Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The remarkable and rare Second War 1942 ‘escape and evasion’ M.M., and 1944 ‘North West Europe’ Second Award Bar group of seven awarded to Sergeant J. D. Coutts, No. 52 Commando and York and Lancaster Regiment. Coutts, fighting as part of ‘D’ Battalion, ‘Layforce’, was taken prisoner of war at the fall of Crete, 1 June 1941. Having been transported to mainland Greece, he effected his escape from a German POW camp via a sewer - twice getting stuck along the narrow route during the process.

Evading capture with two other escapees, Coutts lost both of his comrades to malaria and exhaustion. Despite this, and by sheer bloody determination he carried on and made four attempts via boat to leave Greece for Turkey. Meeting up with other escapees along the way, including Lieutenant W. B. Thomas who went on to publish his memoirs about the eventual escape, Coutts finally made it in May 1942.

He had numerous brushes with German patrols, a seaplane, and an E-boat just as Turkey loomed into sight. The war was not done with him, however, and he went on to distinguish himself with the Hallamshire Battalion in Normandy, June - July 1944. In particular during the attack on the fortified position at Barbee Farm, near Vendes, 16 July 1944, when he was in action with both a Bren Gun and a Mortar, personally accounting for a large number of enemy troops despite being wounded himself

Military Medal, G.VI.R., with Second Award Bar (4746052 Cpl. J. D. Coutts. Y. & L. R.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Palestine (4746052 Pte. J. D. Coutts. Y. & L. R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted for wear, generally very fine or better (7) £8,000-£12,000

M.M. London Gazette 24 September 1942.
The original recommendation states: ‘Corporal Coutts was captured at Sphakia on 1 June 1941, moved to Maleme and thence to Salonika. There were escapes nearly every day. The morning after a successful escape would be spent by the remainder on parade in the sun. Those caught escaping would not be seen again.

One night the Germans decided to prevent any escapes by crowding prisoners into the centre of the camp. This suited the plans that Corporal Coutts and others had made that afternoon. They had noticed the opening of a sewer in the centre of the camp and had seen that it was wide enough for a man to crawl through. A Greek workman promised to take off the lid of another opening several hundred yards from the camp as soon as it was dark. They blocked the pipe from the latrines to the sewer and turned on all the taps there and in the wash-house and left them on all afternoon.

The fact that all the prisoners of war had been pushed by the sentries to the centre of the camp provided an excuse for their presence by the sewer opening, and Coutts and seven others climbed down and crawled along. It took them two hours. Corporal Coutts is broadly built and twice stuck in particularly narrow spots. The artificial washing down they had given it made a considerable difference to the conditions, but even so two of them passed out as soon as they reached the opening and fresh air. They waited till they came round and then split up into parties of two and three.

Corporal Coutts joined Corporal Ward and Trooper Nicholas. They knocked at the door of a house and were taken in. From there they gradually made their way down to Agion Oros peninsula, going north first to Langadas and then down through Evangelismos and Zagliveri receiving food and shelter wherever they stopped.

Trooper Nicholas got malaria badly and through weakness and lack of medical attention died on 7 October 1941. Corporals Coutts and Ward stole a boat near Smerna and made for Imbros. Ten miles away bad weather forced them to go back. The effort was too much for Ward who died on 10 November 1941.

Corporal Coutts spent most of the winter in a hut he built on the hills. With spring his strength began to return and he joined up with Lieutenant Thomas and Corporal Peacock in April.

On 5 April they got a boat at Klephttikon and sailed for Imbros. Bad weather forced them to go back. On 16 April they tried again from Nea Skete, but had to return as round the point a strong light was flashed on them and they heard voices.

They were joined by 2 Cypriots and a Greek officer on 2 May 1942 and on the same day Private Theodoros Georgiou, No. 4230, 232 Company, R.A.S.C., who has been recommended for a D.C.M., reached them. On 4 May 1942 they left with him and arrived at Turkey on 6 May 1942.

Corporal Coutts not only did an excellent escape, but in spite of the death of his two companions - which must have been hard blows to bear - his frustrated attempt to reach Turkey and his own personal weakness, he struggled on in Greece alone. Finally with L/Cpl. Peacock and Lt. Thomas he made two more attempts to reach Turkey and only just failed owing to bad weather. He escaped thanks to sheer dogged courage.’

M.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 21 December 1944.
The original recommendation (for a D.C.M.) states: ‘On 16 July 1944 Sergeant Coutts was commanding a platoon of a company ordered to reinforce Barbee Farm. His platoon HQ was twice attacked with grenades, and on both occasions he beat off the attack with his own grenades. Almost immediately afterwards he killed four of the enemy with a Bren Gun as they attempted to infiltrate into his platoon positions.

