Beschreibung:

The Collection of Medals to the Monmouthshire Regiment formed by Lt. Col. P. A. Blagojevic, O. St. J., T.D. An early and particularly fine Great War D.C.M. group of five awarded to Warrant Officer Class 1 C. Love, Monmouthshire Regiment, late South Wales Borderers, who was decorated for his gallant work in 1914 and beyond: his compelling account of his wartime experiences was published over 15 instalments in The Free Press of Monmouthshire in 1933 Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (2058 A. Sjt. C. Love, 2/Mon. Regt. - T.F.); 1914 Star, with clasp (2058 L. Cpl., 1/2 Mon. R.); British War and Victory Medals (A.W.O. Cl. 1, Monmouth R.); Territorial Efficiency Medal, G.V.R. (4070309 C.Q.M. Sjt., 2-Monmouth. R.), polished, about very fine or better (5) £2000-2500 Footnote D.C.M. London Gazette 30 June 1915: ‘For great gallantry in going to the rescue of a wounded comrade at night under a heavy rifle and machine-gun fire near Le Touquet. Also for conspicuous good work since 5 November 1914.’ Cornelius Love was born in Newport in May 1878 and removed to Pontnewydd with his parents in the following year. Educated at Cwmbran Roman Catholic School, he enlisted in ‘C’ Company of the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, South Wales Borderers in 1896, in which unit he excelled as a ‘crack shot’ prior to taking his discharge in March 1908, when he was placed on the National Reserve. Then in May 1914, he joined the 2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment, and was embarked for France in the rank of Lance-Corporal that November. Thereafter, he witnessed continued and bitter fighting and, as related by one local newspaper cutting, was fortunate to escape with just a graze to his nose from an enemy sniper’s bullet. Indeed the “Life and Times” of Cornelius Love are well-recorded, not least in a 15-instalment biography published in The Free Press of Monmouthshire during the course of 1933, the whole based on his wartime diaries - and compelling reading they make, with accounts of his first experience of a gas attack through to the occasion he was ordered to defend 100 yards of the frontline with just 26 utterly exhausted men. However, for the purposes of a more succinct source of information regarding the period for which he was awarded the D.C.M., not least during the 2nd Battle of Ypres, the following extracts from a letter home to his wife must suffice: ‘Dear wife, no doubt you and the boys are pleased with the honour. I’ve got the D.C.M. I carried Sergeant Wallis into safety when only 50 yards from the Germans. They saw us and kept up a rapid fire while I was doing it. The bullets were playing music over my head all the time, and I was lucky not to be hit. In another part of the trench I had to get the wounded away to safety, and with the help of my mates we put them into a farm safe, where their wounds were dressed ... In the place where the Monmouthshires lost most of the men under heavy shell fire, and our trench was blown flat, I had orders to hold out at all costs, which we did with very few men. The chums kept by me. They said, “We are safe where Love is,” and I believe it was true, as only Alf Nurden was buried when the trench was blown in. His face was all I could see, but I got him out without a scratch. They had him a week after, and broke his leg. I won’t forget poor old Alf, because it was me he would shout for when he was hit. I sent for a stretcher bearer, who happened to be Alf James of Pontypool, but no sooner had he started to dress Nurden’s injury then the snipers had him - he never spoke [Nurden died of his wounds back in England in June 1915] ... I am getting hardened to it now, especially when you see an ordinary chap saying a prayer before burying a chum. Many a tear rolled down my cheek, but it was not from fear, but the poisonous gasses that were burning my eyes ... Give my love to all, tell them there is plenty of fight left in me yet, and anyone who is able and doesn’t join should be ashamed to face a married man who has, when ev