An Important DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL (single)
To:
10918. Sgt E.A. AUSTIN. "A" Coy, 1st North Staffordshire Regt.

With an excellent battle citation for the attack at "Dickerbusch" (Five miles west of Ypres) where Sgt Austin captured a German machine gun and took fourteen prisoners on 25th August 1917. (3rd Battle of Ypres)

With substantial previous service with 7th Bn N.Staffs at Gallipoli.

[CITATION] L.G. 26.1.1918
Sgt A.E. AUSTIN. (Stoke on Trent)
" For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He directed a successful attack on an enemy machine gun which was holding up our advance, captured it and took fourteen prisoners. His exceptional courage and resource saved many casualties and largely contributed to our success"


[BIOGRAPHY]
Earnest Arnold Austin was from Hanley, Stoke on Trent and by reference to his service number he joined the army at Litchfield as a volunteer as part of K1 in late August or early September 1914.

His initial unit of service was 7th Bn North Staffs Regt with which he proceeded to theatre "2b Balkans" . His M.I.C. confirms with a landing date in Alexandra of 2nd July 1915.

After much gallant service in Gallipoli where he took part in the Suvla Bay landings and all the major Balkans actions he was shipped back to France & Flanders in the spring of 1916 where as part of the much needed reinforcement he joined 1st Bn North Staffs Regt. It was on 25th August 1917 at Dickerbusch a few miles to the west of Ypres in Belgium that Sgt Austin won his DCM.

There were many other men from the Potteries who were part of this general transfer. One such soldier was 10799 Pte. Harry Ingles, of Hartshill Road who was later killed on 31st August, Like Sgt Austin had had also served in the 7th Bn North Staffordshire Regt in Gallipoli. He had been severely wounded in the shoulder and right femur in July 1915 and on his recovery he had been posted to France to join the 1st battalion in March 1916.

Having been in France since September 1914 the 1st Bn had experienced much action and loss in the early part of the war & had suffered further major casualties in the German gas attack at Wulverghem in the spring & summer of 1916. The gas discharge on 17 June, caused 562 British casualties, of which 95 were fatal. The 72nd Brigade gas casualties were 348, which were mostly men of the 1st North Staffs.

[SHOT AT DAWN ....A Sadly Contrasting Story of Desertion at Dickerbusch on 25th August 1917]
While researching this award we realised that there had been a tragic development which had also been centred on the fighting of the 25th August at Dickerbusch. This concerns a 1st Bn soldier, Pte 8833 George Everill, a 30 year old soldier from Hanley who had from the time of his arrival in France been in much trouble and who had produced a shocking record of subordinate and non-compliant behaviour. On the night of 24th August he and several other offending soldiers who were under arrest in the guard tent were instructed to be "immediately ready" to join "A Coy" in the line for the attack at Dickerbusch.

In the event, and when the detail was about to move off, it was found that Everill was absent and had deserted with the abandonment of his rifle and kit. He was arrested some hours later in the rear areas by the army security services. After a field court marshal at which he did not produce any defence he was found guilty of desertion and was sentenced to death by firing squad. The sentence was approved by higher command and he was duly executed two weeks later at Poperinghe on the dawn of 14th September 1917.

[The 1st Bn, NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT]
The unit were at Buttevant as part of 17th Brigade in 6th Division when war broke out in August 1914. They moved to Cambridge and quickly on to Newmarket before proceeding to France of the 12th of September 1914, landing at St Nazaire. They marched across France to the Aisne to reinforce the hard-pressed BEF. On the 18th of October 1915 they transferred to 72nd Brigade, 24th Division.
In 1916 they suffered in the German gas attack at Wulverghem and then moved to The Somme seeing action in The Battle of Delville Wood and The Battle of Guillemont. In 1917 they were in action at The Battle of Vimy Ridge in the Spring, The Battle of Messines in June and Third Battle of Ypres in October before moving south where they were in action during The Cambrai Operations when the Germans counter attacked.
In 1918 they were in action on the Somme and The Battle of Cambrai and the Final Advance in Picardy. At the Armistice the Division were in the line 1.5 miles east of the Maubeuge-Mons road. They moved back to the area between Denain and Douai at the end of November moved to St Amand-Orchies, then on the 18th of December the Division moved to Tournai for demobilisation, which was completed by 26 March 1919.

[7th Bn, NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT]
The unit was raised at Lichfield on the 29th of August 1914 as part of Kitchener's First New Army and joined 39th Brigade 13th (Western) Division which assembled on Salisbury Plain. They moved to Tidworth and and spent the winter in billets in Basingstoke. They moved to Blackdown, Aldershot in February 1915 for final training.

The unit sailed from Avonmouth on the 19th of June 1915 landing at Alexandria on 2nd July then moving to Mudros, by the 4th of July to prepare for a landing at Gallipoli. The infantry landed on Cape Helles between the 6th and 16th of July to relieve 29th Division. They returned to Mudros at the end of the month, and the entire Division landed at ANZAC Cove between the 3rd and 5th of August.

They were in action in The Battle of Sari Bair, The Battle of Russell's Top and The Battle of Hill 60, at ANZAC. Soon afterwards they transferred from ANZAC to Suvla Bay. They were evacuated from Suvla on the 19th and 20th of December 1915, and after a weeks rest they moved to the Helles bridgehead. They were in action during The last Turkishh attacks at Helles on the 7th of January 1916 and were evacuated from Helles on the 8th and 9th. The Division concentrated at Port Said, holding forward posts in the Suez Canal defences.

On the 12th of February 1916 they moved to Mesopotamia, to join the force being assembled near Sheikh Sa'ad for the relief of the besieged garrison at Kut al Amara. They joined the Tigris Corps on the 27th of March and were in action in the unsucessful attempts to relieve Kut. They were in action in The Battle of Kut al Amara.












A seriously good looking medal for a premier act of extreme gallantry during the Great War

Practically Mint on its Original Ribbon.

(SOLD)