Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War 1915 ‘St. Eloi’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Company Sergeant Major T. C. Tait, Rifle Brigade

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (5895 C.S. Mjr: T. Tait. 4/Rif: Bde:); 1914-15 Star (5895 C.S. Mjr. T. C. Tait. Rif: Brig:); British War and Victory Medals (5895 W.O. Cl.2. T. Tait. Rif. Brig.) BWM with official corrections, cleaned with traces of lacquer, very fine (4) £800-1200

Provenance: Michael Haines Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, December 2002.

D.C.M. London Gazette 3 June 1915:
‘For conspicuous gallantry at St Eloi, on 15th March, 1915, in leading his Company in the attack in the most gallant manner, after all the Officers had been killed or wounded.’

Thomas Cummings Tait was born in Dundee, the son of Sergeant-Major John Tait, formerly of the 4th Battalion, Rifle Brigade. He attested for the Rifle Brigade as a boy entrant, aged 14 years, at Dundee in 1898, and served in his father’s old battalion, the 4th. Prior to the Great War has served with Rifle Brigade for 16 years, of which 8 years had been spent abroad in both Egypt and India. He served during the Great War on the Western Front from 20 December 1914, and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at St Eloi on 15 March 1915, when he took the initiative after all his officers had been killed or wounded and led his company forward to the attack in the most gallant manner in the face of very heavy rifle and machine gun fire, being severely wounded in the left arm. That day, the battalion suffered 103 all ranks killed, wounded, and missing. Repatriated to Dundee, he recuperated from his wounds in Dundee Royal Infirmary (newspaper cutting refers), before being posted to the 6th (Reserve) Battalion, based at Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey. He died from the protracted effects of his wounds on 28 April 1916, and is buried in Sheerness (Isle of Sheppey) Cemetery, Kent. His Distinguished Conduct Medal ws forwarded to his mother on 15 March 1917.