Wednesday, 28 September 2016

Discharged on grounds of age: Lancashire Fusiliers and Royal Engineers Victory Medal

Holder's details:

Joseph Clarke
Military Year:1914-1920
Rank:Sapper
Medal Awarded:British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps:Royal Engineers
Regimental Number:152879
Previous Units:Lancs. Fusiliers. 25074 Pte, Royal Engineers 152879

Joseph Clarke
Discharge Unit:Royal Engineers R.C.T.D.
Regiment:Royal Engineers
Regimental Number:152879
Rank:Spr.
Badge Number:352303
Piece:2995
List Number:RE 1501-1800
Record Group:WO
Record Class:329

RCTD stands for Railway Construction Troops Depot .

Enlisted 8 September 1915, discharged 19 March 1918 under Army Order II of 10th August 1917, para. II(d), Age. Aged 53 on discharge. Circa 51 on enlistment.

Medal condition:

Very Fine. Some surface abrasion.

XV

Tuesday, 27 September 2016

France and Flanders 1915: Private Charles Campbell of the King's Liverpool Regiment

Details of holder's service:

13145 Pte Charles Campbell, 4th Battalion King's (Liverpool) Regiment. Entitled Victory Medal, British War Medal, 1914-15 Star (date of entry to French theatre, 04/03/15).

(See photo of 4th KLR in action: British infantry from the 4th Battalion, the King's (Liverpool) Regiment, lying in "scrapes", prepare to face a German attack, 1915.

Photo published in The War Illustrated, 12 June 1915. Caption reads:

"COLD STEEL!" BRITISH ABOUT TO CHARGE.— A wonderfully vivid photograph of Germans assaulting British trenches. The oncoming enemy is seen in the left-hand corner while our soldiers, with bayonets fixed and every nerve strained to the limit of human endurance, anxiously await the inspiring command "Charge!" from their officer, standing in the centre. The moment is tense, the most thrilling in human strife. In a flash our "Tommies" will be "up and at 'em!"

Medal condition:

Fine, almost total loss of gilding.

The Footballers' Battalion: Pte G Doherty of the 17th (Service) Battalion, the Middlesex Regiment

Holder's details:

G/9874 Pte George Doherty

G/ prefix indicating short service enlistment in one of the home counties battalions.

Served with the following battalions:
13th (Service) Battalion
17th (Service) Battalion (1st Football)

George Doherty
Military Year: 1914-1920
Rank: Private
Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps: Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex) Regiment
Regimental Number: G/9874
Previous Units: G/9874. 17th Middx Pte., G/9874. 13th Middx

Some notes about the regiment:

Bruce Bairnsfather was acting Captain in the Regiment.

Nicknamed the "Die Hards".

49 battalions were raised during the Great War, with over 12,000 casualties.

Medal condition: 

Fine:much loss of gilding, some discolouration. Short length of modern replacement ribbon. 

Monday, 26 September 2016

Royal Engineers Waterways and Railways Victory Medal: Sapper Frederick Feldman

Holder's details:

Sapper Frederick Feldman, Royal Engineers, service numbers 205080, WR/553101.

WR prefix indicates Royal Engineers. (Waterways & Railways)

Name: Frederick Feldman (also may be incorrectly given as "Fieldman")
Military Year: 1914-1920
Rank: Sapper
Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps: Royal Engineers
Regimental Number: WR/553101
Sub Unit: Inland Water Transport
Previous Units: Royal Engineers. 205080 Spr.

Summary of activities of the branch:

A wholesale renumbering of RE personnel took place in April 1918; a change of number did not necessarily imply change of unit. "Sapper" (as opposed to "Pioneer") denotes a skilled trade. "Inland Water Transport" could also denote service in a dock construction company.

The Waterways and Railways branch was particularly concerned with keeping the armies in the field supplied by maintaining the railways, roads, water supply, bridges and operating rail and inland waterways transport, including constructing and maintaining dock facilities and manning hospital barges.

Medal condition:

Very Fine. Short length of original ribbon.

