Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Naga Hills D.C.M. group of three awarded to Acting Bombardier John Watts, Royal Artillery

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Actg. Bombr. J. Watts, R.A. 22nd Novr. 1879); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Naga 1879-80 (1783 Bombr. John Watts, R.A.); Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., small letter reverse (23379 Sergt. J. Watts, 6th Bde. Sco. Div. R.A.) contact marks, otherwise very fine and very rare (3) £4000-5000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Richard Magor Collection of Medals Relating to India and Africa, and other Fine Awards.

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D.C.M. recommendation submitted to the Queen 10 August 1890 - Attack on Konoma, Naga Hills, 22 November 1879.

Sergeant Watts received his D.C.M. from Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle on 27 November 1890. He, along with Sergeant H. McAndrew and Corporal T. Portman received the medal 'for gallantry displayed in the attack on Konoma, on Nov. 22, 1879, during the Naga Hills Expedition, where these soldiers were especially prominent in tearing down walls to form embrasures, when under a very heavy fire from the enemy's works, not 40 yards distant, after which they served the gun for three hours at this short distance, being entirely exposed to the enemy's fire, owning to a part of the wall having fallen, and although the enemy's bullets struck a post round which they were standing, they maintained the most cheerful behaviour, and took up their carbines and endeavoured to pick off the enemy as they showed themselves when building up the damage caused by the shells' (Ref The Times).

It was during the attack on Konoma that Captain R. K. Ridgeway won the Victoria Cross which, with the three Distinguished Conduct Medals, were the only gallantry awards to Euorpean troops for the campaign against the Nagas.

The lot is sold with an original, but water damaged, portrait photograph, news cutting from The Times, and Telegram to the Officer Commanding, Argyll and Bute Artillery requesting him to 'Direct Sergeant John Watts, Permanent Staff, to attend at Windsor Castle on Thursday at 1.30 p.m. in review order to receive from H.M. the Queen Medal for Distinguished Conduct'.