Two Battle of the Tardenois MMs gazetted 10 December 1918 - 278681 Chalmers A&SH and 403533 Edwards RAMC

Two Battle of the Tardenois MMs gazetted 10 December 1918

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.)

L/7588 Signaller (later Bombardier) John Smith Carrick MM, 160th (Wearside) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery - BWM/VM pair - for gallantry

L/7588 Signaller John Smith Carrick MM, 160th (Wearside) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery - BWM/VM pair

(Please note that credit for the detailed information about the actions of of 160th Brigade and the circumstances of JS Carrick's recruitment and award of the Military Medal is due to Phil Adams, on whose "The Idle and the Dissolute" I have relied very heavily: http://160wearsidebrigade.co.uk)

John Smith Carrick's birth was registered in Tynemouth in the last quarter of 1896. He was born to George William and Mary Ann Carrick. In 1901 they were living at 16 Public House Row, Cramlington, and later (by 1911), 1 Blue Bell Row, West Cramlington. By this time John, aged 14, was a token carrier working at the pithead. He was a miner from Cramlington in civil life, like his father, George. His regimental number falls within the L7001-8000 band shared by the Tyne & Wear (recruiting office: Sunderland) and Nottinghamshire  (recruiting office: Nottingham) Brigades. He served in 'B' Battery of 160th (Wearside) Brigade, Royal Field Field Artillery. His regimental number would fit someone enlisting some time after 2 March but before 22 March 1915. He was the cousin of L/7586 Driver James William Carrick RFA, son of Mrs M Carrick of 30 Cross Row, West Cramlington, who died of wounds on 3 April 1918. The account of their enlistment, alongside two other volunteers from Cramlington, including John Smith Carrick's next-door neighbour, in 'Idle and Dissolute', confirms the date as 6 March 1915. This was less than a week after recruiting officially opened. The four men were examined by a local doctor in Cramlington, sent to the Northern Area Command Cente, Newcastle, the following day and then made their way to the brigade camp at Houghton-le-Spring. Judging by his later career he was most probably placed in 'D' Battery (renamed as 'B' Battery from 22 May 1916). After training in various places including Codford Camp, Gnr Carrick would have gone overseas with the brigade, as part of 34th Division, via Southampton to Le Havre on the morning of 9 January 1916, first going into action at Rue Fleurie south of Armentieres roughly a month later, 9-11 February. April saw the Brigade in action at Fleurbaix and May with the division in the 2nd Army Training Area, Lumbres, preparing for the Somme offensive. On the Somme the battery engaged in counter-barrages, general preparation and wire-cutting, the tempo of which accelerated as 1 July 1916 ('Z' Day) approached. 

On the day itself, and the following day, the Brigade fired on La Boiselle, Heligoland on the other side of the 34th Brigade's front, Horseshoe Trench beyond it, and then later Contalmaison and Pozieres. The 34th Division suffered 6,380 casualties in the attack. In later attacks the Brigade supported 19th and 23rd Divisions, fire tasks including box barrages, protective barrages and shoots on hostile positions, and (as part of the divisional artillery) received the divisional commander's thanks on 11 July for splendid work in the recent fighting: Major-General Ingouville-Williams was killed by shellfire at Mametz ten days later. 'A' Battery's commander commented, of this period, "In these succeeding days [after the Brigade had moved to new battery positions at The Horseshoe, in Tara Valley, at the end of July 1916] Col Warburton, who commanded our 160 Brigade R.F.A., showed great skill in the handling of his guns, and thus preventing repeated local hostile attacks from taking effect." Later, in mid-August, a special mention was received from Rawlinson, GOC 4th Army upon the division's departure for the Chapelle d'Armentieres sector, acknowledging their support for the infantry and the high standard of training this evidenced. 

After spending about five months in the area, engaging in activity such as artillery support for rounding parties, the Brigade gradually moved towards Arras, where it was in place to support the 34th Division in its part of the Battle of Arras - First Battle of the Scarpe. The division's task was to mount an attack on the third line of the German positions on the southern part of Vimy Ridge ('the Brown line'). The Brigade, after taking part in four days of intensive preparation, then joined with units of the divisional artillery of 17th division to form the right group, covering the front of the right infantry Brigade in the attack, the fire plan consisting of four barrages on the successive German lines with associated 'lifts', followed by a creeping barrage, a standing barrage and then a protective barrage. The Brown Line was taken by 5.25pm allowing the batteries of the Brigade to move forward and, incidentally, for B/160 to take eleven prisoners - Germans found in a dugout. Meanwhile reports from the lead battalions of the 101st Brigade noted that "The enemy's artillery fire was weak, and his rifle and machine gun fire feeble, most of them being caught in their dug-outs. The trenches were badly shattered."

