THE WW1 DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL AND MEDAILLE MILITAIRE GROUP OF 9 TO REGIMENTAL SERGEANT MAJOR G.H. FLOATER, 7TH (SOUTH IRISH HORSE) BATTALION ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT (LATE KING'S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS AND LATER PORTORA ROYAL SCHOOL, ENNISKILLEN, OFFICER TRAINING CORPS, AND AIR RAID PATROL WARDEN), THE GROUP ACCOMPANIED BY A FINE SELECTION OF ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS, THESE INCLUDING AN IMPORTANT AND PREVIOUSLY UNPUBLISHED EYE-WITNESS ACCOUNT OF THE GERMAN ATTACK ON THE 7TH (SOUTH IRISH HORSE) BATTALION ROYAL IRISH REGIMENT ON 21/3/1918, THE FIRST DAY OF THE 1918 GERMAN SPRING OFFENSIVE, WHEN FLOATER, THE SENIOR N.C.O. IN THE BATTALION, WAS WOUNDED AND TAKEN P.O.W. Nine: Distinguished Conduct Medal, George V (848 Company Sergeant Major, 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps) Queen's South Africa Medal, type 3, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (848 Corporal, King's Royal Rifle Corps) King's South Africa Medal, 2 clasps (848 Corporal, King's Royal Rifle Corps) 1914 Star and bar, original slip-on type bar (848 Colour Sergeant, 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf on Victory Medal (Acting Warrant Officer 1st class, King's Royal Rifle Corps) 1939-45 Defence Medal Army LSGC (25295 Company Sergeant Major / Acting Sergeant Major, Royal Irish Regiment) France, Second Republic, Medaille Militaire. The group mounted loose style, as worn, most of enamel lacking from Medaille Militaire, some minor rim nicks and bruises to other medals, otherwise Good Very Fine and better.
Group accompanied by a silver Cairo Army and Navy Rifle Meeting, 1908, Best Shot at 600 Yards, prize medal (silver, 37mm), cased KRRC cap badge, blackened bronze, post 1902 King's crown white metal Royal Irish Regiment Warrant Officer's collar badge, post 1902 King's crown 3 x cloth marksman's arm badges, crossed rifles (2 x gilt bullion, 1 x WW1 service issue embroidered khaki) gilt bronze marksman's badge, with screw post fixing to reverse of backing plate a silver plated marksman's badge in the form of a Maltese cross with target rings at centre, "Rifle" clasp suspended from lower end of cross and silver ARP badge (not hallmarked), in original card box of issue.
Group sold with a superb range of original documents, including Soldier's Account Book and Pocket Ledger, first entry dated 2/3/1898, with the following certificates bound in: 2nd Class Certificate of Education, 4th Battalion KRRC, dated 10/5/1899, a Certificate Showing Qualifications in Military Subjects for the Rank of Corporal, 4th Battalion KRRC, dated 17/3/1900, a Certificate of Qualification for Promotion, 3rd Battalion KRRC, 6/6/1903, and an undated 3rd Class Certificate of Education. Documents accompanying group also include a number of original Regimental Orders of the Day and a brief Boer War period diary, etc., these documents listed as follows in date order: a KRRC Depot Order of the Day, Gosport, 4/3/1898, listing Floater as among the recruits having been taken on the strength of the regiment, a KRRC Depot Order of the Day, dated 4/7/1898, listing Floater among a party of men posted to the 4th Battalion at Aldershot, a 4th Battalion KRRC Order of the Day, dated 23/3/1900, listing the then Corporal Floater among a draft of men posted to the 3rd Battalion KRRC, and a 3rd Battalion KRRC Order of the Day, dated 25/5/1900, listing Floater among a draft of men proceeding to South Africa, a parchment bound notebook/diary, in first two pages of which Floater has written detailed list of his movements from leaving Templemore, Ireland, for South Africa, on 26/5/1900, to his arrival at Fort Copley, South Africa, 10/1/1901, a KRRC Depot Order of the Day, dated 22/8/1903, listing Floater as being among the men to be presented with their King's South Africa Medal, a KRRC Depot Order of the Day, dated 29/8/1903, listing Floater as being promoted Lance-Sergeant, a KRRC Depot Order of the day, dated 16/1/1905, recording Floater promoted Sergeant that day, a 1st Battalion KRRC Order of the Day, dated 20/12/1910, listing Floater as the battalion's best shot, Sergeants and Lance-Sergeants, and a double sided handbill, circa August 1914, issued by Field Marshall Kitchener to troops about to depart for France, with brief instructions as to how they are to conduct themselves "You are ordered abroad as a soldier of the King to help our French comrades against the invasion of a common Enemy.. .. Be invariably courteous, considerate and kind. Never do anything likely to injure or destroy property and always look upon looting as a disgraceful act¦ .. In this new experience you may find temptations both in wine and women. You must entirely resist both temptations and, while treating all women with perfect courtesy, you should avoid any intimacy. Do your duty bravely. Fear