Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry

A Great War ‘Battle of Es Sinn’ Mesopotamia D.C.M. group of five awarded to Sergeant W. Cole, 2nd Battalion, Dorsetshire Regiment, who was Mentioned in Despatches for his services during the advance from Qurna to Kut-al-Amara Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (7728 Pte. W. Cole. 2/Dorset: Regt.); 1914-15 Star (7728 Pte. W. Cole. Dorset: R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (7728 Pte. W. Cole. Dorset. R.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, Regular Army (5718090 Sjt. W. Cole. D.C.M., Dorset. R.) number partially officially corrected on last, light contact marks, nearly very fine and better (5) £800-£1,000 --- D.C.M. London Gazette 22 January 1916: ‘For conspicuous gallantry at Kut-al-Amara (Mespotamia), on 28 September 1915, in bringing up ammunition to the firing line at least three times under heavy fire.’ M.I.D. London Gazette 5 April 1916. William Cole was born in Blandford, Dorset, in 1885 and attested for the Dorsetshire Regiment. He served pre-War with the 2nd Battalion in India, and following the outbreak of the Great War landed with the Battalion at Fao on the Persian Gulf, for service in Mesopotamia, on 6 November 1914, as part of the 16th Brigade of the Poona Division. He served with the Battalion throughout the Great War in Mesopotamia, and was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his services at the Battle of Es Sinn on 28 September 1915. Battle of Es Sinn On 27 September 1915, General Townshend’s forces approached the Ottoman positions at the Es Sinn. Over the previous days, air and cavalry reconnaissance had scouted the area and located the camouflaged Ottoman defences as best they could. Scouts had discovered that the area between the Ataba and Suwaikiya Marshes, north of the Ottoman lines, was passable for a heavy formation. Rather than attacking the position head on, Townshend opted for a plan to envelop the Nureddin's forces. Shifting the bulk of his forces across to the left bank of the Tigris, he then split his remaining troops into three elements. Two columns were to march around the marshes and attack the Ottoman positions from the rear. Column A, composed of the 2nd Dorsets, 117th Mahrattas, and a company of sappers, under the command of General Delamain, was given the job of clearing the Ottoman positions between the Suwada and Ataba marshes. Column B, under the command of Brigadier General Hoghton, were assigned to strike at the rear trench line of the Ottoman positions. The third element, the 18th (Belgaum) Brigade under Brigadier General Fry, would make a demonstration along the Ottoman front, fixing the defenders in position. Brigadier General Delamain would oversee the flanking manoeuvre. The Cavalry Brigade would circle around and set up astride the anticipated lines of retreat on the left side of the river. However, all of this would hinge upon the Anglo-Indian forces executing a night march across the desert and around the marshes. Starting out at 2:00 a.m. on 28 September 1915, the two columns advanced in the darkness trying to arrive at their destinations in time to be supported by a bombardment at dawn. However, things went wrong. Houghton’s column became lost and entered the Suwaikiya marsh. Attempts by Delamain to warn him of this failed and Column B spending an hour retracing its steps before getting back on track. By about 8:45 a.m., almost three hours after the initial start time for the attack, Delamain still had no word that Houghton was any closer to clearing the marshes. Rather than wait any longer, he ordered his column to attack the Ottoman positions. However, without Houghton’s support, Delamain’s force was now supposed to attack more of the Ottoman positions than envisioned. Attacking the northern end of the Ottoman defences, the 117th Maharattas and 22 Company of the Bombay Sappers and Miners, suffering heavy casualties. The Maharattas lost all of their British officers, leaving the battalion under the command of its Viceroy Commissioned Officers. As the Maharattas and sappers attacked the northern end of the line, 2nd Dorsets struck at the centre and southern end of the line, encountering stiff resistance. Unknown to Delamain, Houghton’s column had already been engaged, stumbling into a previously undiscovered Ottoman redoubt near the marsh. When Houghton’s column finally arrived at the battle, he immediately committed his battalions to support the attacks on the redoubts. Eventually, the entire network of trenches and redoubts were cleared at bayonet point. Receiving news of the success along the northern set of Ottoman defences, Brigadier General Fry attempted to convert his feint into a full assault on the Ottoman positions between the river and Suwada marsh. However, the Ottoman defenders put up a stiff resistance, and despite the enfilading fire from the gunboats along the river, Fry’s forces could not break through the Ottoman defenders. At this point Nureddin’s reinforcements began to arrive from their position upriver. Four battalions of Ottoman infantry, supported by two cavalry brigades and artillery, were racing to try to recapture the Ottoman lines. Elements of Columns A and B, both under Delamain’s control now, spotted the Ottoman units first and took them under fire. Once they had stopped the Ottoman advance, Delamain ordered a bayonet charge that threw Ottoman reserves into retreat. By the end of the day, the British and Indian troops had captured most of the northern trench network on the left bank of the Tigris, and the Ottomans were in retreat. Cole’s D.C.M. was one of 8 awarded to the Battalion for this battle. He subsequently served during the capture of Kut-al-Amara but does not appear to have been one of the 350 men of the Battalion captured by the Turks at the Siege of Kut in April 1916 (of whom only 70 survived their captivity). He was also Mentioned in Despatches for his services during the advance from Qurna to Kut.