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DSO GV and bar;
QSA (6) CC TH OFS RoL Tr LN (Lieut. H. I. Storey. Devon. Rgt.);
KSA (2) (Lieut. H. I. Storey. Devon Rgt.) official correction to second initial;
1914-15 Star (Major H. I. Storey. Devon. R.);
BWM and VM with MID (Lt. Col. H. I. Storey.)

DSO London Gazette 15 February 1917.

DSO Second Award Bar London Gazette 8 March 1919; citation published 4 October 1919:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and ability to command. On October 8th, 1918, he captured Ponchaux, strongly held, with his battalion a village which had held up the advance for several days. It was owing to his high state of discipline and training which he had instilled into his battalion that the enemy’s defences were broken and marked success obtained, a large number of prisoners and machine guns being taken.’

MID London Gazette 1 January 1916; 4 January 1917; 22 May 1917; 30 May 1918; and 8 July 1919.

Henry Innes Storey was born in India on 20 February 1879, son of H. F. Storey of the Public Works Department India. He was educated at Clifton College and, on leaving, joined the 3rd Militia Battalion, Devonshire Regiment, transferring to the 1st Battalion in May 1899. During the Boer War he served at the relief of Ladysmith, including the action at Colenso, 15 December 1900, where he was slightly wounded; operations of 5-7 February 1900 and action at Vaal Krantz; operations on the Tugela Heights, 14-27 February 1900; action at Pieters Hill; operations in Natal, March to June 1900, including action at Laing’s Nek; and operations in the Transvaal, 30 November 1900 to 31 May 1901 (Queen’s Medal with 6 clasps, King’s Medal with 2 clasps).

Promoted to Captain in May 1904, Storey was seconded for service in 1909 with the West African Frontier Force, becoming a Company Commander in the Gold Coast Regiment. During his service in Africa he contracted Blackwater Fever, but by the outbreak of the Great War he was fit again and re-established with the Devons.

In the early days of the Great War Captain Storey, with 2nd Lieutenants Joy and Copner plus 15 N.C.Os., received orders to proceed to Exeter and form the nucleus of the new Service Battalions of the Regiment, Storey being promoted Temporary Major in the 8th Battalion. On 25 July 1915 the battalion, with Storey commanding A Company, left Southampton for France, disembarking at Le Havre and entraining for Wizernes, where they were inspected and complimented on their soldierly bearing. They then joined the 20th Brigade of the 7th Division. Storey was transferred to the 9th Battalion on 13 September 1915, and assumed command of the battalion in time for the battle of Loos, where on the first day of that battle he was severely wounded in the arm whilst attacking Gun Trench. He re-joined the battalion on recovering from his wounds the following May, in time for the vast amount of work to be carried out on training in preparation for the ‘Big Push, later known as the battle of the Somme. Colonel Storey commanded the 9th Battalion during its famous action at Mansell Copse, where Captain D. L. Martin’s plasticine model of the area and his prophecy proved so accurate. The battalion suffered great losses during the battle, including Captain Martin and Captain Hodgeson, who was a poet of some renown. The Devonshire Cemetery at Mansell Copse remains a poignant reminder to all who visit it.

On 18 February 1917, Colonel Storey assumed command of the Divisional School, a post he held until October when he again returned to command the 9th Battalion during the Third Battle of Ypres, Passchendaele. November 1917 saw the battalion entrain for Italy, being employed on that front until September 1918 when they returned to the Western Front. It was in the final days of the war that he won the Bar to his DSO for the capture of Ponchaux by his battalion in October 1918.

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IGS 1895 (2) Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (Major A. G. Spratt 1st Bn. Devon Regt.);
QSA (4) Cape Colony, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Major A. G. Spratt, Devon Rgt:)

Arthur Graves Spratt was born in Malta in May 1854, the third son of Vice-Admiral Thomas Abel Brimmage Spratt, C.B., F.R.S., F.S.A., F.R.G.S. (1811-88) and grandson of Commander James Spratt, R.N. (1771-1853), who distinguished himself, when a Master’s Mate in H.M.S. Defiance at the Battle of Trafalgar, in boarding the French ship L’Aigle.

Spratt was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant in 1st West India Regiment in May 1874 and advanced to Lieutenant two years later. Between 1880 and 1882 he was Fort Adjutant at Cape Coast Castle on the Gold Coast; he was promoted Captain in March 1882.

