The Great War D.C.M. awarded to Able Seaman W. F. E. Northern, Hood Battalion, Royal Naval...

The Great War D.C.M. awarded to Able Seaman W. F. E. Northern, Hood Battalion, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, for ‘most conspicuous gallantry’ at Niergnies in October 1918, the very last action of the Royal Naval Division in the war, when he single-handedly knocked out a tank with his Lewis gun Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (R-639 A.B. W. F. E. Northern. Hood Bn: R.N.V.R.); British War and Victory Medals (R 639 W. F. E. Northern. Act. L.S. R.N.V.R.) extremely fine (3) £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, June 2008. D.C.M. London Gazette 18 February 1919; citation published 10 January 1920: ‘For most conspicuous gallantry at Niergnies, on October 8th, 1918. When all the rest of the crew of his Lewis gun had become casualties he carried on alone, and kept his gun in action. After the enemy counter-attacked with tanks and forced back our line, he rushed forward alone with his gun and got it into action against an enemy tank. When the tank had been knocked out he advanced his gun and fired on the advancing enemy waves, dispersing them.’ Before the main body of the Third Army could advance, their flank, menaced by the enemy concentration at Cambrai, had to be secured. During the first days of October 1918, the operations had flagged and finally, on October 5th, the 17th Corps was informed that the immediate capture of Niergnies and its defences was of vital importance, and must be achieved. The Naval Division was about to entrain for the St Pol area but Sir Charles Fergusson applied for the temporary return of the Division to undertake the operation. No secret was made of the reason for the decision, and the battalions were promised relief the day Niergnies was captured. At 4.30 on the 8th October the advance began and, by 6 am the first objective had been carried. At 9.30 am the enemy counter-attacked in force, seven captured British tanks emerged from a sunken road and advanced against our line. One tank was dealt with by a captured anti-tank rifle by Commander Buckle, of the Anson Battalion, while another was dealt with by Commander Pollock, of the Hood Battalion, using a captured German gun. Two were dealt with by fire from our own guns [one of these by Able Seaman Northern] and another was knocked out by the artillery using a captured German gun reversed. Two tanks only escaped towards Wambaix. After hard fighting all morning, Niergnies was finally captured and the way was now open for the advance of the Third Army, and next morning the whole line south of Cambrai moved forward. This was the very last action of the Royal Naval Division. Casualties totalled 613 officers and men from the Hood, Hawke, Drake and Anson Battalions. William Frederick Edward Northern was born on 17 November 1898, at Burton Latimer, Northants. Employed in the boot trade prior to joining up in January 1917, he joined the Hood Battalion in France on 8 April 1918, and was demobbed in April 1919. Sold with copied research.