A Collection of Medals to The Royal Engineers

A fine Great War D.C.M., M.M. and Bar group of five to Sergeant J. Foley, Royal Engineers, who ‘several times won his bet that he would drop three Bosches in five shots at 200 yards’ during the Battle of Lys

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (65638 Sjt. J. Foley, M.M., 106/Fd. Coy.R.E.); Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (65638 L. Cpl. J. Foley, 106/Fd. Coy. R.E.); 1914-15 Star (65638 Pnr., R.E.); British War and Victory Medals (65638 Sjt., R.E.) contact wear and polished, good fine or better (5) £1600-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to The Royal Engineers.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 3 September 1918: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in action. He showed great courage and resource in collecting and organising stragglers from several units. His position was heavily shelled and nearly outflanked, but by his courage and determination he kept his men in the position until the withdrawal was ordered.’

M.M. London Gazette 21 December 1916.

Bar to M.M. London Gazette 25 June 1918.

James Foley, who was from Greenford Green, London, enlisted in the Royal Engineers in December 1914. Posted to No. 106 Field Company, R.E., 75 Brigade, 25 Division, he arrived in France in September 1915, and soon found himself on the frontline at Ploegsteert.

Following 25 Division’s part in the defence of Vimy Ridge in May 1916, it was transferred to the Somme in July 1916, where it participated in the Battle of Albert, including the assaults on Bazentin Ridge and Pozieres Ridge, and in the capture of Mouquet Farm, the Ancre Heights, “Stuff Redoubt” and “Regina Trench”, Foley winning the M.M. for his part in these actions.

Withdrawn from the bloody battlefields of the Somme in October 1916, the Division was next thrown in to the Messines offensive of June 1917, fighting alongside II Anzac Corps in the actions at Pilckem Ridge and Westhoek, engagements that brought the total casualty rate of the Division’s R.E. Field Companies to over the 450 mark.

During the great German offensive of March 1918, the Division fought gallantly back on the Somme at St. Quentin and Bapaume, the R.E. Field Companies being ordered to hold the line across the Beugnatre-Longatte Road. On 23 March, 105 and 106 Field Companies dug-in and held the position covering Sapignies and Behagnies, wiring the line during the night of the 24th. A subsequent enemy attack was repulsed and Foley won a Bar to his M.M. for handling his platoon with great ability.

Next employed in what became known as the Battle of Lys, which lasted between 9-29 April, 106 Field Company formed part of the defensive flank situated in the vicinity of Vanne. Participating in a counter-attack in the late afternoon of the 10th, fierce enemy resistance prevented any serious gains and 106 was ordered to withdraw to new positions on the line east of Romartin. Here, on the 11th, the enemy attacked in force, the subsequent fighting more or less lasting for 40 hours, and it was during this period that Foley proved so effective with his marksmanship, in addition to collecting together and encouraging stragglers, deeds that won him the D.C.M.

By the end of the fighting on the Lys, 106 Field Company had sustained 64 casualties, and further punishment followed in the bloody fighting on the Aisne between May and June, so much so that the entire Division was ordered back to the U.K. to reform. It returned to France in September, participating in the attack on the Hindenburg Line and in the advance through Picardy, 106 Field Company losing another 60 men, most of them in the fighting at Selle and on the Sambre while employed on assault bridge construction and in clearing enemy obstacles.

The gallant Foley was finally discharged in March 1919.