In May 1883, Spratt exchanged to 1st Battalion, The Devonshire Regiment, then stationed in Dublin. He was promoted Major in November 1892, by which time the Battalion had moved to Alexandria, in Egypt, but had been warned for posting to India in 1893. The Battalion served on the North-West Frontier 1897-98 as part of the Tirah Field Force and Spratt subsequently received the India Medal 1895-1902, with clasps ‘Punjab Frontier 1897-98’ and ‘Tirah 1897-98’, having been present at the capture of the Sampagha and Arhangha passes.

 Spratt next served as Second-in-Command of the 2nd Battalion during the Second Boer War, subsequently receiving the Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902 with four clasps. He retired in May 1902, and resided in Brampford Speke, Devon.

 On the outbreak of the Great War, Spratt briefly commanded the 3rd/4th (subsequently the 4th Reserve) Battalion of his regiment but was retired with the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel in March 1916; he does not appear to have qualified for, or claimed, any First World War campaign medals. He died, unmarried, in Brampford Speke in March 1939 and was buried in the parish churchyard.

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MC GV the reverse inscribed ‘Captain W. L. C. Rathbone, 15th London Regt., High Wood, 18th Sept. 1916’;
Albert Medal, 2nd Class, for Gallantry in Saving Life on Land, reverse officially inscribed ‘Presented by His Majesty to 2nd Lieutenant William Leslie Coutts Rathbone, 15th Bn., The London Regiment, for gallantry in saving life in France on the night of the 6th May 1916’;
QSA (2) Natal, Transvaal (5815 Pte. L. Rathbone, Devon. Regt.);
1914-15 Star (1210 Sjt. W. L. C. Rathbone 15/Lond. R.);
British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. W. L. C. Rathbone);
Territorial Force Efficiency Medal, E.VII.R. (1210 Pte. L. Rathbone. 15/London Regt.)

MC London Gazette 14 November 1916 (awarded for action at High Wood, 18 September 1916): ‘For conspicuous gallantry in action. He collected together a party of men, and led them in an attack in conjunction with another battalion. Owing to his courage and initiative, his party succeeded in capturing the enemy support line.’

AM London Gazette 4 August 1917 (Joint citation with Corporal Feldwick): ‘As a working party under Second Lieutenant Rathbone, 15th London Regiment was proceeding down a communication trench by night, they were fired upon from close quarters. Second Lieutenant Rathbone ascertained that the shots came from a soldier who had run amok, and had posted himself with loaded rifle and fixed bayonet farther down the trench. Second Lieutenant Rathbone borrowed a rifle and, accompanied by Corporal Feldwick, advanced along the trench until in view of the mentally deranged man. They then advanced with rifles at the ready; the officer calling upon the man to surrender. Receiving no reply, they then dropped their rifles and rushed him, and after disarming him took him to the nearest dressing station.’



The recipient’s own account of the action, dated 7 May 1916, the day after the event, states: ‘I was taking a working party along Cabaret Road and had nearly reached the artillery positions when I heard a shot and the bullet seemed to pass close to the party. I concluded that it had probably come from an incinerator and took no notice. A little further on the artillerymen shouted to us to stop, which I did thinking some guns were going to fire. As nothing happened for some time I called out to know what was the matter. The artillerymen then shouted “There is a man who has gone dotty further up the trench with a loaded rifle”. This explained the shot and as the trench is shallow I ordered the men to get down. The artillery did not appear to be making any attempt to deal with the situation so I borrowed a rifle - loaded - from Corporal Feldwick of the 8th and told him to get another and load that. I then worked my way along until I could see the madman and ordered him to put his hands up. He took no notice so I walked towards him with my rifle at the ready. As soon as I got near enough I dropped my rifle and grasped that of the man, holding it so that he could neither shoot nor use his bayonet. The Corporal and others then rushed up and collared him. The bayonet was fixed and the rifle was at full cock with a round in the chamber and one on the magazine. The man was with difficulty removed to the dressing station in Hospital Road. I do not know to what regiment the man belonged. The two men of my own party who were nearest were Corporal Feldwick and Rifleman Haynes, both of the 8th Battalion. Some of the artillerymen must also have seen what occurred.’

Corporal Feldwick’s account, also dated 7 May 1916, states: ‘On the night of the 6th May whilst on working party under Mr. Rathbone, 15th Battalion, proceeding through the Cabaret Road at 8:15 p.m. on the way to the R.E. Dump, we were surprised at having a rifle shot fired at us; a little further along the trench we were warned by some Royal Field Artillery men that there was madman in the trench in front of us. Mr. Rathbone and myself loaded rifles and waited for the man and called upon him to surrender. No receiving any reply Mr. Rathbone and myself rushed the man and after taking away his arms handed him over to the Royal Army Medical Corps.’