Subsequently the Brigade also supported the 37th Division in the Second Battle of the Scarpe and 34th Division in the Battle of Arleux, as well as subsequent attacks of 37th, 9th and 31st Divisions as the overall Battle of Arras continued on into May and the Third Battle of 

the Scarpe and beyond into June. The Brigade finally left the Arras battle area on 1 July 1917 after five months' continuous engagement, with the 34th's Divisional History noting "Our gunners did not get farther back than the Roclincourt Valley. The strain on the personnel was very great, and yet when called on, the guns never failed us. Day or night their barrage came down within a few minutes of an S.O.S. going up."

Between 26 and 29 August 1917 the Brigade distinguished itself as part of the artillery support for the 101st Brigade's successful attack on the high ground around Cologne Farm, opposite Hargicourt. The Brigade had been in this (up until then) relatively quieter sector since 10 July. The 18-pounder batteries laid down barrages in advance of the attacking battalions (15/16th Royal Scots, 10th Lincolns, 11th Suffolks), dispersed a forming enemy counter-attack and undertook further bombardments of the enemy positions with thermite and other shells, together with wire-cutting for the next stage of the attack and night bombardments of between 15 and 20 rounds per hour per gun. 

The 101st Brigade issued the following appreciation of the divisional artillery's efforts:

"Please convey to all ranks the appreciation of the 101 Infantry Bde, for the fine Artillery work performed in the operations of the 26th/29th August. The wire was so well cut that there was no check anywhere, the creeping barrage was particularly accurate and easily followed. After the capture of the trench, the protection given by both Heavy & Field Artillery was far beyond all praise, all S.O.S signals were promptly replied to. The Infantry in trenches over there [who] were in mud and water with no wire in front of them and with little or no protection and in many locations unable to fire from the parapet on account of the collapse of the firing step, felt perfectly secure from counter attack when they saw the splendid protection they were receiving from the Artillery." (Brig-Gen RG Gore, GOC 101st Bde, 29 Aug 1917) 

It seems likely that Gunner Carrick's Military Medal was awarded for gallantry in support of the above attacks.  Two other men of 'B' Battery received the MM at the same time, Gnr George W Herring and Dvr Hugh N White; Gunner Herring was wounded on 26 August 1917, possibly in the course of a joint MM action.

Then-Gunner Carrick was serving with 'B' Battery (the brigade's former 'D' battery), when he was was awarded the Military Medal, Schedule number 1084[11?]. The Morpeth Herald for 5/6 October 1917, which reported his award, also indicated that he was employed as a Signaller. As such, his duties would have included maintaining communications between the battery operaring post and its forward observation officers.  The Newcastle Gazette coverage indicated that he was advised of the award on 5 September 1917 and received his appointment as Lance-Bombardier at the same time, thus: "Writing home to his parents, Mr and Mrs G. Carrick, 5. Cross Row, West Cramlington, date of September 9, Signaller John S. Carrick, R.F.A., states that [he was] awarded the Military Medal on the 5th September, and the same date received stripe."

Two other men and one officer (Lt Basil Holmes Nelson, 'B' Battery, London Gazette 18 October 1917) received awards at around the same time; Lt Nelson was acting as a Forward Observation Officer for an attacking battalion at the time (Citation LG 7 March 1918: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as F.O.O. He selected an observation post in the captured trench, and then returned and endeavoured to lay a line forward under exceptionally heavy artillery, rifle and machine gun fire."). It is possible that Gnr Carrick's award was for the same action.

It is also possible that Gnr Carrick was awarded his medal for the same action in which Temporary Lt (Acting Captain), later Major, George William King MC, also of 'B' Battery, earned the Bar to his MC, for "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty as a liaison officer with an attacking battalion.  He reached the captured position through a heavy barrage and sent back valuable information as to the movements of the enemy which enabled his battery to fire with great effect.  He carried out his duties for three days under very heavy fire." (LG 25 September 1917, citation LG 9 January 1918 30466)

Gnr Carrick's award was formally Gazetted on 30 October, as part of the 2 November 1917 supplement to the London Gazette. This Gazette also dealt with awards for operations at Ypres in August 1917, principally between 8 and 26 August, in particular the Battle of Langemarck, but also Poelcappelle, Polygon Wood, Glencorse Wood, Steenbeek and Gillemont Farm. 