God. Honour the King. Signed Kitchener.". Also included among the documents is a ticket for the Memorial Service for Lieutenant His Highness Prince Maurice of Battenberg, KCVO, 1st Battalion KRRC, who was killed in action whilst serving with the 1st KRRC at the first battle of Ypres, on 27/10/1914 (Prince Maurice was the youngest son of Prince Henry and Princess Beatrice of Battenberg and a grandson of Queen Victoria), the memorial service for Prince Maurice taking place at St James's Palace, 5/11/1914, the ticket numbered 49 and inscribed in ink to Floater, with its original Lord Chamberlain's Office mourning envelope and accompanied by 16 page Order of Service booklet, on back page of which Floater has inscribed a list of the officers and men of the 1st KRRC in attendance, 13 officers and 7 men (Floater initially saw service during WW1 in France with the 1st KRRC, and must have been held in high regard within the battalion, for him to have been among this small group of officers and men selected to return from the front to London for this memorial service). Documents continue with a lengthy 3 page hand written letter from Floater to his wife, dated 14th Battalion KRRC, Sheerness, 9/11/1914, in which he gives news of the 1st and 2nd Battalions KRRC in France: "I have some very bad news for you for, Mr Bonham-Carter told me this morning that all that is left of the 1st Battalion is Capt Willan and 94 men and 5 officers & 290 men of the 2nd Bn. .. .. Poor Prince Maurice. I am sending you my invitation card and a copy of the Memorial Service. I want you to keep them very safe for me in memory of him. It was a very impressive service, beautifully simple, but the anthems made tears come into your eyes, and when "Lie Still Beloved" was sung, someone, I think it was his sister .. absolutely broke down and sobbed. All the Royal Family were present, also the Battenbergs, Lord Kitchener, Mr Asquith ..General Davies (now Major-General, home to take a Division). I had a long talk to General Davies .. .. (he) told me that he did not think any of us would go back to the front until February.. This is an awful place, the 5th Bn is nothing but a rabble with no officers or anything else. They have been running loose till they are wild..". Other WW1 period documents include a programme for a concert by the band of the KRRC at Coulon Villers, France, December 1916, a Sergeants Mess, 1st Bn. KRRC, double sided Christmas dinner 1916 menu, humorous verse on reverse, and most importantly of all, a previously unpublished and detailed 2 page eyewitness account (approx. 600 words) describing the capture of the headquarters of the 7th (South Irish Horse) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment on 21/3/1918, and the destruction of the battalion (Floater, as R.S.M., was in the battalion headquarters dugout when the attack began, and remained at the centre of events throughout the day, and thus was in a perfect position to observe and record what transpired). What follows is a brief extract from Floaters description:
At about 4am our artillery opened with the usual morning shelling. The enemy opening about a quarter of an hour afterwards. They shelled HQ building very heavily with gas and high explosive, several direct hits being made on the building.. .. About 6am CSM Farrell came in. He said he could not find 1 Platoon, but the others were alright. 2nd Lt Gibson was brought in about 7am very badly wounded.. .. Soon after a runner came in saying Mitcette Wood was surrounded and the enemy advancing up the road. All communication was cut and we only had the power buzzer left except the pigeons, one of which was dispatched to brigade.. .. Saving one signaller, Lance Corpl Thompson and my batman (Pte Elderfield) in the dug-out, all the remainder went on top.. .. We might have got back about this time, but our orders were to hold on to the last, which we did.. The enemy advance and bombed the HQ dugout.. .. I got back to the trench and told the C.O. what was happening. The enemy then attacked us again, time about 2.30pm, but was driven off, but eventually about 3.30pm he got an mg up on the old HQ building which enfiladed our position.. .. I was wounded in the cheek by a MG bullet. Thirty of us got out of the trench.. .. there were about 280 of the enemy .. coming up from the front & a company in rear of us... .. All the Vickers guns in our stronghold were knocked out and .. .. our last bombs had been thrown half hour before we gave in. We were captured by Regt 321