Later, during the action when the members of his posts were killed or wounded and the post was occupied by the enemy, who were able to infiltrate another platoon position, he personally dealt with them with a 2 inch mortar.

During the day the position was under direct fire from enemy riflemen and LMGs, and was frequently mortared. Quite regardless of his own personal safety Sergeant Coutts moved to and fro in platoon position, organising its defence and the evacuation of wounded, and encouraging his men.

When the company was ordered to evacuate Barbee Farm Sjt. Coutts platoon was given the task of protecting the left flank. The Bren group detailed by him to cover his own flank was under fire from three directions. He remained with this gun and was wounded. He refused to leave his position until his platoon was clear from Barbee Farm. Throughout the day Sergenat Coutts displayed complete disregard for his personal safety and set an example of leadership and fighting spirit of the highest order.’

John Davie Coutts served with the York and Lancaster Regiment in Palestine, and during the initial stages of the Second World War. He volunteered for service with No. 52 Commando, which was formed in the Middle East. In February 1941 the latter amalgamated with other commando units to form ‘Layforce’, under the command of Colonel R. Laycock. No. 52 Commando formed part of ‘D’ Battalion, and as such fought during the Battle of Crete, 20 May - 1 June 1941.

Coutts was taken prisoner of war by the Germans at the fall of Crete, 1 June 1941. He was transported to a prisoner of war camp in Greece, and from here successfully escaped (see recommendation above). One of the men whom he finally escaped with was Lieutenant W. B. Thomas, and the latter went on to publish his memoirs called Dare To Be Free. Coutts, or ‘Coote’ as he is referred to, features extensively in the book from the point at which they met in April 1942:
‘Well, it’s certainly nice to be able to speak English again,’ said the tall, fair lad as he came in the door, holding his hand out to me in greeting. ‘My name is John, Sergeant John Coote, of the Middle East Commandos, and I am very glad to meet you, I’m sure!’

I [Thomas] introduced myself and Costos, and in a few minutes we were drawn up in front of the fire talking ‘ninety to the dozen’ like a couple of old friends.... It was three days since I had decided to force the issue and if necessary resort to theft in the matter of a boat. Costos, to my surprise, had guessed my intentions and had been of the greatest assistance. Quite rightly, he had pointed out that it would be almost impossible for me to effect this plan on my own, and he had suggested that Philippas the Police Sergeant might know of other would-be escapers who would make up a suitable force. Philippas had, with some reluctance, exposed the where-abouts of at least ten others, both Greek and English, and we were now gathering some of them in to make a plan of campaign.

John was not in favour of any more attempts at purchasing a boat: he was a man of action, and his training with the Commandos had given him an aggressiveness which I found most promising. With this stout-hearted fellow, I thought, as I settled down that night, we should be able to accomplish anything.’

Having added additional numbers to the party, and ‘acquired’ a boat:
‘Soon after noon we drew out of the bay and headed east. There was a heavy swell, but we pulled on the four long oars with a will... We were only a mile from the shore when we had our first fright. A fast German patrol boat rounded the point behind and sped towards us, leaving a wake of churning water behind it. But the steel-helmeted occupants scarcely looked at us as they passed less than a furlong away. In a few minutes the patrol boat was out of sight round the next headland.

As the afternoon went on the wind grew, and we hoisted the sail with a marked advantage... We were bound to go between Lemnos, which was a German strong-point, and the Bulgarian occupied Island of Samothrace which was kept fully manned as pressure threat against Turkey. To the east of the channel between these two lay the Turkish Island of Imbros.

We were jubilant at our progress; by dusk we could see the houses on Imbros and had covered all of forty miles... But behind us from beyond the now tiny peak of Mount Athos a large black mass of cloud reached out towards us. With it came a strong wind and soon it became apparent that a storm was brewing. When the cloud mass began to cover us the sea was already whipped up into white horses and the heavy swell turned into tremendous and dangerous waves...

By this time the sea had risen to foam-crested waves as big as small steep hills which rushed down on to us from the rear, one following the other. One moment we were high in the air, looking over miles of foaming white in the darkness, and then we were down in an inky trough with black walls of water hissing on all sides.... We all bailed furiously, John and I with buckets, and the others with hats, or mugs, or anything they could find. By the time the next wave arrived we would have the water down to about a foot in the bottom of the boat; we never seemed able to get it lower.’ (Ibid)

Two of the men cracked under the pressure, and Thomas took the helm:
‘It seemed hopeless. John continued to bail with all his might, pausing only every few minutes to try and curse the others into some action. The Greek officer began to pray aloud as he bailed and his prayers mingled with John’s curses, Nicki’s retching, and the sobs of the boy Alexis...