T4-043405 Pte P Smith ASC/1st Cheshire Regiment, wounded in action, Albert, August 1918

T4-043405 Pte P Smith ASC/1st Cheshire Regiment, wounded in action, Albert, August 1918
Percy Smith, of Willenhall, Staffordshire, born in 1896, attested his willingness to serve for the duration of the war on 19 January 1915 at Darlaston. A driver, he was employed by Josiah Wright, greengrocer, of Little London, Willenhall. He was medically examined at Doncaster, aged 19 years 108 days, and graded 'A'. He was resident at 1 Banner Cottage, Willenhall at the time of enlistment. He gave his next of kin as his father, Frederick, of the same address (later 1 Manor Cottage, Willenhall). He joined at the ASC Depot at Bradford on 19/20 January for posting to Aldershot and his attestation was approved by the officer commanding on 27 January 1915. His regimental number was T/4/043405. At the same time a reference as to his character and trade qualifications was requested from his former employer, which came back affirming that he could drive a pair, that he had been employed for 12 months, leaving to enlist, and that he was considered sober, honest and a good worker.

Having enlisted, he was tested as a Driver and sent on furlough.

He went overseas to France between 11 and 13 September 1915 with 37th Divisional Train (37th Divisional Blanket Section)  (280 Auxiliary Horse Transport Company). He was most probably a driver of the ubiquitous General Service (GS) wagon.

Subsequent postings included No.1 Auxiliary(?) Horse Transport Depot, 281 Auxiliary Horse Transport Company, and 1st and 11th Auxiliary Horse Transport companies, Army Service Corps.
On 24 June he was admitted to 'A' Section, 5th Stationary Hospital, Dieppe, NYD (Not yet diagnosed) - subsequently diagnosed as sprained ankle - and then discharged to unit (1st Auxiliary Horse Transport) on 27 July 1916. The commanding officer's entry on his 'report on wounds and injuries sustained otherwise than in action' indicated that the injury occurred when carting from the coup[e] (an area of forest where harvesting of wood is planned or has taken place) to the Decauville railway, and that Pte Smith "showed insufficient judgement in driving between two trees not far enough apart to allow free passage". At the time he was attached to the 10th Labour Battalion, Royal Engineers at St Saens, working in Coup[e] 25, Fôret d'Eawy (about 12 miles south-east of Dieppe). 

After leave to the UK, he was posted on 5 September 1917 to Lines of Communication reinforcements, Rouen (ASC Base Depot), then posted on to No. '4'  Infantry Base Depot for training and there medically graded 'A' by the depot medical board. 

Subsequently, on 24 September he was compulsorily transferred to the Cheshire Regiment, posted to the 1st Battalion and allotted the new regimental number 51265, joining the battalion in the field on 7 November 1917. At this time the battalion was at Micmac Camp in the Ypres Salient. The battalion was part of the 15th Brigade of the 5th Division and had been since the outbreak of war. The only thing which happened of note on the day was that an aeroplane bomb was dropped in the area of the camp, slightly wounding one Other Rank. On the 9th, 400 men of the battalion marched to Reninghelst to be entertained by divisional concert troupe 'The Whizzbangs', and then two days later Pte Smith would have passed through Railway Dug-outs, Zillebeke, for his first taste of life in the line. Possibly on the 14th he experienced his first trench raid, an unsuccessful one in which one OR was killed.

He would have gone with the battalion to Italy in December 1917, to stiffen the Italian defence there, and been stationed on the Piave River.

Returning to France in April 1918, the battalion took part in the Battle of Hazebrouck and the Defence of Nieppe Forest. In August 1918 the 1st Battalion, which had been in the Fôret de Nieppe, travelled down from Le Sart via Sercus to Halloy and then Boyencourt in the Somme area to take part with Third Army in the Battle of Albert, 1918, specifically operations against German troops in the Ancre valley. Attacking from north-west of Bucquoy, the battalion was part of a two-Corps attack in the direction of Bapaume. The battalion was in one of the later waves and was tasked with taking the third objective, the railway line lying south east beyond Achiet-le-Petit towards Achiet-le-Grand, which lay the other side of the valley. The attack, being outside of effective Artillery range, was made with tank support only, but most of these were knocked-out upon skirting the village to the left and the troops suffered intense machine gun fire from the high ground beyond the railway line. Although the railway line objective was taken, the battalion suffered 300 casualties of 600 effectives and was relieved that evening after dark from a line a little short of the objective and closer to the village. 

