Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry

A good Great War 1918 ‘Battle of Amiens’ Cavalry D.C.M. group of eight awarded to Sergeant H. R. Smith, 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales’s) Dragoon Guards, who with the help of another Trooper captured 20 Prisoners and 2 motor lorries on the first day of the Battle, 8 August 1918 Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (9502 Pte. H. R. Smith. 5/D. Gds:); 1914 Star, with later slide clasp (9502 Pte. H. R. Smith. 5/D.Gds.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (D-9502 Pte. H. R. Smith. 5-D. Gds.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (D-9502 A.Sjt. H. R. Smith. 1-D. Gds.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Delhi Durbar 1911, silver, unnamed as issued, contact marks throughout, nearly very fine or better (8) £1,600-£2,000 --- D.C.M. London Gazette 30 October 1918: ‘For exceptional gallantry during an attack. He was sent out with another man to reconnoitre a village. This reconnaissance was carried out with the greatest dash, the two entering the village and capturing twenty prisoners and two motor lorries. He displayed fine courage and enterprise.’ Original citation additionally annotated ‘Vauvillers 8.8.18’. One of only eighteen D.C.M.s awarded to the 5th Dragoon Guards for the Great War. Henry R. Smith attested for the 5th Dragoon Guards and served with them during the Great War on the Western Front from 26 August 1914. In July 1918 the regiment moved to Autieule (3 kilometres east of Doullens), and were attached to the Third Army. On 5 August the 5th Dragoon Guards started moving by night on Amiens, for planned operations in that area. Three days later, in the early hours of the morning of 8 August, the regiment arrived at the divisional concentration area, east of Longeau. As part of the 1st Cavalry Brigade they initially moved into position to the south-east corner of the Bois d’Aquerre (south-west of Villers Bretonneux) before progressing along the northern side of the Amiens - Chaulnes railway. By 9:45 a.m. the brigade, less the advanced-guard which was formed by the Queen’s Bays on this occasion, had reached a point 1,000 yards south of Bayonvillers. At approximately the same time the infantry (Australian troops) had nearly reached one of their objectives for the attack - a line running north and south through the eastern outskirts of Morcourt and 500 yards west of Harbonnieres. ‘The 5th Dragoon Guards were ordered to pass through the infantry and advance between Harbonnieres and the wood 1,200 yards north of it to gain the third objective (the old Amiens defence line), if not too strongly resisted. The line Framerville-Vauvillers was to be the limit of their advance. At 10:00 a.m. the regiment (less one troop C Squadron, liaison with 9th Cavalry Brigade) moved off at a trot in double echelon of squadrons, A Squadron (Captain A. D. Winterbottom) leading, B Squadron (Captain L. F. Mitchell) on the left, C Squadron (Captain H. O. Wiley, M.C.) on the right; headquarters with C Squadron: objective, the line Framerville-Vauvillers. The regiment passed through the leading infantry 1,000 yards west of the second objective, and advanced to a point 1,000 yards past the second objective without opposition ... From this point the operations of squadrons were as follows: A squadron [Smith’s squadron] was shot at by machine-guns from Harbonnieres, but went straight on, and reached the old Amiens defence-line, and found it unoccupied. After crossing the trench-line the squadron was fired on from a train on the railway running from Proyart to the east of Harbonnieres. The train was trying to steam away, but was hit by a bomb from an aeroplane and set on fire. Continuing its advance the squadron overran the train, and the men in the train (most of whom had just returned from leave) tried to get away towards Framerville, but were all killed or captured, some by this squadron and some by B Squadron. Still advancing, the squadron was enfiladed by machine-gun fire from the cemetery at the western outskirts of Vauvillers, but reached its objective, the Framerville-Vauvillers road, where it came into dismounted action against the retreating enemy. Some infantry, transport, and two motor-lorries [see Smith’s citation] coming out of Vauvillers were captured, and the walking wounded and personnel of a casualty clearing station at the Moulin de Vauvillers, numbering about 180 men in all, were captured; two anti-aircraft guns, two field-guns, and one 5.9 howitzer were captured, and the personnel either killed or captured. The squadron remained in dismounted action till joined by B Squadron, when both squadrons, being much depleted, owing to casualties and escorts to prisoners, and as no reinforcements appeared to be coming up, retired to the Amiens defence line, north-east of Harbonnieres.’ (Regimental History of the 5th Princess Charlotte of Wales’ Dragoon Guards, by Major the Hon. Ralph Legge Pomeroy, refers). At 1:30 p.m. the regiment withdrew to west of Harbonnieres, having captured 20 enemy officers, 740 other ranks, 50 horses and 5 transport wagons. The 5th Dragon Guards suffered 1 officer killed, and 1 wounded, 6 other ranks killed, and 42 other ranks wounded, with 122 horses killed, wounded, or missing. The regiment received congratulations from the King of the Belgians on 13 August, and from the Commander-in-Chief, Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig the following day, when he carried out an inspection. For their gallant attack on 8 August the 5th Dragoon Guards received 2 D.S.O.s, 5 M.C.s, 5 D.C.M.s, and 17 M.M.s. The other man mentioned in Smith’s D.C.M. citation was Private R. W. Short, who also received the same award for this action. Smith later transferred for service with the 1st Dragoon Guards as part of 18 Division, 7th Cavalry Brigade in Iraq, 1919-20, and saw further service during the Second World War. Note: It has not been possible to confirm entitlement to the M.I.D., Delhi Durbar, Defence and War Medals.