Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry

A very rare Second War ‘Normandy’ M.M. and post-War 1946 ‘Java’ Second Award Bar group of five awarded to Corporal W. H. Bartle, Royal Army Medical Corps attached 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion: having been decorated for making repeated journeys into the open to bring in casualties at Bois de Bavent in Normandy on 18 June 1944, he added a Bar to his award for his subsequent gallantry in charge of stretcher bearers when his section was ambushed and pinned down in the open at Tembalang, Java in March 1946 Military Medal, G.VI.R., with Second Award Bar (7403502 Cpl. W. H. Bartle. R.A.M.C.); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, the first with minor contact marks, otherwise generally good very fine and better (5) £5,000-£7,000 --- M.M. London Gazette 31 August 1944: ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Normandy’. The original recommendation states: ‘At Bois de Bavent on 18 June 1944 this NCO was a stretcher bearer with a company which raided a strong enemy post. The enemy fire was heavy and accurate and several casualties were suffered. Cpl Bartle showed no regard whatsoever for his own safety and made repeated journeys into the open to bring in casualties. The CSM was killed beside him by a mortar bomb in a forward position. He was not killed instantly and hoping to save him Bartle worked his way back, got another bearer and went forward again to try and bring him back. When the raiding party returned Bartle found that two casualties had not been brought back so he immediately joined a party that was going out to bring them in. He showed the party the way out and back and left them under cover while he did the final locating of the casualties himself. His sense of duty was outstanding.’ M.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 1 August 1946: ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the Far East.’ The following details are extracted from the report by Lt. Col. Pine-Coffin of the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion’s action at Tembalang, Java in March 1946: ‘Late in the month [March] they ran into a bit of trouble and on one of their patrol actions a section got pinned in the open as it was approaching a wood which was occupied by Indonesians. Sgt. ..., one of the veterans of the battalion who had been through all its actions with it, was killed at once and several others were wounded. Meanwhile the Independent Para Company, which was working round a flank, also ran into difficulties and suffered four fatal casualties. The extrication of the troops from this position involved the use of the artillery and some tanks and took most of the day but fortunately was carried out without further loss. Excellent work was done while the section was pinned in the open by Cpl. McCormick of the platoon and Cpl. Bartle who was in charge of the stretcher bearers, both of whom moved about freely and did very valuable work. Both were later decorated for their work; McCormick being awarded the MM and Bartle a bar to the MM which he had already won in Normandy.’ William Henry Bartle was born on 4 September 1920 at Nottingham. He served during the Second World War with the Royal Army Medical Corps and having passed the Parachute Training School long course at Ringway in September 1943 he was posted to 225 Parachute Field Ambulance. Corporal Bartle was attached to 7th Battalion Parachute Regiment and dropped with them at 00.45 hours into Normandy on ‘D-Day’ 6 June 1944. He was awarded the M.M. for gallantry in Normandy on 18 June 1944 for making repeated journeys into the open to bring in casualties. After the Japanese surrender, the 7th Battalion, as part of the 5th Parachute Brigade, was posted to the Far East, arriving in Singapore on 21 September 1945 as part of XV Corps, the island’s garrison. By 17 December the brigade was moved again, sent as reinforcements to assist the Indian division on Java. The brigade's mission was to restore law and order and disarm the Japanese military forces in the area. They were told to expect to remain in Java until relieved by units of the Royal Netherlands Army. Under the command of the 23rd Indian Infantry Division, the brigade carried out Operation Pounce, clearing Batavia and surrounding region of dissidents. In January 1946 they were moved to garrison Semarang. At the time Semarang’s population of around 210,000 was a mixture of Indonesians, Chinese, Koreans, Dutch and Japanese. During the fighting before the brigade's arrival considerable damage had been caused to the town's infrastructure which the brigade's engineers and medics were tasked to rectify. To protect the inhabitants from Indonesian nationalists whose stated aim was to "slaughter all the Dutch and Chinese", the brigade's three battalions established a defensive perimeter around the outskirts of the town. To assist with security, a Japanese battalion was rearmed and given a sector of the defences to man. Corporal Bartle was awarded a Bar to his M.M. when, on 24 March 1946, the 5th Parachute Brigade Mortar Battalion attached to a 22 Independent Parachute Company patrol was ambushed by dissident Indonesian nationalist troops outside a wood at Tembalang, near Semarang. With the section pinned down in the open and taking casualties, Bartle did excellent work in charge of stretcher bearers, moving about freely as the extrication of the troops from the position took most of the day. The 5th Brigade remained in Semarang until relieved by the Dutch 'T' Brigade Group on 26th April 1946, and then returned to Singapore. Sold with a letter from the Army Medal Office confirming that no GSM was ever issued to Bartle.