Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War D.C.M. group of seven to Captain J. Clews, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, late South Staffordshire Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (I-9059 Sjt., 8/ S. Staff. R.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Defence and War Medals, some contact marks, nearly very fine and better (7) £500-600

D.C.M. London Gazette 4 March 1918. ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He commanded his platoon in an attack when the Officer was wounded, and led his men with great determination to their objective. When his Lewis gun was put out of action by an enemy shell during consolidation, he went back over the open in daylight and brought up another gun and eight drums of ammunition. Later he went out on patrol with another N.C.O. and together they killed two of the enemy. He set a splendid example of courage and resource throughout the whole action.’

John Clews entered the France / Flanders theatre of war on 17.10.1914 as a Private in the South Staffordshire Regiment. Later promoted Serjeant; he was awarded a D.C.M. for his part in the battle of Poelcapelle, 12.10.1917. ‘The weather during the night of 12 October was wet and cold, and the battalion formed up behind its tapes in the dark at 5.00 a.m. At 5.30 they followed the creeping barrage as it moved slowly to the first line of German trenches. B Coy. with Sgt. John Clews led the advance on the right and was the first to reach the enemy line. Before the line had been reached, however, only two of the officers remained unwounded. The other two leading companies fared even worse in the face of the opposing machine-gun fire, and only a single officer remained between them. Nevertheless, B Coy pushed on to reach its final objective at Turenne crossing at about 6 o’clock.’ As indicated above, Serjeant Clews showed ‘conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty’ for which he was awarded the D.C.M. and promoted in the field to 2nd Lieutenant. With his promotion on 17.12.1917, he served with the 16th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment and on 17.6.1919 was promoted Lieutenant in the 1st / 2nd Battalions of the Regiment. On 24.8.1939, with the outbreak of the Second World War, Clews was commissioned Lieutenant in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and later attained the rank of Captain. Sold with copied research details.