A fine Great War 'Battle of Loos 1915, V.C. action' D.C.M. group of four awarded to Private...

A fine Great War ‘Battle of Loos 1915, V.C. action’ D.C.M. group of four awarded to Private Saxon Smith, 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards, for gallantry at Hulluch on 8 October 1915; he was killed in action on the Somme on 15 September 1916 Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (12702 Pte. S. Smith. 3/C. Gds.); 1914-15 Star (12702 Pte. S. Smith. C. Gds:); British War and Victory Medals (12702 Pte. S. Smith. C. Gds.) mounted court-style for display; Memorial Plaque (Saxon Smith) this in its card envelope with Buckingham Palace enclosure, extremely fine (5) £1,400-£1,800 --- D.C.M. London Gazette 14 January 1916; citation published 11 March 1916: ‘For conspicuous gallantry when bombing the enemy, retaking a sap and advancing forward to bomb an enemy sap.’ Annotated gazette states: ‘8 October 1915.’ Saxon Smith was born in July 1891 at Hollinwood, Lancashire. He landed in France on 7 April 1915, and joined the 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards, who had been in France since the start of the war. In late September and October 1915 the Battalion took part in the Battle of Loos, and it was for his actions near Hulluch on 8 October that Smith was awarded the D.C.M. For this same action Lance-Sergeant Oliver Brooks, 3rd Battalion, Coldstream Guards, was awarded the Victoria Cross: ‘The 3rd Battalion Grenadiers were holding an advanced trench, difficult to defend and almost surrounded by the enemy, who succeeded in bombing two of their companies out of it to a second position in rear; and the consequences of the mishap might have been serious. The 3rd Battalion Coldstream were posted on the immediate right, and behaved with admirable courage and promptitude; they stood quite firm and at once went to the aid of their comrades in trouble. At the time they too were being pressed, and the enemy got a momentary footing in one of their advanced saps, but No. 3 Company, well supported by No. 1, quickly bombed him out of it, capturing three prisoners. Another effort was however necessary to restore the situation, and No. 6738 Lance-Sergeant O. Brooks, of his own initiative, followed by six bombers, and supported by a section, all of them of the 3rd Battalion, started bombing down the captured trench. A fierce fight followed lasting three-quarters of an hour, which ended by driving the intruders out of their gains; so confident were the bombing party that they were eager to continue operations and invade the German lines, but enough had been done for present. The trench that had been temporarily lost was then reoccupied, and the original position entirely recovered. The expenditure of bombs by the Battalion that afternoon was 5,000.’ (Regimental history refers) Whilst the six bombers that accompanied Brooks were each awarded the D.C.M. for the same action, it has been established that Smith was not one of that party, he having performed similar deeds on the same day. He was killed in action, whilst still serving with 3rd Battalion, in the Battle of the Somme on 15 September 1916. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. Sold with an original news cutting with portrait announcing award of D.C.M.; and copied research.