Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An outstanding Great War ‘Haussy, 16 October 1918’ M.C., ‘Battle of St Quentin’ D.C.M., and Second War M.I.D. group of twelve awarded to Captain G. F. Hyde, Royal Pioneer Corps, late 9th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment, and Essex Regiment

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed; Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (4009 C.S. Mjr: - A.R.S. Mjr: - G. F. Hyde. 9/E. Surr: R.); 1914-15 Star (4009 Cpl. G. F. Hyde. E. Surr: R.); British War and Victory Medals (4009 T.W.O. Cl. 1. G. F. Hyde. E. Surr. R.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, 1st Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 3rd issue (5998774 W.O. Cl. 2 G. F. Hyde. M.C. D.C.M. Essex. R.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, Regular Army (5998774 W.O. Cl. II. G. Hyde. (M.C., D.C.M.) Essex. R.) mounted court-style as worn, the 1914-15 Star and Victory Medal sometime gilded, the Great War awards with contact marks and polished, good fine, otherwise very fine and better (12) £3,400-£4,000

M.C. London Gazette 1 January 1919: ‘No. 4009 C.S.M. (A./R.S.M.) G. F. Hyde, D.C.M., 9th Bn. E. Surr. R.’ - Awarded for the action at Haussy on 16 October 1918 (Regimental History refers). One of eight awards of the M.C. to Warrant Officers in the East Surrey Regiment, Hyde being the only recipient with a D.C.M.

D.C.M. London Gazette 3 September 1918: ‘4009 C.S.M. (A./R.S.M.) G. F. Hyde, E. Surr. R. (Baldock).’
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during an enemy attack. Under intense shell and machine-gun fire he seized a Lewis gun, and by pouring fire into the enemy did much to check the advance. He set a very fine example of courage and energy.’ Awarded for the battle of St Quentin, 21/22 March 1918 (Regimental History refers.)

M.I.D. London Gazette 23 May 1946:
‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Mediterranean theatre - Capt. (Qr. Mr.) G. F. Hyde, M.C.’

M.S.M. Army Order 98 of 1953, without annuity.

George Frederick Hyde was a native of Baldock, Hertfordshire, who joined up in September 1914 and proceeded to France with the 9th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment on 5 October 1915. He was awarded the D.C.M. for gallantry during the Battle of St Quentin, 21/22 March 1918, the first battle of the German spring offensives. The Regimental History takes up the story of the action at Falvy on the morning of the 22nd March:

‘At 10:30 the German infantry advanced, but on reaching our wire a rapid and accurate rifle and Lewis-gun fire was opened, and in a few minutes every one of the enemy who could be seen was lying dead or wounded on the ground. An hour later a similar attack was met with the same fate. All ranks of the Battalion were in high spirits, feeling implicit confidence in themselves and their arms. About 12.30 p.m. the enemy made a third and desperate attack, bringing several machine-guns to bear on the left flank of the Battalion. A portion of the line was driven in, but the situation was quickly restored with the help of a few Headquarters’ details under the command of Major Clark. The ground in front of the wires was now thickly strewn with dead and dying Germans, many bodies hanging on the barbed wire.
Soon after the third repulse of the enemy the Battalion was ordered to retire, in consequence of German advances at other points of the line... The Distinguished Conduct Medal was conferred on Company Sergt.-Major, afterwards Acting Regtl. Sergt.-Major, G. Hyde and Cpl. W. Halliwell for conspicuous gallantry on the 21st and 22nd March.’

Although Sergeant-Major Hyde’s award of the Military Cross was gazetted in the New Year’s Honours List of 1919, the Regimental History makes it quite clear that it was one of five awards of the M.C. given to to regiment ‘For the action at Haussy on October 16, 1918.’ The following extracts are taken from the Regimental War Diary, largely repeated in the Regimental History, and describe the bitter fighting that resulted in the capture of the village of Haussey:

‘Haussy. 16.10.18. During the early hours of the morning the 3 Coys marched down in small parties & gradually got across the river to their forming up spot. By Zero the 3 Coys were across. The scheme was for “B” & “D” Coys to push forward rapidly under the creeping barrage, take their objectives - & in the meantime “C” Coy would mop up the village. The objective was a sunken road running along the bridge just outside the village. Some stiff fighting was experienced. The enemy had defended all the roads with barricades & there were numerous walls & “netting” fences to be crossed. The men fought splendidly & with very few casualties our objective had been gained by approximately 7.0 am. Two of our officers were killed (2/Lt Taylor & 2/Lt Goddard) & 17 men; also several were wounded. “C” Coy carried on with the mopping up & by noon 285 prisoners had been counted at Battn. H.Q. Amongst them were 9 officers - one of whom was a Medical officer. Several machine guns were taken & turned against the enemy - also 2 anti-tank rifles, 2 Minenwerfers - together with their carriages. Numbers of the enemy were killed - 80 at a rough inside estimate. Civilians were discovered taking refuge in various cellars - & it was proposed to try to evacuate them later on in the evening. About noon 2 platoons of “A” Coy arrived at Battn. H.Q. While reporting there 2/Lt Keep was killed by a shell which blew down half the house. At about this time the enemy started to shell the whole area very heavily. At about 2 pm some men of another Regt were seen doubling down the street by Batt. H.Q. saying that the enemy had broken through on our right flank. This flank should have been held by a Platoon of the Coldstream Guards, joining us up with the Guards Division on our right. Firing was heard in the village. Every available officer & man stood to & manned the walls &c. along the bank of the river & a Lewis Gun team posted to cover our bridgehead. The enemy continued to send over a terrific barrage - & presently numbers of the enemy were seen opposite. Fire was opened on them & casualties inflicted. These men appeared to be fresh reinforcements as they were all dressed in entirely new uniforms & looked like picked “Storm troops”. Later on some officers & men of “B”, “C”, “D” & “A” Coys came in - all pretty wet, they having had to wade & swim across the river lower down. What had happened was that by the right flank having been turned they suddenly discovered the enemy right between them & the river. Heavy M.G. fire & rifle fire had been on them & compelled them either to take their chances & try to reach our bank of the river & although losing a large number some succeeded in getting through to us. Murderous frontal & flank M.G. fire was opened on to them as they tried to cross the river. Number of our men were killed & several drowned in the river. The Trench Mortar officer (2/Lt Nielson) is amongst the missing. This officer had done exceedingly good work earlier in the morning with his Stokes Guns in ‘outing’ enemy machine gun nests. We succeeded in preventing the enemy from crossing the river - & during the night the remainder of the Battn. (unfortunately only about one quarter of our original fighting strength) was relieved by the 7th Bn. Northamptonshire Regt. from the 73rd Inf. Bde. The Batt. returned to its billets at St Aubert about 6 am in the morning of 17/10/18.’

Warrant Officer Hyde served with 9/East Surrey Regiment until its disbandment in January 1920, then 20 years with the Essex Regiment, until commissioned in the Pioneer Corps on 7 September 1940. As Captain (Qr.-Mr.) in the same regiment he was mentioned in despatches for gallant and distinguished services in the Mediterranean Theatre in the latter stages of the war.

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