Bidspirit auction | A Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)

A Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) award for the defence of the Dunkirk perimeter during the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force in 1940, in a long service group of six medals to a Warrant Officer, later Captain (QM), of the Royal Corps of Signals. The group consisting of: Distinguished Conduct Medal GVIR 1st type with fixed suspender, named to: 2309306 WO Cl II W W Page R Signals. India General Service Medal 1908 with two clasps: ‘Waziristan 1919-21’ and ‘Waziristan 1921-24’, named to: 2309306 Sigmn W W Page F Dvl Signals 1939-1945 Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45, these un-named as issued. Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (Military) GVIR 1st type Ind Imp named to: 2309306 Sgt W W Page R Signals Walter William Page was born in London on 23/09/1901. He originally enlisted into the Royal Engineers in January 1920 and transferred into the newly formed Royal Corps of Signals in August 1921. He served in India from 1921 to 1927, taking part in operations to pacify recalcitrant tribesmen in Waziristan for which service he received the IGS 1908 with two clasps. Following service in the UK from 1927-1936, he was again in India from 1936-39, returning finally to the UK again in February 1939. In September 1939 he was serving with 2nd Infantry Divisional Signals which, after the outbreak of the Second World War, embarked for France as part of 1 Corps of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF). Following the German Blitzkrieg onslaught on France and the Low Countries on 10 May 1940, and the subsequent outflanking of the BEF and allied forces, the BEF began the hectic and chaotic withdrawal to the Dunkirk perimeter. At this time, Page had been promoted to Warrant Officer Class 2 (RQMS) and appointed as superintending Clerk to the Chief Signals Officer at Premesques, near Lille, where Lord Gort, the CinC BEF, had his Headquarters in the Chateau there. On 26 May, Page was sent with a party of signallers and GHQ staff to Dunkirk, to establish a Signals Office there in anticipation of the imminent withdrawal of the BEF HQ to Dunkirk. However, as recorded in the citation for his DCM, the destruction of buildings and general disorganisation at Dunkirk prevented him from completing this task and so, instead, he assumed responsibility for organising a large team of men for the unloading of a supply ship in the harbour, throughout 27 May, under heavy bombing attack by the German Luftwaffe, until an ammunition ship alongside was bombed and set on fire. For his leadership and initiative he was recommended for the award of the British Empire Medal, the recommendation being subsequently upgraded to that for the Distinguished Conduct Medal. His award of the DCM was promulgated in the London Gazette on 11 July 1940. WO II Page was evacuated from the Dunkirk beaches on 4 June 1940; following his return to the UK he was appointed to a commission as Lieut (QM) on 15/11/1940 and was promoted to War Substantive Captain on 15/11/1943. While serving with No 52 Signal Park at COD Donnington in November 1944, he was tried by General Court Martial and sentenced to ‘Dismissal from His Majesty’s Service’; the details of the charge against him are not known. In later life Captain Page became a member of the Distinguished Conduct Medal League and, for some time, was its Honorary Treasurer. He was married with one daughter and died at Swindon, Wiltshire on 17/08/1983, aged 81. The Distinguished Conduct Medal was only ever awarded sparingly, each one being hard-earned, and the medal was held in high regard within the Army. A total of 1888 DCMs were awarded during the Second World War (including 9 first bars) of which 44 were awards to the Royal Corps of Signals. The medals have some light contact wear, and the second clasp to the IGS is loose on the ribbon as is common with this medal, but generally Very Fine (VF) condition. With copy extracts from service records, citation for the award of the DCM, London Gazette entry, photograph of recipient and other papers.