Pte Smith was transferred from 14th Field Ambulance to a Casualty Clearing Station with a GSW to his right hand on 23 August 1918; on this date the battalion had moved its Companies to positions forward of Achiet-le-Petit, after a seemingly quiet day on the 22nd. The fact that he was injected with anti-Tetanus serum suggests a 'dirty' wound, possibly from a shell fragment. No casualties are reported in the war diary on either 22 or 23 August and therefore it is possible that his injury was incurred during the abovementioned action, part of the Battle of Albert, 1918. From the CCS he was placed in the care of 3rd Australian General Hospital, Abbeville on 24 August and shortly afterwards evacuated home.

He was formally placed on the strength of the Cheshire Regiment depot on 29 August and admitted, wounded, to 3rd Western General Hospital, Cardiff, remaining under treatment until 13 September 1918.

Upon discharge he was sent on furlough from 13 to 23 September, after which he was marked as fit for Duty.

On 23 September 1918 he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment as medical category A.iii  (Returned Expeditionary Force men, ready except for physical condition).

Later he was in No.7 Company, 3rd Cheshires, writing in February 1919 to assert his right to the ribbon of the 1914-15 Star and asking that it be sent to his home address (then Manor Cottage).

His Soldier's Protection Certificate was issued at Clipstone Camp on 23 January 1918, and he was transferred to the Army 'Z' Reserve on 21 February 1919 at Shrewsbury.

For his service he was entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

The Silver War Badge: Worcestershire Regiment and ASC example

Name:D Lockley
Military Year:1914-1915
Rank:(P&L) Private
Medal Awarded:1914-15 Star
Regiment or Corps:Army Service Corps
Regimental Number:T/423285
Previous Units:1st. Worcestershire Regt. 9606 Pte., Trans. A.S.C. M.T. Pte M/396397 2-5-18
Daniel Lockley
Discharge Unit:R.A.S.C.
Regiment:Army Service Corps
Regimental Number:T/423285
Rank:Pte.
Badge Number:B55230
Piece:3217
List Number:RASC 2751-3000
Born Wolverhampton. 34 years old on enlistment. Carter. Enlisted 14 September 1914, posted to  5th/6th Worcestershire Regiment (Special Reserve/Training battalions), recorded on medal rolls as serving with 1st battalion, entered France theatre of war 1 April 1915, compulsorily transferred to ASC MT branch 25 February 1918 (learner driver?), transferred ASC P&L 31 July 1818 discharged 2 December 1918 under para 392 xvia II (Sickness). Aged 38 years, 11 months on discharge. Served overseas. Entitled 1914-15 Star. Home address on discharge 191 Summer Lane(?)

Sunday, 25 September 2016

Rifle Brigade Victory Medal to Pte William C Payne

Holder's details:

Pte William Christopher Payne, Rifle Brigade (s/n Z-2345). 13th, 8th & 2nd Battalions.

Z - Rifle Brigade (WW1). Numbers Z/1 to Z/2997 were issued to men enlisting for one year as Special Reservists and men enlisting for three years’ short service.

Medal condition:

Very Fine, some loss of gilding, letters faintly impressed.

A note about the Victory Medal - Dvr S.G. Morgan ASC, Northamptonshire Regiment and Royal Fusiliers

The Victory Medal

The World War One British Victory Medal was awarded to all British service personnel who entered a theatre of war. on the strength of a military unit. The basic design was broadly common to all of the Allies, being of bronze (in the British case initially dull and later gilt) based on a representation of Winged Victory on the obverse, with the words "the Great War for Civilisation" in the appropriate language on the reverse. The British Victory medal was designed by a Mr W. MacMillan, who also designed the British War Medal. The ribbon also was common to the Allied and Associated Powers, being two rainbows joined by the red portion at the middle. It is probably the most commonly found of the British medals of World War One, as the British War Medal (with which it was commonly awarded) being silver, was often sold or pawned and in the 1970s 'silver bubble' was melted down, and hence fewer have survived. It was commonly known as "Wilfred" after the comic strip character, the War Medal being "Squeak" and the Mons/1914-15 Star being "Pip" (also characters in the same strip). The former two on their own were also known as "Mutt and Jeff." Due to the slightly more generous award criteria, more British War Medals were issued that Victory Medals, 6.4 million War Medals to 5.7 million Victory Medals.