More as a gesture than with any idea of assistance John took over the single oar I was using to aid the tiller. He called something which I couldn’t quite catch above the wind, and then remained quiet and waited...

Suddenly the climax came. A violent cross-wind titled the boat almost on to its side and swung the boom right across. There was a terrific crack and in front of our eyes the sail split in two... The giant wave poised above us, and in spite of its fury and speed it seemed to curl its seething crest slowly and deliberately before crashing down upon us. A great deluge of foaming water struck me on my head and shoulders and I felt the ship shudder beneath me. I closed my eyes... Then everything went black, although I could still faintly hear my name being called. It was all over.

“Mr Thomas, Mr Thomas, sir! You must make an effort! Speak to me!” floated into my consciousness. ‘Good heavens,’ I thought, ‘that is John! Fancy still treating me as an officer after I am dead!’

Suddenly my mind cleared. I opened my eyes to find myself in the crook of John’s right arm; his left arm was working the tiller furiously. The storm was in no way abated, but something was different... I roused myself into action.

“I thought you’d had it, sir”, called John, grinning up at me as I pulled away from him. “I think we are better without the sail. She lifts over the crest of each wave now instead of pulling through them. As long as we can keep the old bitch stern on to these mountains I think we might live through the night!”

They did make it through the night, and sighted land to the north in the morning. To their dismay, the latter turned out to be the peninsula from which they had set out from. The party now split, with Thomas going inland alongside Coutts and Peacock.

They determined to try again with a new boat. In the interim period they required supplies:
‘A careful reconnaissance showed that there was no one in the house, and we closed in. The door was heavily barred, and had a thick chain drawn through it and its stone framework. It looked as if it would be a ticklish business breaking in.

“I never intended getting in by the door, sir,” John explained. “I was just looking to see if anyone had been here since I last made a visit. If such is the case there’s probably some fresh food inside. I’ll now show you how the Commandos get into a house of this kind.” Grinning broadly, he began to worm his way between the large stone foundations under the house.

Following him closely, we watched while he tapped the boards over his head until one responded to his liking. He forced it upwards. In a few moments we had all clambered into the room above. John fumbled about in the dark and lit a candle.’ (Ibid)

After another abortive attempt, and some time living off the land evading the Germans, the trio set off again as part of a larger group in a boat they christened the Blighty. On this voyage they survived the investigation of a German seaplane passing 100 feet over their heads, and a German ‘E’ boat speeding towards them just as Turkey beckoned. Upon arrival in Turkey, the group made contact with a local Turkish Chief of Police and the following morning:

‘Soon after ten there was a great stir in the village, shouting and even cheers... We saw two splendid Rolls-Royce cars sweep up the narrow mud tracks between the rough houses and come to a halt in a cloud of dust outside the Police Headquarters.

In a matter of moments we were being shepherded out of the gaol by a now effusive Chief of Police and presented to a smiling gentleman who looked clean and fresh in grey flannels and a Royal Yacht Club blazer. His Majesty’s Consul for Smyrna welcomed us with enthusiasm, clasping each of our hands in turn and somehow appearing just as happy and overwhelmed as we were... then bustled us into the two cars.... John and I and Nicki looked at one another as we relaxed in the leading car and grinned from ear to ear. This was the perfect ending. This was the complete reward for nights of anxiety and privation; this was the end of our adventure in Greece.’ (Ibid)

North West Europe
Whilst it might have been the end of Coutts’ “Adventure” in Greece, it was not the end of his war. His commando unit had been disbanded after the fall of Crete, and as a consequence he returned for service with his parent unit. Coutts advanced to Sergeant, and served with the Hallamshire Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment during the campaign in North West Europe. The Battalion arrived in France, 9 June 1944, and were heavily engaged in the attack on Fontenay-le-Pesnel, 25 June 1944.

Coutts went on to further distinguish himself during the Battalion’s attack on the fortified position of Barbee Farm, and the village of Vendes in Normandy, 16 July 1944. The Hallamshires attacked over open ground in daylight without armoured support, and despite encountering heavy opposition managed to gain Barbee Farm. The British force was unable to capture Vendes, and as a consequence were forced to retreat.

The M.M. is believed to be a unique award to No. 52 Commando for the Second World War.

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