their conspicuous gallantry on this occasion; Privates Poile, Lever and Nelthorpe were all wounded. The little force was relieved from Camp in the early morning, but not until out of the 12, 2 were killed and four wounded. (Note: The official casualty roll reveals that 2 were killed and 9 wounded, only one man being unwounded)

Remember this; this was no selected section, it was no picked body of men, Major Moody took the first section that came to hand, and so I say we may take them as a fair sample of what the other sections throughout the regiment are. Corporal Smith, Privates Poile, Lever, Finn and Nelthorpe, are worthy successors to those pioneers in following Lieutenant Latham who, in spite of losing his arm, saved the King’s Colour, and won the gold medal (which was the V.C. in those days) at Albuhera, that battle where The Buffs went into action 750 strong and 65 only answered their names at evening Roll Call.’

Presented with his Distinguished Conduct Medal by Queen Victoria at Windsor, Finn transferred to the Army Reserve on 25 March 1898, but was recalled to the Colours for service during the Boer War on 4 December 1899, serving with the Regiment in South Africa from 22 December 1899 until 19 August 1902. He was discharged the following day, after 12 years and 230 days’ service.