The value varies considerably according to condition and to the attribution and history; medals to troops in regiments of the line tend to fetch more than those to Corps members, officers' medals generally fetch more than those of other ranks, medals to casualties will fetch more than to non-casualties, a medal to a 1 July 1916 (First day of the Battle of the Somme) casualty will command a premium compared to a casualty from a day either side, and so on.

Holder's service:

The particular example illustrated belonged to T/2/11413 Driver S.G. Morgan, born 1893, late private of the Northamptonshire Regiment (46695) and 13th battalion Royal Fusiliers (G/65877.) He was also entitled to the British War Medal and 1914-15 Star in recognition of his having entered the French theatre on 29.05.1915. He was discharged under para. 392 xvi of King's Regulations due to sickness (suffering from 20% disabling debility and anaemia) on 27.02.1919 and was entitled to the Silver War Badge.

After the war he lived at 9, Albert Street, Canton, Cardiff; his medal was bought, without suspension ring, from a shop in Cardiff about 95 years after issue.

Medal condition:

Fine, fitted with a new suspension ring and short length of ribbon.

WW1 Highlander: Pte David C Weir, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders and Seaforths

Details of holder's service:

Pte David C Weir. Training Reserve (s/n 2/14068), Argyll & Sutherland  Highlanders (s/n S/23836) and 4th battalion Seaforth Highlanders (s/n S/42039) - on Seaforth medal roll but medal index card made out to A&S. S-prefix indicates a wartime service enlistment into a highland regiment.

Medal condition:

Very fine, some potting and darkening. Short length of original ribbon.

South Lancashire Regiment: Pte Davies of the 11th (Service) Battalion (St. Helen's Pioneers)

Holder's service details:

Edward Davies
Regiment or Corps: Prince of Wales's Volunteers (South Lancashire) Regiment, Royal Engineers
Regimental Number: 40206, WR/332968

Edward Davies
MILITARY YEAR:
1914-1920
RANK:
Sapper
MEDAL AWARDED:
British War Medal and Victory Medal
REGIMENT OR CORPS:
Royal Engineers
REGIMENTAL NUMBER:
WR.332968
SUB UNIT:
Inland Water Transport
PREVIOUS UNITS:
11th S. Lan: Rgt, 40206, Pte., Royal Engineers, WR/332968 .

May have been called up March 1917 (cf. 40195 Joseph McGuire), or late Derby Scheme entrant (with service deferred?) (cf.40211 Frederick Chas Jones). Probably to France with S Lancs 20 June 1917.

(40211 Frederick C Jones of 13 Churchill St, Stockport was attested at Stockport for Gen Service 7 Dec 1915, posted to Army Reserve same day, home service 27-2-17 (mobilised & posted 3rd S Lancs) to 19-6-17, then France 20-6-17, transferred 13th btn Cheshire Rgt 9-7-17)

(40195 Joseph McGuire, 5 Trinity St St Helens, was called-up St Helens 1 Mar 1917(?) for 3rd S Lancs, to France 20.6.17, transferred 13th Cheshire (51067) 9.7.17, SW right arm 10.8.17, home 15.8.17 etc)

Potted history of the battalion:

The 11th (Service) Battalion (St Helens Pioneers) was formed in St. Helens on 1 September 1914 by Lord Derby. Came under the command of 30th Division as its Pioneer Battalion on 15 May 1915 and was adopted by the War Office three months later, on 15 August 1915.
Landed at Le Havre on 7 November 1915 and served on the Western Front until
15 May 1918 when reduced to cadre strength, being attached to 66th (2nd East Lancashire) Division one month later before returning to England for a short period, absorbing the 18th battalion and returning to France as Pioneers to 25th Division on 3 July 1918 .

During the time of Private Edwards' service with the battalion, it was undertaking pioneer Work to support Passchendaele offensive (31st July) from July 1917 until 6 August, then Lindenhoek working on Messines Ridge defences. It also provided support in connection with the Battles of the Scarpe and Pilkem Ridge. During the German Spring Offensive 1918 it was in the line at  Savy-Roupy opposite St Quentin where it distinguished itself.

Medal condition:

Fine; quite worn with light pitting: some darkening to obverse. Short length of modern ribbon.