Medal & Mortality index
The Military Cross was instituted as a Decoration on December 28th, 1914, to
reward Distinguished Services rendered by Officers of certain ranks in the army
in time of war. Bars may be added for additional acts of gallantry. Since August
1st, 1918, it has, like the D.S.O., been awarded for "services in action" only.
The first draft of N.C.O.'s and men supplied by the Battalion consisting of 40
other ranks under Lieut. N. L. Thomas and 2/Lieuts. S. Davis, J. W. Price and C.
S. G. Blows proceeded to the Dardanelles to join the 2/4th Battalion at the
beginning of November 1915.
The drafts received were :
7th May 1916 — 2/Lieuts. F. R. C. Bradford, C. S. G. Blows, J. W. Price and S.
Davis, and 214 other ranks from the 2/4th Battalion.
20th September :
The assault was delivered at 5.40 a.m. under cover of an intense creeping
barrage wdiich proved to be excellent, and companies moved off in good order in
the half light close up to the barrage. The companies were disposed as follows :
on the right A Company (S. Davis) with two platoons and Headquarters of D
Company (Stark) attached ; in the centre B Company (Hetley) ; and on the left C
Company (Hewlett) with two platoons of D Company attached.
During the remainder of the day a good deal of annoyance was caused by the
continued sniping from Schuler Farm, of which the Germans remained in
possession, but no further counter-attack developed on our front, and night fell
with the 2/4th Londons' position intact. The casualties already suffered had
been heavy, and three company commanders, Hewlett, Stark and Davis, had
unluckily been hit, though the last was able to remain with his company until
after relief the following evening, when having been wounded a second time he
was evacuated.
At 9 p.m. on the 21st, the 2/4th Londons handed over their position, intact at
all points, to the 2/9th Londons, and withdrew across the Yser Canal to Dambre
Camp, where they remained training and reorganising for some days.
This was the most completely successful operation in which the 2 /4th Battalion
had hitherto taken part, and indeed all along the line of the Fifth Army attack
the new methods which have been described met with marked success.
The outstanding achievements of the day were those of 2/Lieut. Walker, Sergt.
Watson and Pte. Bolton, of which some description has already been given, but
reference should also be made to the excellent work of Capt. S. Davis, whose
clear grasp of situations and the accurate and complete information with which
he kept Headquarters constantly supplied, were of great value ; of Pte. Austin,
runner of A Company, who passed backwards and forwards several times with
important messages through intense barrages ; of Pte. Bull, the only surviving
stretcher-bearer of A Company, who displayed the greatest coolness and devotion
in tending wounded men under heavy fire ; and Lieut. Altounyan, the medical
officer, whose services were of the utmost value and carried out under
exceedingly trying conditions.
The following decorations were awarded after this action : 2/Lieut. F. W.
Walker, the D.S.O. ; Captains A. Grover and S. Davis, and Lieut. E. H. R.
Altounyan, the M.C. ; Sergeant Watson, Privates Bolton, Austin, Anthony and
Bull, the D.C.M. ; and Sergeants H. O. Wilderspin and F. W. Yandle, Ptes. J. W.
Ling and A. Westcott, the M.M.
The casualties sustained during the action included :
2/Lieuts. H. N. Bundle, E. R. Seabury and W. D. Warren, killed ; 2/Lieut. F. B.
Burd, died of wounds ; Capts. W. A. Stark, H. A. T. Hewlett and S. Davis, M.C,
2/Lieuts. D. S. Boorman, M. C. (at duty), A. J. Angel, W. F. Vines and A. C.
Knight, wounded ; and 60 N.C.O.'s and men killed, 176 wounded and 29 missing.
2/Lieut. (A/Capt.) S. Davis ; London Gazette 27.10.17