The Brian Kieran Collection

A fine Great War battle of Loos D.C.M. group of four awarded to Company Sergeant-Major F. Winters, Northamptonshire Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (7474 Sjt. F. Winters, 5/North. Regt.); 1914-15 Star (7474 C.S. Mjr. F. Winters, North’n. R.); British War and Victory Medals (7474 W.O. Cl. 2 F. Winters, North’n. R), generally very fine (4) £1200-1400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Brian Kieran Collection.

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D.C.M. London Gazette 29 November 1915:

‘For conspicuous gallantry on 13 October 1915 near Vermelles. He was detailed, with eight men, to block a communication trench. The party rushed up the trench for 90 yards in rear of a bombing party of another battalion. A strong party of enemy bombers were met, who drove in our bombing party. Sergeant Winters, with great bravery, promptly engaged the enemy, drove them back, and successfully blocked another communication trench under a heavy fire. On the evening of 15 October he was again conspicuous in collecting parties to repair a trench which was being heavily shelled, and in digging out dead and wounded.’

Frederick Winters was born in Hackney, London and enlisted in the Northamptonshire Regiment direct from the Militia in June 1904, aged 18 years. Having then served in India from November 1905 until March 1911, he was advanced to Corporal and placed on the Army Reserve.

Recalled on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was advanced to Sergeant and entered the French theatre of war in the 5th (Pioneers) Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, at the end of May 1915. Awarded the D.C.M. for his subsequent bravery at Vermelles later that year, Winters was advanced to Colour-Sergeant in October 1916, but was severely wounded by a gunshot in his right leg on 30 November 1917 and evacuated to the U.K. Honourably discharged as a result of his wounds in the rank of Company Sergeant-Major in September of the following year, he was awarded the Silver War Badge and received the King’s Discharge Certificate in April 1919.