A MAGNIFICENT “MILITARY MEDAL & BAR”
With 1914-1915 Star Trio & M.I.D.

To:
15384. Cpl T. BELLERBY
13th DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY.



With Ultra Rare Surviving Full Citation For the First MM, the 2nd Award Bar & M.I.D. and the recipient’s original ribbon bar with MM 2nd award rosette & mini MID leaf.

-MILITARY MEDAL-
[SOMME- London Gazette, 1st September 1916]
For Bravery in The Field:
“Near CONTALMAISON on the Somme, between 2nd & 5th August 1916 when the Durham Light Infantry was heavily engaged with the Enemy, in and around “Muster Alley”

-BAR TO MILITARY MEDAL-

[PASSCHENDAELE-London Gazette,17th December 1917]
For Bravery in The Field:
“This NCO laid wires to the companies in the front line (final objective) and constantly repaired them in spite of enemy snipers. During the evening counter attack, the wires were cut to the front and this NCO went forward on his own initiative to obtain information, then returned and directed reinforcements to the required part of the line. Throughout the operation he showed complete disregard for personal danger and set a splendid example on many occasions of coolness and courage under trying circumstances.”

-MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES-
[ITALY -London Gazette, 30th May 1918]
General Herbert Plumber: For distinguished & gallant service & devotion to duty (in Italy)


-[MILITARY MEDALS WITH SURVIVING CITATIONS ....”AN ULTRA RARE EVENT”]
As serious collectors of the series will know, as citations for the Military Medal were not published in narrative form in the London Gazette, as were those of the M.C. & D.C.M. to find an MM with its original citation is an ultra rare even. The entire & complete MM award citation files were totally destroyed in the Arnside Street fire during World War II London Blitz when the German Luftwaffe bombed London. There were no duplicate files.

-[BIOGRAPHY]
Thomas Bellerby was from Bishop Auckland and born in 1894. He was the son of Mr & Mrs Bellerby of South Road, Bishop Auckland. He joined the army as a single man aged 20 on 5th September 1914. He landed in France at Boulogne on 26th August 1915. The fighting around CONTALMAISON and Munster Alley where Cpl Bellerby won his first MM was particularly fierce and was made worse by the fact our own artillery constantly shelled our own troops while they were in action trying to capture the enemy’s positions.

[WOUNDED IN ACTION]
At some unknown point in his service, Tom Bellerby was quite badly wounded in action as there is a Pension Application form *S.B.36 in his papers that confirms that he suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his Left Leg and as a result was suffering from “Drop Foot” which is a common result of an injury to the upper front thigh. He was awarded a silver war badge No.B212728 and a pension upon his discharge on 1st April 1919. His address on discharge was Staffordshire House, South Road, Bishop Auckland. He was then only 25.

[THE WAR DIARY]
The group comes with several copies of the superbly written 13th Bn DLI war diary for early August 1916 including the page for 5th August 1916 upon which the recording officer neatly records the “Immediate” awards of the MILITARY MEDALS to 15384 Cpl T BELLERBY and four of his fellows, along with the minute to minute developments in this brutal action. Further diary sheets are also present for October 1917 which convey the position on the ground during the period in which Cpl Bellerby won the bar to his MM.

- [13th (Service) Battalion DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY]
Formed at Newcastle in September 1914 as part of K3 and came under orders of 68th Brigade in 23rd Division. Moved to Aldershot in November. Moved to Willesborough (Kent) in February 1915 and went on in May to Bramshott. 26 August 1915 : landed at Boulogne. Moved with Division to Italy in November 1917. 14 September 1918 : left 23rd Division and returned to France, joining 74th Brigade in 25th Division at St Riquier on 19 September 1918.








A very seriously desirable Triple Gallantry Group. An assembly of truly fabulous awards which will surely appeal as a “must have” item to the serious collector of medals to the DURHAM LIGHT INFANTRY, or the collector of seriously good medals.

ALL MEDALS are EF+ with original ribbons

£2995 Enquiries & Part Exchanges Welcome, Call us on 01342-870926)