A superb German Spring Offensive Military Cross awarded to Lieutenant H.A. Davis, 15th (Service) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers – 1st Salford Pals who saw service on the Western Front from June 1916 and was likely present during the Battalion’s attack on 1st July 1916. Wounded on 1st April 1917 he would return to the UK for recuperation before being posted back to his unit in France on 21st November 1917. Davis would be severely wounded on 5th April 1918 in an action that resulted in the award of the Military Cross in the London Gazette of 26th July 1918 for having ‘led a party of thirty men in an attack on a trench garrisoned by about 100 of the enemy. Owing to his example and courage they cleared about 200 years of the trench, established a block and killed a large number of the enemy. Although twice wounded, in the knee and thigh he refused to leave the trench until it was cleared, and with revolver and bombs killed many of the enemy himself.’ The wounds suffered in the action would lead to the subsequent amputation of Davis’ leg, and would result in his eventual discharge.
Group of 3: Military Cross, GVR, GRI cypher; British War Medal and Victory Medal; (LIEUT. H.A. DAVIS.)
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Along with Lancashire Fusiliers cap badge.
Henry Abraham Davis was born in December 1894 in Enniscorthy, Wexford. He had been gazetted a Second Lieutenant on 20th July 1915 and Lieutenant on 15th September 1915. and would serve on the Western Front from June 1916 onwards with the 15th (Service) Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers – 1st Salford Pals. It is likely he would have been present on the 1st July 1916 when the Battalion was decimated on the First Day of the Battle of the Somme.
Davis would be wounded on 1st April 1917 suffering a gunshot wound to the right thigh and right shoulder and having undergone treatment would return home to the UK and later get married, the event being covered in The Western Times newspaper on 12th October 1917:
‘The wedding took place at Ilfracombe Parish Church yesterday morning, the Vicar, (the Rev. H.M. Johnson) officiating, of Miss Edith Mande Valentine Travers Cooke, only daughter of Mr. Travers Cooke, manager of Lloyds Bank and Lieut. Henry Abraham Davis, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Jessop Davis of Fairfield, Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford. The bride, who was given away by her father, was pretty attired in white georgette, trimmed with silk thread and girdle and wore a white tulle veil and orange blossoms. She carried a bouquet of harrisii lilies and asparagus fern. The brother of the bridegroom acted as ‘best man’. The happy couple subsequently motored to Barnstaple en route for London for the honeymoon. The bride’s travelling costume was of sapphire blue, with grey furs, shoes, stockings, and gloves, pink blouse, with blue hat and white plume.’
By 16th November 1917 he had been ordered to return to his unit in France and on 21st November 1917 arrived once more in France.
However he would once more be wounded on 5th April 1918, this time suffering a gun shot wound to the left knee joint that resulted in amputation, rendering him permanently unfit for further service, this during an attack on a trench that would result in the award of the Military Cross.
Davis’s Military Cross would be confirmed in the London Gazette of 26th July 1918 the citation for the award reading:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He led a party of thirty men in an attack on a trench garrisoned by about 100 of the enemy. Owing to his example and courage they cleared abut 200 yards of the trench, established a block, and killed a large number of the enemy. Although twice wounded, in the knee and thigh, he refused to leave the trench until it was cleared, and with revolver and bombs killed many of the enemy himself.’
As a result of his wounds, Davis would be discharged with a Silver War Badge. His medals were later sent to an address in Enniscorthy, County Wexford.
He died in Henley Road Cemetery, Caversham, Reading in 1966.
