Lot Essay
D.S.O. London Gazette 3.6.1919.
Major Hugh George Bigg-Wither, D.S.O., was born in Sheldon, Devon in 1884 and was employed as a Public Works Engineer in Burma on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. Sucessfully applying for a Commission in the Army, with the backing of Brigadier-General Lamotte, he was gazetted to the 12th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, a Pioneer unit, in January 1915 and, after two or three transfers, found himself in France by the Summer of 1916.
Advanced to Major in August of the following year, he was posted to the 10th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in February 1918, as Second-in-Command. Thereafter constantly in action, firstly in the German Spring Offensive and latterly in the British advance of August to October, he was repeatedly mentioned in the Battalion War Diary for his splendid work and total disregard for danger. As evidenced by Regimental sources, his D.S.O. was awarded for gallantry at Cambrai in late 1918:
'For conspicuous gallantry, devotion to duty and utter disregard of personal danger during the construction of a trestle bridge on the approaches of the Canal de l'Escaut, Cambrai on 8 October 1918'.
Bigg-Wither was appointed Battalion C.O. at the end of the month and relinquished his Commission in September 1919.
Major Hugh George Bigg-Wither, D.S.O., was born in Sheldon, Devon in 1884 and was employed as a Public Works Engineer in Burma on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. Sucessfully applying for a Commission in the Army, with the backing of Brigadier-General Lamotte, he was gazetted to the 12th Battalion, Sherwood Foresters, a Pioneer unit, in January 1915 and, after two or three transfers, found himself in France by the Summer of 1916.
Advanced to Major in August of the following year, he was posted to the 10th Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in February 1918, as Second-in-Command. Thereafter constantly in action, firstly in the German Spring Offensive and latterly in the British advance of August to October, he was repeatedly mentioned in the Battalion War Diary for his splendid work and total disregard for danger. As evidenced by Regimental sources, his D.S.O. was awarded for gallantry at Cambrai in late 1918:
'For conspicuous gallantry, devotion to duty and utter disregard of personal danger during the construction of a trestle bridge on the approaches of the Canal de l'Escaut, Cambrai on 8 October 1918'.
Bigg-Wither was appointed Battalion C.O. at the end of the month and relinquished his Commission in September 1919.