7324. PTE. J.Y. CHALMERS. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders - Military Medal, 278681. PTE. J. CHALMERS. 1/7. A. & S. Highrs. (Highlanders).
Pte John Young Chalmers, 1/7th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 51st Highland Division. The award was announced in the 51st Division Routine Order no.1071 of Wednesday 21 August 1918 (which can be seen in the Adjutant & Quartermaster-General's War Diary for August 1918 (piece number 2849) as one of a large number of awards made "for gallantry displayed between 20th and 30th July 1918", i.e. the Battle of the Tardenois. Gazetted in London Gazette Issue 31061, page 14664, dated 10th December 1918.
816 Pte N.E. Edwards R.A.M.C, also 403533 Pte N.E. Edwards 2/W. Rid: F.A. R.A.M.C.
Pte N E Edwards RAMC, 2nd (2/1st or 2/2nd) West Riding Field Ambulance, 62nd Division, presumably one of 333 awards mentioned but not particularised in annex F ('Rewards granted during August 1918') to the AA&QMG war diary for the division for August 1918 (piece number 3072/1-3). Norman Ellis Edwards’s MM was announced in the London Gazette issue 31061, page 14666 dated 11th December 1918 and listed him from Leeds. NB his award is gazetted for the 2nd (West Riding) Field Ambulance and is interpreted by Ancestry/Forces War Records as being for the 2/2nd FA (which would accord with his six-digit TF number bloc); however my reading of his MM Index Card is that it reads against Corps "R.A.M.C. 2/1st(W Rid) Fld. Amb T.F.", indicating if correct that he was with the 2/1st when the award was recommended. On 19 July the 2/1st WR FA arrived in the village of St Imoges and on 20 July set up an MDS [Main Dressing Station] at the north end of the village. I note that in the 2/1st West Riding FA War Diary for 21 July 1918 there is a mention of "1 tent subdivision of 2/2nd West Riding Field Ambulance attached to MDS [Main Dressing Station] for duty. [Ordered there at 1pm on the 21st, seemingly by the ADMS for the 62nd Division, having been in reserve at Champillon.] 807 cases during 24 hours after opening of attack. Camp shelled." The following day's entry, 22 July, also notes "401 cases during succeeding 24 hours (noon to noon). Camp shelled & moved 200 yards north." On the 24th, after a further 302 cases arrived in the intervening day, the village was bombed. A further 341 cases arrived on this day also. I speculate that Pte Edwards may have been recommended for the Military Medal during this period of attachment, very possibly for gallantry during these periods when the MDS was under enemy attack. The tent subdivision, per 2/2nd WR FA War Diary, returned from this attached duty on 31 July. (On 25 August a bearer subdivision of the 2/2nd reported to the ADS at Courcelles for temporary duty with the 2/1st but this seems late to be relevant to this award.)
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