An article on the 20th Battalion by Phil Baker
AWARDS FOR BRAVERY
20th Battalion Gains First D.C.M. and Two Military Medals
“Manchester’s sons continue to distinguish
themselves in the field in various theatres of the war.
The latest battalion to win distinction is the 20th (Service), notification of awards of a Distinguished Conduct Medal to Sergeant E.E.May, and military medals to Sergeant Irving and Lance – Corporal Wagstaffe, “for conspicuous bravery” having been privately received by relatives of the men concerned.
These are the first honours gained by the battalion, and their comrades and city generally will join in hearty congratulations
The battalion orders contain the official notification of the award to Sergt May as follows:
The Commander in Chief has awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal to 17423 Sergt. E.E.May for gallantry on a reconnaissance on the night of April 18-19.
In a letter to his parents, who live at 50, Crescent road, Brinnington, Stockport, Sergeant May describes some of his experiences:-
“We had some exciting patrol work at night” he says “as the enemy sent up two mines, the craters of which we had to explore. On returning from a little bombing stunt on Friday night against a troublesome snipers position, I was met by our C.O. who informed me that he had just received a telegram stating that I had been awarded the D.C.M.
“He was highly delighted, and you could have knocked me down with a feather. This is the first honour awarded to our battalion”.
EVERYONE PLEASED
“This morning” Sergeant May continued “myself, Sergeant Irving, also in our platoon; and Lance Corporal Wagstaff(who was in our section when I was in-company had to appear before our Brigadier General, who shock hands with us and complimented us upon gaming the first honours for our battalion. Sergeant Irving and Lance Corporal Wagstaff have been awarded the military medal.
“The D.C.M. was awarded for a series of successful recognisances of German positions gaining access to their trenches, and other incidents which I have been fortunate enough to take part in.
“Everybody here is highly delighted; all the officers have been round to shake
hands, and I am quite the man of the moment”.
Sergeant May is only 25 years of age, and prior to the war was in the employ of Mr.Archer Miller of Hale. Jointing the Manchester’s he was soon promoted Lance Corporal, and was promoted to his present rank while on active service.
He was a member of St Paul’s Church and School, Portwood, Stockport, and gained some success as a sprinter, winning many prizes at local sports meetings.
Lance Corporal Wagstaffe is the only son of Mr and Mrs Wagstaffe, of 103, Beech road, Chorlton, and is 22 years of age. He enlisted on the Manchester Regiment on November 19, 1914. He was a dental mechanic with Mr.Jackson of Gore Hill, prior to the war.
Sergeant Irving lives at 12, Frodsham street, Rusholme. He was a member of the ‘A’ Division of the Manchester Police Force prior to the war, and was formerly in the Scots Guards, with which regiment he fought through the Boer War. He was a member of the left flank company of Scots Guards when the company won the regimental championship”.
Manchester Evening Chronicle May 4th 1916
CITY POLICEMAN’S HONOUR
“As we announced yesterday three honours have been won on the battlefield by members of the 20th (Service) Battalion Manchester Regiment.
Sergeant Irving, who has received the Military Medal, lives at 12 Frodsham Street, Rusholme. He was a member of ‘A’ of the Manchester police force prior to the War, and was formerly in the Scots Guards, with which regiment he fought through the Boer War, receiving a medal with seven bars. He was a member of the left flank company of the Scots guards when the company won the regimental championships”.
(Manchester Evening Chronicle May 5th 1916).
War Diary 18/4/1916
“A patrol carried out successfully a difficult and risky reconnaissance”.
Irving. G (George) 18538 M.M.
20th Battalion Manchester Regiment
‘B’ Company Platoon VIIII
Awarded the Military Medal 28/4/1916
Formally a Police Office in ‘A’ Division
Manchester Police.
Sgt Irving was killed on the first of day of the Somme July 1916, and he is buried in the Dantzig Alley British Cemetery, together with other fallen comrades of the 20th Manchester’s (Grave Ref III.F.8).
Sgt George Irving: Aged 39 Son of Joseph & Ann Irving, husband of Emma Nicoll (Formerly Irving), of 76 Darnley St, Old Trafford, previously of 12 Frodsham St Manchester.
Born 1877 Plumpton, Cumberland, son of a farmer Joseph & Ann Irving with three brothers & two sisters. He also had previous military experience in the Boer War with Scots Guards, (Left Flank Company).
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May E.E. (Ernest Edward) 17423 D.C.M.
20th Battalion Manchester Regiment
‘C’ Company Platoon XII
Killed Ginchy August 1916, he is buried in the Delville Wood Cemetery Longueval. (Grave Ref II.M.4).
Promote twice in the field, from lance corporal to sergeant, and finally commissioned to the rank of Second Lieutenant. He was killed whilst in charge of a covering party in front of Ginchy on the 28th August 1916, aged 25.
Son of Henry Edward and Emma Shirley May, 50 Crescent Rd, Stockport.
He was a member of St Paul’s Church and School, Portwood, Stockport, and gained some success as a sprinter, winning many prizes at local sports meetings.
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Wagstaff A.C. 17783 M.M.
20th Battalion Manchester Regiment
‘C’ Company Platoon XII
Lance Corporal Wagstaff is the only son of Mr and Mrs Wagstaff, of 103, Beech road, Chorlton, and is 22 years of age. He enlisted on the Manchester Regiment on November 19, 1914. He was a dental mechanic with Mr.Jackson of Gore Hill, prior to the war.
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SERGEANT MISSING IN ACTION
7th April 1916 Front Line Trenches
A screen of men was required to provide cover for a working party, 10 men from number 4 platoon volunteered, but due to heavy shelling and poor communication, the covering group got separated, and two men and a sergeant encountered a German Patrol, who’s probable intensions was to attack the working party. The men managed to bomb their way of trouble, but in the mealy losing contact with of one another on the way back to the British Lines.
When the evening roll was called, the sergeant in charge of the covering party was unaccounted for, and not until daybreak was, his body was sighted lying very near the British trench lines. There and then, some of his platoon volunteered to go and retrieve their sergeant.
It would have been certain suicide, and his brave men were prevented from doing so, until the following evening. At 7.15 pm, the men set out to recovery their platoon sergeant, but encountered a German patrol so they retired for a few minutes and returned when the Germans had cleared away. Alas, the body was there no longer, evidently, the Germans patrol had recovered the sergeant’s body, and no doubt, they would have found plenty of information in his pockets.
War Diary 7/4/1916
“Enemy shelled new trench between 10 pm and 11.40 pm covering party encountered German patrol,
Sgt in charge of party missing.” (Possibly Lance Sgt Pawley Ernest b 18009 ’D’ Company KIA 09/04/1916
‘A’ Company in front line trenches 80/84
‘B’ Company in front line trenches 85/87
‘C’ Company 2 platoons Crawley Ridge, 2 Platoons 71 South
‘D’ Company Kingston Road.
10th April 1916 Battalion was relived by the 2nd Battalion Royal Warwicks
Knowing that the Germans had a British uniform, and therefore knew who was holding the line, extra viedlance would be required on the following nights. The alert paid off one evening when:-
Eventually a German came over in the sergeant’s uniform. The sentry (whilst he was coming over) “Who’s that?” Reply ‘Sergeant. Manchester’s got a working party out”. He was allowed in the trench “Sentry: hands up you bugger-there’s no Manchester’s in the line”. The sergeant’s uniform was still covered in blood. (10th April 1916 Battalion was relived by the 2nd Battalion Royal Warwicks).
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