Bravery and dedication of soldiers recognised with medals
A century ago, some men were still being decorated for their service during World War One. Others, who had already been presented with awards such as the Military Cross, lost their lives in battle. This week, we look at some of the Welsh recipients presen
IN OCTOBER 1918, Sergeant Tommy George Hopkins was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his “conspicuous gallantry”. Throughout World War One nearly 25,000 distinguished conduct medals were awarded.
There were eight variants of the medal, which were made from silver with an ornate scroll pattern.
Those handed out during the First World War featuring King George V uncrowned, and bore the words GEORGIVS•V•D•G•BRITT•OMN• REX•ET•INDIAE•IMP.
According to an article published in our sister paper the Rhondda Leader in October 1918, Sergeant Tommy George Hopkins, from Treorchy, was handed the award for his work in the ambulance service.
He received the medal for his “conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the battlefield” and it made him the first man from the Rhondda ambulance service to be awarded the medal.
The article reads: “Sergeant Tommy George Hopkins, husband of Mrs M A Hopkins, Bute Street, Treorchy, who was awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous gallantry in the field in 1916, has been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM).
“He was a member of the No 1 Squad Abergoreby Ambulance Brigade, and when war broke out he enlisted as a private in the Royal Army Medical Corps.
“During his three years at the front, he has been wounded once.
“Sergeant Hopkins, since the formation of the Abergorchy Ambulance Brigade, had taken part in many keen competitions in various parts of the country and had won a number of trophies, including the South Wales and Monmouthshire Championship Shield at Abertillery. He was a surface overman at the Abergorby Colleries before the war, an all-round sportsman, and captain of the Treorchy Rink Hockey Club. He is the son of Mr and Mrs Enoch Hopkins, 58 Stuart Street, his father being an official at the Abergorchy Collieries.
“Sergeant Hopkins is the first Upper Rhondda Ambulance man to have received the MM [Military Medal] and DCM.”
The Distinguished Conduct Medal was created by Queen Victoria in 1854 and is Britain’s second oldest award for gallantry, ranking only below the Victoria Cross.
One of the most decorated Welsh World War One soldiers, Company Sergeant Major John (Jack) Henry Williams, received four medals for bravery throughout his military career.
In 2014, he was posthumously recognised with a plaque at Cwm Colliery, in Ebbw Vale, where he had worked from the age of 12.
Throughout his military career, CSM Williams had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for “conspicuous gallantry in action” and a Military Medal for bravery.
He was later given an extra Bar to add to his Military Medal for another heroic act during the war. In 1918, at VillersOutreaux in France, his unit came under enemy machine fire one night and was suffering heavy casualties.
CSM Williams, in an act of bravery, rushed the machine gun post, took 15 prisoners and secured the position.
This act of bravery won him the Victoria Cross.
An article in the London Gazette in December 1918 described him as having “conspicuous bravery, initiative and devotion to duty”.
It read: “By this gallant action and total disregard of personal danger, he was the means of enabling not only his own company but also those on the flanks to advance.” All four medals were presented to him at Buckingham Palace by King George V after the war in 1919, making him the first person to be decorated four times in one day.
CSM Williams returned to his hometown in Ebbw Vale, where his former steelworks company awarded him a lifetime supply of coal and electricity. Another World War One soldier presented with a medal for bravery during the war was Colonel Alec Ebsworth, who lived in Treorchy and then Pentre.
Col Ebsworth died in October 1918, after being shot by a snipper.
A tribute to Col Ebsworth, which discussed his medals and decorations, was published in the Rhondda Leader.
The article, published on October 12, reads: “LieutCol Alec Ebsworth, MC, Northumberland Fusiliers, whose death in action has been reported, was brought up in Treorchy by Police Sergeant Menhinick, and afterwards for some years at Pentre, where Sergeant Menhinick died. He attended Pentre School, and was an intimate of Police Sergeant William E Rees, Treorchy, during his younger days.
“Col Ebsworth, who was known by his many friends in the Rhondda as Mr Ebsworth Menhinick, belonged to the old 3rd Volunteer Battalion Welsh Regiment, under the command of the late Colonel H Ll Glover, in whose office he was employed.
“He joined the Grenadier Guards about 1894-5, and served with them during the Boer War, being severely wounded at the battle of Biddulphsberg. Col Ebsworth gained promotion, and he had the honour of being one of the sergeants on guard at the late King Edward’s funeral.
“At the outbreak of war, the deceased officer proceeded to France as a sergeant-major in the 1st East Lancashire.
“He declined a commission in that year. He won the Military Cross in 1915 and decided to take up a commission at the end of that year.
“After some arduous service in France with the East Lancashire, and after declining the command of an OCB at home, Col Ebsworth was transferred to the Northumberland Regiment in August 1918, as second in command.
“Shortly afterwards he assumed the command. The deceased officer met his death through a sniper’s shot aimed while he was visiting a forwarding post.
“His decorations included the Military Cross, Royal Victoria. Medal, King and Queen’s South African Medals (four clasps), the MSM, and Mons Star. He was well known in the Rhondda at one time, and his Rhondda friends have learnt of his death with much regret.
“His family (a widow and four children) reside at 35 Audley Road, Colchester, and he was a brother of Mr AV iii Ebsworth, solicitor, Gellihaf House, Maesyeymmer, and Bargoed, who also formerly lived in Treorchy and Pentre.”