Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A superb Great War D.C.M. and Second Award Bar, M.M. group of five awarded to Second Lieutenant W. A. Tapsell, 2nd Battalion, later 6th (Service) Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment, who was decorated with a trio of awards for gallantry on the Western Front in the summer of 1917. Commissioned in April 1918, he died five months later from wounds received in action with the 1st Battalion during the Second Battle of the Somme on 18 September 1918

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (8624 Cpl. W. A. Tapsell. 6/Linc: R.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (8624 Cpl. W. A. Tapsell. 6/Linc: R.); 1914 Star, with copy clasp (8624 Pte. W. A. Tapsell. 2/Linc: R.); British War and Victory Medals (2.Lieut. W. A. Tapsell.); Memorial Plaque (William Algernon Tapsell) with Buckingham Palace enclosure, in card envelope and torn OHMS transmission envelope addressed to, ‘Mrs Tapsell, 3 Grove Road, Abbey Wood, S.E.’; together with two riband bars, the first comprising D.C.M., M.M. and 1914 Star, the second D.C.M. and M.M., nearly extremely fine (6) £5,000-£7,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 17 September 1917:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in assisting to dig out nineteen men who had been buried in a dug-out by a gas shell. Finding it impossible, owing to the darkness, to work in a gas helmet, at imminent risk of his life he removed his own, and by his efforts successfully extricated some of the men. The dug-out was full of lethal gas fumes, and six of the men affected subsequently died. He set a splendid example of fearless devotion and self-sacrifice.’

D.C.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 17 September 1917:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of battalion scouts. Having been ordered to reconnoitre in front of our advancing patrols, his party came under heavy and unexpected rifle and machine-gun fire. In spite of this, however, after warning the patrols behind him, he continued to push forward until, owing to several casualties, further advance was impossible, whereupon he withdrew very skilfully with all his wounded back to our lines. Throughout the action he displayed splendid coolness and presence of mind and an utter disregard for personal safety.

M.M. London Gazette 21 August 1917.

William Algernon Tapsell was born at Abbey Wood, Kent and attested for the Lincolnshire Regiment in 1909. He was stationed at Aden with the 1st Battalion in 1911 and served during the Great War on the Western Front with the 2nd Battalion from 5 November 1914. Having transferred to the 6th (Service) Battalion - after their arrival on the Western Front in July 1916 - he was promoted to Acting Sergeant and decorated three times for gallantry in the summer of 1917, the first award to be gazetted, his Military Medal, almost certainly being awarded in respect of gallantry during the attack at Messines Ridge on 7 June 1917. This was quickly followed by a D.C.M. and a Second Award Bar to the D.C.M., both awards being published in the 17 September 1917 edition of the London Gazette. The following extract from the regimental history appears to reference the period relating to both awards, i.e. 17-27 July 1917:
‘Two days later [17 July 1917] the battalion [6th] took over the front-line trenches. The opposing lines were so close together that when our guns were engaged in shelling the enemy’s front line the Lincolnshire had to temporarily vacate their trenches. The enemy’s retaliation was both systematic and heavy: he used large quantities of gas shells and for several nights box respirators had to be worn continually. Raids were carried out all along the line at this period and one attempted by the Lincolnshire was unsuccessful, as the Divisional Artillery, on the point selected, prevented entry. Relief came on the 24th/25th July, but on the night of the 26th/27th July the battalion was back in the front line.
It was reported on the 27th that the enemy had evacuated his front line; as the correctness of this information was doubted a very weak patrol was sent out by the Commanding Officer (Lieut-Colonel Gater) to verify it, which was met by heavy machine-gun and rifle-fire. Lieutenant Playle and five other ranks were wounded. The casualties would have been far heavier if the original report, based on aeroplane reconnaissance, had been accepted.’ (The History of the Lincolnshire Regiment 1914-1918 by C. R. Simpson refers)

Lieutenant Playle received the M.C. for his gallantry in this period - his award was published in the same edition of the London Gazette as both of Tapsell’s D.C.M.s.

Subsequently discharged to a commission on 19 April 1918, Tapsell died at No. 8 General Hospital, Rouen on 18 September 1918 from wounds received in action on 24 August 1918 whilst serving with the 1st Battalion at the Battle of Albert during the Second Battles of the Somme. The son of Algernon and Mary Jane Tapsell of 3 Grove Road, Abbey Wood, London, he is buried in St. Sever Cemetery, Rouen, France.

Sold together with a War Office Certificate of Death describing the recipient’s place and cause of death, dated 7 October 1918, and an original typewritten foolscap document detailing all three of the recipient’s gallantry awards including both D.C.M. citations and also announcing the presentation of said awards by ‘the General Officer Commanding Troops Woolwich, on Sunday, 20th. January, 1918.’- this in its OHMS envelope addressed to, ‘Mr A. Tapsell, 3 Grove Rd. Abbey Wood, London SE2.’