The outstanding Second World War Burma “Forgotten Army” Advance to the Irrawaddy attack on Budalin 8 January 1945 ‘immediate Distinguished Conduct Medal recommendation Military Medal group awarded to Private W.C. Gannaway, M.M., 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment. From London Colney, near to St. Albans, Hertfordshire, it would be in his first action the he won his Military Medal. His battalion, a part of the 32nd Indian Infantry Brigade in the 20th Indian Division, was involved in the assault on Budalin at the junction of the Chindwin and Irrawaddy rivers, and it was during these operations when in action on 8 January 1945 that Gannaway was put forward for an ‘immediate Distinguished Conduct Medal. His section was slowed up at an obstacle covered by accurate enemy fire. Gannaway seized a Bren gun from a casualty and charged forward single handed firing from the hip. Seeing his example, the remainder of the section promptly followed him and the whole breaking into a charge, carried the objective. Later in the same day he twice crossed 100 yards of unavoidable open ground under accurate sniping fire carrying important messages from Platoon to Company HQ. Bill Slim, commanding 14th Army would eventually downgrade his recommendation to the award of the Military Medal, this being announced on 12 July 1945.
Group of 5: Military Medal, GVI 1st type bust; (14566588 PTE. W.C. GANNAWAY. NORTH’N. R.), with original issue pin; 1939-1945 Star; Burma Star; Defence Medal; War Medal. Laster four mounted swing style as worn, the first complete with its named card box of issue, and the similarly inscribed inner packet, this dated 12 July 1945.
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine.
Together with the following:
Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for the Military Medal, this bearing typed details for: ‘14566588 Pte. W.C. Gannaway, M.M. The Northamptonshire Regiment.’
Army Council Campaign Medal forwarding slip for the campaign medals, this confirming entitlement to ‘4.0’ awards.
In the field typed letter to Gannaway from the Headquarters of the 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, written by the Adjutant, and conveying thecongratulationsof the commanding officer on the award of the Military Medal for his gallantry at Monica. Dated 23 April 1945.
Air Mailed letter ofcongratulations, similar to the above from the battalion commander, dated 23 April 1945, this addressed to the recipient at 1 Highland Cottages, London Colney, Herts.’ As sent by the battalion adjutant: ‘Captain K.H. Malby’.
Letter ofcongratulationsfrom the Headquarters of the 14th Army, issued to Private Gannaway, signed in ink ‘W.J. Slim’ for Bill Slim, the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Fourteenth Army, dated 27 May 1945.
5 x photographs relating to the recipient when on war service, some being group shots, others individual.
2 x Japanese postcards, one with full handwritten details on the reverse, presumably as sent to a Japanese soldiers, from whose body Gannaway took them.
Ingersoll pocket watch, presumably as carried by the recipient on active service. Back plate now detached but present.
William Charles Gannaway was born on 4 September 1905 in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, and having married a Kate Sawyer in 1932, by 1939 was living in nearby London Colney, at 1 Highland Cottages, when working as a bricklayer. With the Second World War he enlisted into the British Army as a Private (No.14566588) with the Northamptonshire Regiment.
Posted to the 1st Battalion, he would see service in India and Burma throughout the war when fighting the Japanese, his battalion forming a part of the 32nd Indian Infantry Brigade in the 20th Indian Division in the 14th Army. The 1st Battalion fought in the Burma campaign from July 1942 through to April 1945, however it was not until 8 January 1945 during the capture of the town of Budalin, where the junction of the Chindwin and Irrawaddy occurs, that he first saw direct action with the enemy, and was also nominated for his gallantry.
The recommendation for an ‘immediate’ award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal was made on 11 January 1945, and reads as follows: “For conspicuous gallantry in action at Budalin, Burma, on 8th January 1945. When the advance of the section of which he was a member was slowed up at an obstacle covered by accurate enemy fire, Private Gannaway seized a Bren gun from a casualty and charged forward single handed firing from the hip. Seeing his example, the remainder of the section promptly followed him and the whole breaking into a charge, carried the objective. Later in the same day he twice crossed 100 yards of unavoidable open ground under accurate sniping fire carrying important messages from Platoon to Company HQ. The conspicuous and continuous gallantry and leadership shown throughout a hard day’s fighting by this soldier in his first action were of the very highest order and together with his initiative and example acted as a splendid inspiration to the whole of his platoon.’
The commanding officer of the 32nd Indian Infantry Brigade wrote in support on 12 January 1945: ‘Strongly recommended. A splendid example at a critical moment.’ Gannaway was put forward for an ‘immediate’ award of the Distinguished Conduct Medal, however on it being reviewed on 6 April 1945 by General Slim, commanding the 14th Army, he recommended that Gannaway should receive the Military Medal instead, and as such this award was published in the London Gazette for 12 July 1945.
News of his award of the Military Medal was however passed to Battalion Headquarters and then passed on to the recipient on 23 April 1945, though by then he had left the battalion, and was on his way home on leave. The news eventually caught up with him at his return to London Colney, where he died in September 1988.
