A Battle of Arras MM Group with citation to S SJT Howard A Corps Signal Coy RE

GV Military Medal, correctly impressed - 15251 S. SJT: A.T.Howard. 'A' CRPS:S.Coy R.E.

1914 Star (Original bar), correctly impressed - 15351 2.Cpl A.Howard. R.E.

British War Medal, correctly impressed - 15351 S.SJT A.T.Howard. R.E.

Victory Medal, correctly impressed - 15351 S.SJT A.T.Howard. R.E.

GV Long Service & Good Conduct Medal, correctly impressed 1851988 S.SJT. A.T.Howard.R.E. 

 

Swing mounted as worn.

Condition VF (Edge bruise before number on MM) 

 

Sold with a copy letter of congratulations to the signal service from Field Marshall Haig, passed on by MAjor General W.E.Peyton. With a copy of Howard's citation.

 

Albert T Howard was from Woking.

 

As a 2. Corporal in the Royal Engineers, he landed in France as part of the BEF on the 7th of October 1914. 

 

While serving in the Wireless Section, A Corps Signal Company, he won the Military Medal, which was gazetted on the 16th of November 1917. The original citation is as follows; 

 

'For exceptionally good work done during the past months, as he has many times volunteered for dangerous work in forward areas. On these occasions, he has taken forward parties with Wireless Stores to Stations, which were only approached with difficulty, and has set up Wireless Apparatus and got communication through. The following incident shows particular merit:-

 

" Staff-Sergeant Howard proceeded with an Officer to Lievin on the night 22nd/23rd April 1917, to superintend the removal of  Wireless Station from Battalion to Brigade H.Q. and to install a Power Buzzer. He volunteered for this duty knowing the difficulties to be encountered reaching the Station which was in an especially exposed spot, his efforts to encourage the carrying party during the journey up were noticed by the Officer. The frequent bursts of shell fire obliged them to shelter several times on route. At Lievin, the Officer had to confer with the Battalion, so Staff Sergeant Howard offered to go to the Quarries and commence dismantling the Station, as the enemy fire seemed increasing rather than decreasing in violence. On reaching the Quarries some time afterwards, the Officer found that the work had to be carried on during lulls in the fire, and the Staff Sergeant was encouraging the men by doing a large part of the work himself. On their return to H.Q., both the Officer and Staff-Sergt. Howard had to be attended by the medical Officer, who attributed their sickness to Gas".

 

This is but one of the several occassions in which the conduct of the N.C.O has been brought to notice. Whenever a Station has been in trouble, he has always offered to go forward to its assistance and his conduct under fire has been very good'.

 

Scarce to find a citation for a WW1 MM, and I have never seen once so comprehensive.