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Auction: 25113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 615

A Great War M.M. group of four to Private N. S. Smith, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment, who was killed in action on 5 October 1918 but who was posthumously awarded a Military Medal on 17 June 1919

Military Medal, G.V.R. (17905 Pte N. S. Smith. 11/Notts: & Derby: R.); 1914-15 Star (17905 Pte S. M. Smith. Notts: & Derby: R.); British War and Victory Medals (17905 Pte S. M. Smith. Notts. & Derby. R.), good very fine (4)

M.M. London Gazette 17 June 1919.

For bravery in the attack on Guisancourt Farm near Beaurevoir on the 5th October 1918, when carrying messages of importance under heavy Machine Gun fire. He was killed in action on this same day whilst carrying out his work.

Nathaniel Stephen Smith was born at East Dereham, Norfolk. he lived and enlisted at Mansfield, Nottinghamshire. He was the son of Joseph William and Amelia Smith. Smith entered the war in France on 27 August 1915. He was shown as having been wounded whilst serving with the 11th Battalion on 5 February 1916.

Trenches 5th February 1916.

Lieut. M. J. Vincent Jackson went out on patrol in order to examine and report on wire in front of CORNER FORT, he was accompanied by 16823 Lance Corpl. HINETT A. 16312 Pte. JACKSON A. and 15356 Pte. LEVERTON G. When about 20 yards from the German wire the patrol was subjected to a severe crossfire and Lieut. JACKSON was shot through the thigh. Pte. JACKSON who was nearest to him dragged him back a short distance when lance Corpl. HINETT joined them. he ordered both Ptes. JACKSON and LEVERTON to return to the Lines for assistance while he endeavoured to drag in the officer. He got Lieut. JACKSON on to his back but was almost immediately shot twice through the hand. Lieut. JACKSON was wounded again and ordered the Lance Corporal to leave him as he stated that he was "done for". This he did rejoining the other two men as they returned into our Lines. So severe a fire was kept up that it was impossible to go out to recover Lieut. JACKSON and on the night of 5th/6th February another patrol found that he had been removed. Lance Corpl. HINETT and Pte. JACKSON have been recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal. 213 Regimental Sergt. Majo J. HALL was severely wounded when accompanying the G.O.C. 70th Brigade and O.C. Battalion round the trenches. 15776 Pte. NEEP A. V. was admitted to hospital suffering from Shell Shock.

17905 Lance Corporal SMITH N. S. )
17883 Pte. NORTHAGE G. A. )
7274 Pte. WIBBERLEY G. ) Wounded
19178 Pte. BONSALL A. ) in
6743 Pte. POPE W. ) Action
16283 Lance Corpl. HINETT A. )


SEPTEMBER 1918

FRONT TRENCHES LEFT BATTN.
OF BRITISH FRONT ASIAGO PLATEAU.
The following names were also submitted with reference to this Raid:-

73199 Pte. J. SUTHERLAND 'C' Coy.
17957 Sgt. E. ANTCLIFFE D.C.M. M.M. 'D' Coy.
305649 Sgt A. JOHNSON 'C' Coy.
6674 Cpl. J. W. CLARKE M.M. 'C' Coy.
17905 Pte. N. S. SMITH 'C' Coy.
11359 C.S.M. S. THOMPSON (F) 'C' Coy.
Mention unfortunately was omitted in the official report, of the perfect way in which the men moved up to the various enemy positions under the cover of our own barrage, and this was the probable reason why our casualties were so slight although a large number of the enemy were killed. Not a little of the success of the raid is probably due to the excellent patrol work under 2nd Lieut W. H. McI. HOTSON during the Battn's last tour in the line which ended on the 3rd Sept; and also to the bravery and good leadership displayed by him during the rais itself: the success of the Raid being only marred by his unfortunate death caused by a stray bullet, when the Raid was practically over the Coys. were withdrawing to our lines.


GUISANCOURT FARM

4th October

During the course of the day, the Battalion was standing by with the remainder of the Brigade, in readiness to support the 7th Brigade (20th Division) who were attacking.
At 8.0 p.m. orders were received stating that the Brigade would attack on a 3 Battalion frontage on the morning of Oct. 5th. The 9th YORKS Regt. on the right, the 13th D.L.I. in the centre, and the 11th S.F. on the left. The Brigade objective was a line running approximately from:- The centre of the eastern outskirts of BEAREVOIR to LA SABBLONIERE (inclusive) and thence along the high ground to GUISANCOURT FARM (inclusive) to a point about 1,200 yards EAST, along the high ground. The actual frontage was about 1,500 yards. The Battalion moved into the assembly positions about 1,000 yards South of GUISANCOURT FARM and was in position by 3 a.m. on the 5th.
During the assembly Lieut. G. E. McC. KEMBALL was slightly wounded in the leg, and 3 O.R.s were wounded by M.G. fire.

5th October

ZERO hour was 6 a.m., at which hour the barrage opened and the battalion advanced on its objective:- 3 Coys. in the line, in order 'A'. 'B' and 'C' from the right, with 'D' Coy. in support.
All objectives were gained with slighter opposition than was expected considering that the left flank had to work up the MASMIERES -BEAREVOIR LINE of the HINDENBURG defences, GUISANCOURT FARM being a strong point in this line and was strongly held by machine guns. All battalion objectives were captured by 7 a.m. and consolidation begun. 1 officer and 190 Germans were taken prisoners out of a total of 3 officers and 300 O.Rs taken by the Division. A number of Germans were killed and numerous M.Gs, rifles etc were captured. The Battalion's left flank was always secure, PROSPECT HILL to the immediate west of it having been captured by the 50th Division the day before. The 13th D.L.I. however, failed to make good their objective with the result that the right flank of the Battalion was badly enfiladed from the high ground EAST of GUISANCOURT FARM and consequently at about 8.30 a.m., had to fall back and form a defensive flank to link up with the right Battalion. This eventually necessitated a withdrawal to the Southern edge of GUISANCOURT FARM and a line was occupied from there running in a S.E. direction towards BELLEVUE FARM, and was consolidated.

During these operations the casualties were:-
2nd lieut. W. R. BRANKER M.C. killed.
2nd Lieut. W. A. POWELL killed (shell).
Lieut.. (A/Capt.) R. W. CLARK M.C. wounded by M.G. fire (leg broken).

2nd Lieut. H. G. WHITTINGTON wounded by M.G. fire (leg believed broken).
2nd Lieut. T. CHEETHAM, M.C. wounded in arm by M.G. bullet.

Lieut O. R. ORCHARD wounded at duty by M.G. bullet (neck).

Captain (A/Major) L. H. Gibson M.C. wounded at duty, M.G. bullet left forearm.
12 O.R.s killed (including C.S.M. G. L. WILLIAMS, M.M.) 130 O.Rs wounded (including C.S.M. J. BETTS) 10 O.Rs missing and 2 died of wounds.
At about 3 p.m. one of these Coys plus one platoon of the other company re-attacked GUISANCOURT FARM, but coming under very heavy M.G. fire from the out buildings of the farm were unable to make any advance. No appreciable artillery was used for this operation. After dusk about 8 p.m. our line was again advanced about 400 yards on the right and consolidated. The left flank of the Battalion remained where it was, about 300 yards from the farm.

Smith was killed in this action on 5 October 1918 and is buried in the Prospect Hill Cemetery, France.

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Estimate

Starting price
£280