A note in one of the reports suggests that the soldier who ran amok in the trenches belonged to the Royal Irish Rifles.

M.I.D. London Gazette 14 November 1916.

William Leslie Coutts Rathbone enlisted into the 4th Volunteer Battalion, Devonshire Regiment on 13 February 1898 under the name of Leslie Rathbone, and served with them in South Africa during the Boer War. He transferred to the 24th Middlesex Volunteer Rifle Corps on 5 December 1902, before enlisting into the 8th City of London Regiment (Territorial Force) on 1 April 1908. He transferred to the 15th Battalion, London Regiment on 2 April 1910, and having changing his name by deed poll to William Leslie Coutts Rathbone (hence the naming on his QSA and TFEM), he served with the 15th Battalion, London Regiment during the Great War on the Western Front from 17 March 1915. He was commissioned Second Lieutenant on 5 June 1915, and appointed temporary Lieutenant on 30 March 1916. For his gallantry at Villers-au-Bois on 6 May 1916, he was awarded the Albert Medal.

Rathbone was promoted temporary Captain on 16 September 1916, and two days later performed the act of gallantry at High Wood for which he was awarded the Military Cross. The Battalion War Diary states:
‘6th, 8th, and 15th London Regimens attacked Flers Line between Drop Alley and Goose Alley (left of New Zealand Division). At same time 15th London Regiment occupied Drop Alley and established block at its junction with Flers Line. Zero hour 5:30 a.m. Attack successful but owing to loss of direction, troops in Flers Line and Drop Alley did not quite join up. Several unsuccessful attempts made during the day to link up.’

Rathbone was was wounded in the face by a splinter of shell on 7 October 1916, but made a full recovery. He was presented with his Albert Medal by H.M. King George V at Buckingham Palace on 3 August 1917. He relinquished his commission on 12 March 1921, and was granted the honorary rank of Captain. He died on 18 February 1929.

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IGS 1854 (1) Waziristan 1894-5 (Lieutt. C. S. Warwick 1st Bn. Devon: Regt.);
IGS 1895 (2) Punjab Frontier 1897-98, Tirah 1897-98 (Lieut. C. S. Warwick, 1st Bn. Devon: Regt.);
QSA (4) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, Laing's Nek (Capt. C. S. Warwick. Devon. Rgt.);
KSA (2) (Capt. C. S. Warwick. Devon Rgt.)

Provenance: Glendining’s, September 1991.

Charles Spencer Warwick was born on 14 February 1865. He enlisted into the Norfolk Regiment in 1885, where, in a little over 3 years, he rapidly rose to the rank of Sergeant. He was commissioned into the Devonshire Regiment as 2nd Lieutenant on 31 October 1888, and promoted to Lieutenant on 31 October 1890, serving in Egypt and India. Having qualified for employment in the Transport Branch of the Commissariat Department, he served with Sir William Lockhart’s Waziristan Field Force, December 1894 to March 1895, as Transport Officer to the 3rd Brigade, Bannu Column. The only other Devons present during the Waziristan operations were a Maxim Gun detachment of 8 man under Captain Peebles. He afterwards served with the regiment during the campaign on the Punjab Frontier and Tirah in 1897-98.

He was promoted to Captain in September 1898 and the following June he was seconded for service with the British Central Africa Rifles as a company commander for a little over a year before returning to regimental duty with the Devons in South Africa. January 1900 saw the 2nd Battalion engaged in the Relief of Ladysmith and Captain Warwick was wounded on 5 January near Vaal Krantz Spruit, north of the Tugela river. He also took part in the operations in Natal, Laing's Nek, Transvaal, and Cape Colony, where for some of the time he served with the 26th Mounted Infantry. He was mentioned in Lord Roberts’ Despatch of 10 September 1901, and awarded the Queen’s medal with four clasps and the King’s medal with two clasps.

Warwick was seconded for service with the Volunteers in December 1903, becoming Adjutant to the 15th Middlesex Volunteer Rifles, a position he held for three years before returning again to the Devons. He was promoted Major on 10 October 1907. During the Great War, at nearly fifty years of age, he became Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel and commandant of the 14th Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment, serving until November 1916, when he retired on account of ill-health.

He died in London on 5 January 1933.

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QSA (3) Natal, Belfast, South Africa 1901 (1140 Pte T. Grills. Devon: Regt)

he does not appear to have been a pow.

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QSA (6) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing's Nek (1969 Pte. A Hampton, 2/Dorset Rgt.)
[ KSA (2) ]