A fine France 1940 Military Medal group to Serjeant W. Wase, 5th Battalion, The Buffs who would be awarded the Military Medal for his gallantry on 20th May 1940 when volunteering to man a Bren Gun on a 15 cwt truck in an area known to be full of German tanks in an attempt to locate his Commanding Officer after the Battalion Headquarters had been attacked. He showed further gallantry in the lead up to the evacuation of forces from Boulogne. He would be receive his Military Medal from the King in a ceremony at Buckingham Place on 23rd April 1941. Later in the war, Wase would see service in North Africa where he would be wounded, and would later be severely wounded on D-Day whilst serving as a Regimental Sergeant Major with the Durham Light Infantry.
Group of 6: Military Medal, GVIR 1st type bust; (801841 SJT. W. WASE. BUFFS.) 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star, bar 1st Army. France and Germany Star; Defence Medal; War Medal.
Condition: Good Very Fine
Along with:
A photograph of Wase in Royal Artillery uniform
A small group photograph in which Wase is identified to the reverse.
A photograph of Wase in front of the Buffs memorial at Canterbury cathedral.
William Wase was born at Shoreham, Sussex on 5th September 1903. He would join the Royal Horse Artillery on 2nd December 1930, and after completing his training would be sent to Burma, where he was present from 4th February 1933 until 12th April 1936. He would be promoted to Corporal and transferred to India on 13th April 1936, remaining there until 6th February 1937, and would subsequently rise to the rank of Sergeant
In 1939, Wase went on reserve and decided to train for an Officer’s post in the Palestine Police, and at the same time his wife, Grace also wished to join the same force. The course began in Scotland, but as war was imminent he was called back to the colours, and would see service with the Buffs.
In early 1940 he went to France with the 5th Battalion, where they would soon find themselves fighting with the Germans after their invasion of 10th May 1940. For the next few weeks, the 5th Battalion Buffs and 6th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment fought several hard battles against the Germans.
For an untrained and poorly equipped unit undergoing its baptism of fire, the 5th Battalion had been submitted to a very severe ordeal, throughout which all available evidence points to its having acquitted itself with greatest steadiness. A number of acts of gallantry were performed on the fateful 20th May. Sergeant W. Wase being awarded the Military Medal for his part. The citation reads:
‘At 16.30 hours on 20th May 1940 it became necessary to go forward and look for any signs of the C.O. and the reserve company of the Battalion who had last been seen in the woods of Loucheaux. Although the neighbourhood was known to be full of German tanks this NCO immediately volunteered to accompany the Officer I/C Battalion H.Q. Again at about 20.30hrs on the same day after Battalion H.Q. had been attacked by and in action with hostile tanks, this NCO immediately volunteered to man a Bren Gun on a 15cwt truck and accompany the Officer I/C to a point which it was thought certain men had been left, in error, after the engagement.
In addition, the general steadiness and powers of leadership of this Regular Army Reserve NCO were invaluable during moments of strain both on the move and during the action leading up to the evacuation of Boulogne’
Sergeant Wase would manage to get back to England. Of the 605 men of the Battalion which landed in France, only 80 would return to England unwounded. The remainder either being killed, wounded or taken prisoner.
Wase would accompany 2nd Lieutenant Van Ammel to Buckingham Palace on 23rd April 1941 to receive their awards, in Van Ammel’s case a Military Cross. A local newspaper reporting:
‘In 1931 Company Sergeant Major William Thomas Wase, an native of Worthing had a spell of duty as a soldier in the Buffs guarding Buckingham Palace.
On Saturday C.S.M. Wase went to the Palace again, this time it was to receive the Military Medal which he had been awarded ‘for gallantry and distinguished service’ at Boulogne.
C.S.M. Wase is the son of Mrs. Wase 34 Meredith Road, Worthing. He is married and has two children, a boy of four months and a girl of 19 months, who live with their mother at Angmering. He is an old Christchurch School Boy and he joined the Army when he was 17. He served five years in India and two at home, and was called up on reserve at the beginning of the war.’
During the next two years he trained young men ready for action and was promoted to C.S.M.
In November 1942 he went with the 1st Army with the 5th Battalion to North Africa where he was wounded after some weeks was returned to England. On his return to England in 1943 he was promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major and then transferred to the Durham Light Infantry to help new recruits for action (due to his previous fighting experience).
In the spring of 1944 he would be stationed in the south of England ready for the invasion of France. Wase would land on -D-Day and be severely wounded in the stomach and brought back to England. After being treated for his severe wound in several hospitals including Roehampton, he was discharged from the Army in December 1944 on pension and would be unable to work for the rest of his life.
