The unique Great War M.C., D.C.M., M.M. group of seven awarded to Sub. Lieutenant C. B. Wheeler, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, attached Royal Naval Division, who was twice wounded: later a member of the Federation of Malaya Volunteer Force, he died of wounds at Singapore in February 1942, while serving as a recently appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps - or was a victim of the shocking Japanese atrocities Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (CZ-2224 P.O. C. B. Wheeler, Nelson Bn., R.N.V.R.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (CZ-2224 A.L.S. C. B. Wheeler, Nelson Bn., R.N.V.R.); 1914-15 Star (CZ-2224 C. B. Wheeler, A.B., R.N.V.R.); British War and Victory Medals (S. Lt. C. B. Wheeler, R.N.V.R.); Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Malaya (Sgt. Colin B. Wheeler, M.C., D.C.M., M.M., F.M.S.V.F.), monted court-style as worn, generally good very fine (7) £12,000-15,000 Footnote The combination of M.C., D.C.M., M.M. is unique to the Royal Naval Division. M.C. London Gazette 15 February 1919: ‘On 27 September 1918 he was in charge of the section of two Stokes guns and was following his Battalion when the Battalion was suddenly held up by hostile machine gun fire. Taking a Lewis gun he crawled forward and cleared the enemy post thus helping the Infantry to obtain their objective. On 30 September 1918 at the Canal de l’Escaut, he again did good work causing considerable casualties to the enemy with a Lewis gun. Throughout the operations he showed conspicuous gallantry and able leadership.’ D.C.M. London Gazette 17 April 1917: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He handled three trench motors with marked ability, and greatly assisted in clearing up a difficult situation. He set a fine example throughout.’ M.M. London Gazette 26 March 1917. Colin Bain Wheeler was born in July 1896 and enlisted in the Clyde Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as an Ordinary Seaman in November 1914. Posted to Nelson Battalion, Royal Naval Division, in June 1915, he was embarked for the Dardanelles, but was wounded in Gallipoli on 13 July and admitted to hospital in Alexandria - a sojourn extended by a bout of scarlet fever. Rejoining his battalion at Mudros in January 1916, he was embarked for France in May, and was transferred to 189th Stokes Mortar Battery, R.N.D., in which capacity he won his M.M. as an Acting Leading Seaman. Douglas Jerrold’s history takes up the story: ‘Such was the situation half-an-hour after the attack, when Lt.-Colonel Monro, commanding the Hood Battalion, was wounded, and Lt.-Commander Asquith, who had gone forward on the heels of his old battalion in the slender disguise of staff learner studying the effects of the artillery barrage, took command. To his energy and enthusiasm the success of the 189th Brigade's operations on this occasion was largely due. Well before 8 a.m. on the 4th, Lt.-Commander Asquith had got the Hood Battalion back to their correct alignment, and although touch could not be gained with the Hawke Battalion (who had probably by now edged further to the left, assuming the attack to have failed on the right) the situation was no longer critical. Dawn saw us with a fair hold on all our objectives, but with an awkward gap in the first and second enemy lines, and a machine-gun post still obstructing the consolidation of the essential defensive flank. The history of the rest of the battle is soon told. Several attempts to subdue the two strong points and to close the gaps were made during the morning of the 4th, but without success. At 3.50 p.m., however, the enemy post on our left was rushed by the Nelson and Hawke after an effective bombardment from a Stokes gun, skillfully handled by Leading Seaman Wheeler, of the 189th L.T.M. Battery.’ Having then been advanced to Petty Officer, and added the D.C.M. to his accolades for the above cited deeds, he was wounded on 24 April 1917 and evacuated home. Then in October of the same year, he joi
The unique Great War M.C., D.C.M., M.M. group of seven awarded to Sub. Lieutenant C. B. Wheeler, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, attached Royal Naval Division, who was twice wounded: later a member of the Federation of Malaya Volunteer Force, he died of wounds at Singapore in February 1942, while serving as a recently appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Army Ordnance Corps - or was a victim of the shocking Japanese atrocities Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (CZ-2224 P.O. C. B. Wheeler, Nelson Bn., R.N.V.R.); Military Medal, G.V.R. (CZ-2224 A.L.S. C. B. Wheeler, Nelson Bn., R.N.V.R.); 1914-15 Star (CZ-2224 C. B. Wheeler, A.B., R.N.V.R.); British War and Victory Medals (S. Lt. C. B. Wheeler, R.N.V.R.); Efficiency Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, Malaya (Sgt. Colin B. Wheeler, M.C., D.C.M., M.M., F.M.S.V.F.), monted court-style as worn, generally good very fine (7) £12,000-15,000 Footnote The combination of M.C., D.C.M., M.M. is unique to the Royal Naval Division. M.C. London Gazette 15 February 1919: ‘On 27 September 1918 he was in charge of the section of two Stokes guns and was following his Battalion when the Battalion was suddenly held up by hostile machine gun fire. Taking a Lewis gun he crawled forward and cleared the enemy post thus helping the Infantry to obtain their objective. On 30 September 1918 at the Canal de l’Escaut, he again did good work causing considerable casualties to the enemy with a Lewis gun. Throughout the operations he showed conspicuous gallantry and able leadership.’ D.C.M. London Gazette 17 April 1917: ‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He handled three trench motors with marked ability, and greatly assisted in clearing up a difficult situation. He set a fine example throughout.’ M.M. London Gazette 26 March 1917. Colin Bain Wheeler was born in July 1896 and enlisted in the Clyde Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as an Ordinary Seaman in November 1914. Posted to Nelson Battalion, Royal Naval Division, in June 1915, he was embarked for the Dardanelles, but was wounded in Gallipoli on 13 July and admitted to hospital in Alexandria - a sojourn extended by a bout of scarlet fever. Rejoining his battalion at Mudros in January 1916, he was embarked for France in May, and was transferred to 189th Stokes Mortar Battery, R.N.D., in which capacity he won his M.M. as an Acting Leading Seaman. Douglas Jerrold’s history takes up the story: ‘Such was the situation half-an-hour after the attack, when Lt.-Colonel Monro, commanding the Hood Battalion, was wounded, and Lt.-Commander Asquith, who had gone forward on the heels of his old battalion in the slender disguise of staff learner studying the effects of the artillery barrage, took command. To his energy and enthusiasm the success of the 189th Brigade's operations on this occasion was largely due. Well before 8 a.m. on the 4th, Lt.-Commander Asquith had got the Hood Battalion back to their correct alignment, and although touch could not be gained with the Hawke Battalion (who had probably by now edged further to the left, assuming the attack to have failed on the right) the situation was no longer critical. Dawn saw us with a fair hold on all our objectives, but with an awkward gap in the first and second enemy lines, and a machine-gun post still obstructing the consolidation of the essential defensive flank. The history of the rest of the battle is soon told. Several attempts to subdue the two strong points and to close the gaps were made during the morning of the 4th, but without success. At 3.50 p.m., however, the enemy post on our left was rushed by the Nelson and Hawke after an effective bombardment from a Stokes gun, skillfully handled by Leading Seaman Wheeler, of the 189th L.T.M. Battery.’ Having then been advanced to Petty Officer, and added the D.C.M. to his accolades for the above cited deeds, he was wounded on 24 April 1917 and evacuated home. Then in October of the same year, he joi
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