Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Victory Medal awarded to Sergeant J. H. Wood, 1st/5th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, who was awarded the D.C.M. for his conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Le Sart on 12 April 1918, on which occasion his conduct was ‘beyond all praise’

Victory Medal 1914-19 (1208 Sjt. J. H. Wood. D. of Corn. L.I.); together with an original unnamed (and not erased) Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R.; and an unnamed (not erased) British War Medal 1914-20, representative of the recipient’s full entitlement, nearly extremely fine (3) £400-£500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the 46th Foot and its Successor Units.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 1 January 1919; citation published 3 September 1919:
‘He has been out with this battalion for twenty-eight months and is Signalling Sergeant. He has invariably worked for the battalion and kept signal communications open under heavy fire with conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. On 12 April 1918, at Le Sart, during a very trying time, he was invaluable in collecting men and forming a fighting line. His energy on this occasion, as well as at his specialist work, is beyond all praise.’

John Henry Wood was born in Bude, Cornwall, in 1896, and prior to the Great War was employed as a Telegraph Messenger. He attested for the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, and served with the 1st/5th Battalion during the Great War on the Western Front from 1916 as Signalling Sergeant, being awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

Sold with copied research, including copies of the Battalion War Diary for the date of Wood’s gallantry at Le Sart, 12 April 1918.