WW1 period documents continue with an original copy of the Kings letter to returning prisoners of war, addressed to 25295 Regimental Sergeant Major G.H. Floater, Royal Irish Regiment (South Irish Horse), an original discharge certificate dated 9/4/1919 and an original character certificate, dated 9/4/1919, noting Floater during his period of 21 years service as having been a thoroughly reliable, trustworthy, honest, sober and hardworking man. A good clerk and accountant. Suitable for any position of trust and responsibility. Post-war correspondence includes a letter, undated, but circa May 1919, from Floater to Infantry Records querying a notification that he had been awarded the Military Medal, to the effect that he thought he was actually entitled to a Good Conduct Medal, along with a reply to this last item, which states that he was awarded the Military Medal, the award being announced in the London Gazette of 26/5/1917 (this would appear to be a mistake, there being no record of Floater ever having been awarded the Military Medal, Infantry Records probably mistaking the Medaille Militaire, which Floater had been awarded, for the Military Medal, which he had not been awarded). The documents end with an interesting newspaper cutting, undated, post WW1, giving details of Floaters military service, and commenting on his remarkable group of medals: I could not help admiring the fine breast of medals worn by Sergeant-Major George Floater at the Armistice Parade in Enniskillen last Friday. Mr Floater is temporarily attached to the Portora O.T.C. in room of the late and much lamented Sergt.-Maj. Wm. Buchanon. Mr. Floater was actually Mr. Buchanons drill sergeant when he enlisted. Mr Floater served in the South Africa war 1900-02 and also in the Great War. he was twice mentioned in dispatches, was wounded three times, and was finally was captured in March 1918, and remained a prisoner of war until the Armistice. His old regiment was the Kings Royal Rifle Corps, and towards the end of the Great War he was posted to the South Irish Horse when it was transformed into an infantry battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment. Mr. Floater wears eight medals, including the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the Kings and Queens South African War medals, the Mons Star, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, the Medaille Militaire (French), along with, of course, the British War and Victory medals. What a fine record! Mr floater is now pursuing the more peaceable occupation of conducting a poultry farm at the Old Redoubt, Enniskillen.¨¨Group also accompanied by photocopied QSA and KSA medal roll extracts confirming medals and clasps, Medal Index Cards (2), confirming service in France from 13/8/1914 with the 1st Kings Royal Rifle Corps ( the 1st KRRC landed at Rouen as a unit on 13/8/1914) and subsequently with the South Irish Horse Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment, photocopied DCM card, noting award published London Gazette 4/6/1917, citation 9/7/1917, Mentioned in Dispatches card confirming M.I.D. London Gazette 1/1/1916, photocopied extract London Gazette, 14/7/1917, confirming Medaille Militaire, extract regimental history, Royal Irish Regiment (7th Battalion) re. German assault 21/3/1918, which notes that Regimental Sjt Major Floater, DCM, was shot through the face, but continued to encourage the men and set a fine example.
Surprisingly, Floater was not further decorated for his gallantry on 21/3/1918, a Military Medal or perhaps a bar to his DCM, though this was no doubt due to the fact that the 7th Royal Irish Regiment had ceased to function as a unit by the end of the day, and as a result of the general confusion that continued to reign as the German offensive continued. Like the other battalions of its brigade, the 49th, the 7th Royal Irish suffered enormous casualties on 21/3/1918, so much so that on the following day what remained of the battalion was re-formed as a single Company of what came to be know as the 49th Brigade Battalion.
Floaters DCM citation reads as follows: For continuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has performed good and valuable work during a long period and has at all times set a good example.
Born in the parish of Aldborough, Hull, Yorkshire, George Heward Floater enlisted into the King's Royal Rifle Corps at Lichfield on 2/3/1898. At the time of enlistment he was 19 years and 9 months old, and gave his trade as that of groom. Floater was promoted Lance Corporal, 10/1/1899, Corporal, 21/2/1900, Lance Sergeant, 29/8/1903, and Sergeant, 16/1/1905. Floater was selected to serve as Senior N.C.O., Regimental Sergeant Major, of the 7th Royal Irish Regiment when it was dismounted in preparation for infantry service, no doubt with a view to providing the former cavalryman with some leadership and experience so far as trench warfare was concerned.
In addition to seeing service in France and Flanders during WW1, Floater also saw overseas service in South Africa, 28/5/1900 to 25/2/1903 and in Egypt, 27/9/1905 to 9/10/05.
Floater married, 14/9/1905, Annie Elizabeth, at Horwich, Lancashire. They had at least one child, Louise, born Cairo, 26/8/1906. At the time of enlistment Floater gave his next of kin as his father, John Floater, of Roos, near Hull, Yorkshire
