A superb Western Front Distinguished Conduct Medal group awarded to Corporal later Acting Serjeant E. Hurd, 33rd Battalion, Machine Gun Corps who was awarded his Distinguished Conduct Medal in the London Gazette of 3rd September 1918 for dispersing a strong attack made by the enemy in which he inflicted numerous casualties. He would later hold his position under heavy rifle and machine gun fire against great odds and when surrounded by the enemy fought his way back, saving his gun and ammunition. A history of the fighting around Meteren in northern France further stating that Corporal Hurd had penetrated the enemy lines at great personal risk, to a distance of 200 yards and brought back the gun of 2nd Lieutenant Heath which had been abandoned during an earlier retirement.
Group of 3: Distinguished Conduct Medal, GVR, (52939 CPL. E. HURD. 33./M.G.C.) British War Medal and Victory Medal; (52939 A. SJT. E. HURD. M.G.C.) Court-mounted for wear.
Condition: Good Very Fine
Edward Hurd, from York, saw service as a Corporal, later Acting Serjeant (No. 52939) with the 33rd Battalion, Machine Gun Corps on the Western Front, he would be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the London Gazette of 3rd September 1918:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. With his machine gun he dispersed a strong attack made by the enemy, inflicting numerous casualties. Later, under heavy rifle and machine gun fire he held his position against great odds, and when surrounded by the enemy fought his way back, saving his gun and ammunition. He showed a splendid example of courage and determination.’
A history of the fighting near Meteren in northern France further states that Corporal Hurd penetrated the enemy lines at greatest personal risk, to a distance of 200 yards and brought back the gun of 2nd Lieutenant Heath, which had been abandoned during the first retirement at dawn. This he got into action.
The history further explains the importance of the fighting:
‘The early afternoon of the 13th was most critical. The transport, whose road lay by Strazeele, now being heavily shelled, had not arrived. The question of the maintenance of our line seemed to depend upon the arrival of the Transport. Repeated messages by Mounted Orderly were sent to Divisional Headquarters asking for the arrival of the fighting Limbers. At 12 noon on the 13th, the Transport Officer arrived, and in a style reminiscent of the Royal Horse Artillery at an Aldershot Field day, the fighting limbers with belt boxes, barrels and S.A.A. were galloped through a hail of shell and machine gun fire to our gun positions, depositing the ammunition and material so urgently required.
The Queen’s had incurred heavy casualties. Reinforcements, however, were either in the line, or rapidly being brough up, and by the evening of the 13th the situation seemed to be quite restored. This was reported to Divisional Headquarters and to the 19th Infantry Brigade. During the night of the 13th, destructive shoots were fired at enemy positions on the Hoegenmacher Mill-Merris Ridge, and on his communications in rear. Up to this time not a single shell had been fired in support of our Infantry by the Artillery, whilst the enemy had continually bombarded our posts and communications during the 12th and 13th with Field Guns, Field Howitzers and Light Trench Mortars, which he brought up with extraordinary rapidity.
There is no doubt that had the enemy attacked in any strength between 12 noon and 5pm on the 13th instant, he might have entirely broken through our line. During his attacks on the morning of the 13th instant, and even up to 12 noon, detachments of enemy cavalry were fired upon, one large detachment in particular of about 200 horsemen being decimated by the fire of the section under 2nd Lieutenant Watts, south-east of Meteren. By the evening of the 13th instant the situation was normal again’
