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Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 348

A very fine 1917 D.C.M., 1916 M.M. group of five awarded to Acting Warrant Officer Class II C. E. Nicol, 4th Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment (T.F.), later 150th Company, Machine Gun Corps, who was further 'mentioned' for his services in 1916 before being tragically killed in action during the Spring Offensive in 1918

Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (23495 Sjt. C. Nicol. 150/Coy M.G.C.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (2028 Sjt: C. Nichol. 4/York: R.-T.F.); 1914-15 Star (2028 Pte. C. Nicol, York. R.); British War and Victory Medals (2028 A. W. O. Cl. II. C. E. Nicol. York. R.), mounted court style for wear, sometime lacquered, overall good very fine (5)

D.C.M. London Gazette 18 July 1917, the original citation states:

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He covered the withdrawal of an exposed flank until his ammunition was all used. On the same day he volunteered and took up one gun to the threatened flank under heavy barrage, and remained there until relieved next day.'

M.M. London Gazette 11 October 1916.

M.I.D. London Gazette 15 June 1916.

Charles Edward Nicol was born in 1892, the son of James and Fanny Nicol of Hornby Castle Gardens, Bedale, Yorkshire. Enlisting at Richmond, Yorkshire he entered the war on 17 April 1915, they went into action less than a week later when the German Army struck a surprise blow at the Second Battle of Ypres. They suffered heavy casualties around Armagh Wood and Hill 60 between February-March 1916 when a mine was detonated beneath it in February and their C.O. was killed in action by a sniper the next month.

The Battalion was stationed at Kemmel when the Somme Offensive began and it was there that Nicols was 'mentioned', possibly for good service at the start of the year around Hill 60. They joined the Battle at Flers-Courcelettes in September, advancing alongside tanks for the first time towards Martinpuich. Unfortunately they found their flanks exposed to heavy fire from the German positions in High Wood and suffered severe losses to heavy shell fire from that position. Despite this, they stuck to the advance and managed to take Martinpuich, with High Wood falling several hours later. Nicol's M.M. was awarded the next month, likely as a result of his service at Kemmel rather than the Somme given the dates involved. However, the exact reason for the award is unknown.

Transferred to the Machine Gun Corps in late 1916, Nicol was serving with 150 Company when his D.C.M. was awarded. 150 Company was the Brigade Company for 150th (York and Lancaster) Brigade so he was serving alongside his old Battalion at the time, either in the latter stages of the Somme Offensive or early in the Battle of Arras. The formation was amalgamated in March 1918 to form part of the 50th Machine Gun Battalion, serving the entire Division rather than a single Brigade.

Nicol was posted as missing on 10 April 1918, shortly after the opening blows of the Battle of Lys. His death was officially accepted on 27 May 1918 and he is commemorated upon the Ploegstreet Memorial.

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Estimate
£1,000 to £1,400

Starting price
£800