He was subsequently promoted to Bombardier (his highest rank in a theatre of war) and would potentially have taken part with the Brigade in the First and Second Battles of Passchendaele later in 1917 of which a source said "from 14th October to 3rd November, 1917 in the above operations [the attack of the 59th Division] near Houthoulst Forest, the Brigade was constantly firing day and night, was constantly shelled, had to bring immense quantities of ammunition up by pack through heavy shell fire and over ground utterly destroyed by shells and water, and lived practically in the open without even weather proof cover in most cases." Later he would have been caught up in the German Spring Offensive (First Battle of the Somme 1918), in which 'B' Battery was a 'silent battery' based near St. Leger, firing at Ecoust and later directly at the enemy over open sights as the attack developed; the battery kept the guns firing until 18:30 when enemy fire made the position untenable, and then, having previously removed the dial sights and breech blocks, returned and got the guns away without Infantry cover. The full losses of the day for the Brigade were sixty; eleven killed in action, twenty wounded and twenty-nine taken prisoner.  Later he would have taken part in the April retreat, in the Brigade's contribution to the Battle of La Becque in late June 1918, the Second Battle of the Marne, 1918,  and then the taking of Kemmel, Wytschaete Ridge, Menin and Anseghem in the Allied Hundred Days' Offensive. 

As a miner, it is possible that Bdr Carrick was selected for early demobilisation (some ex-miners from the Brigade going home as early as 24 December 1918. Alternatively, he may hav stayed on and accompanied the Brigade into Germany. After being demobilized, probably some time in 1919, John Carrick married Margaret H Greenwell, the marriage being registered in Tynemouth in the third quarter of 1921. John Smith Carrick died early in 1961, his death being registered in Northumberland South in the first quarter of that year.

86020 Serjeant Henry George Bacon MM, 155 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery

86020 Serjeant Henry George Bacon MM, 155 Siege Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery

Henry George Bacon was born in Paddington, in early 1883 to Alfred, a house painter (formerly of Sudbury in Suffolk), and Martha. At that time they were living at 16 Southern Street, Paddington. In the 1911 census he was still living with his parents and was employed as an insurance collector.

On 25 September 1915 he married Dorothy Mary Jane  Bacon (née Scales) at St. Paul's Church, Paddington. His profession was described as insurance agent.

By the time he enlisted they were living at 44 Elgin Avenue, Maida Vale. He worked as an agent with the Prudential Assurance Company.

A Derby man, he attested his willingness to serve at Paddington on 8 December 1915, aged 33 years 10 months. After attesting for deferred  ('Class A') service and receiving the customary day's pay, he was posted to the Army Section 'B' Reserve the following day. 

Following a medical examination at Paddington on 6 May he was mobilised, after five months in the Reserve, on 19 May 1916, and was posted to No.1 Depot, RGA as a Gunner. His attestation was approved by the Commanding Officer at Fort Burgoyne, Dover the same day. He was allocated the regimental number 86020.

Within a month he was posted, on 3 June 1916, to 155 Siege Battery, under the command of Major Philip James Arthur Montague (MC and Croix de Guerre). The battery formed at Newhaven on 23 May 1916 and was equipped with four 6" 24cwt Howitzers. Judging from the Specialist Military Qualification recorded on his Soldier's Protection Certificate, Bacon was probably trained as a Layer for the battery's complement of 6" Howitzers. As such his role would have been traversing, elevating and cross-levelling the piece so that its shells landed on the appointed target, giving instructions as to moving the piece's trail, and having custody of the dial sight and clinometer. 

He was appointed Unpaid Acting Bombardier (Date illegible 18 ? ??), probably at Lydd before the battery proceeded overseas. Given his qualification as Layer, it seems likely that he was No.1 (in charge) of a section manning one of the battery's howitzers.

He went overseas on 28/29 August 1916 with his battery via Southampton, entering the France and Flanders theatre at Havre the following day. Whilst there the 6" batteries appear to have been primarily engaged in counter-battery work, destruction of earthworks,  interdiction of crossroads and transport lines, etc.

On 16 January 1917 he attended a 2nd Army cookery course of a fortnight's duration.

In mid-February the battery was with 52nd Heavy Artillery Group, in positions south of Erquinghem, and suffered 9 casualties when the position was shelled by enemy 5.9s.

He was promoted to Bombardier on 16 March 1917, probably when the battery was at Vlamertinghe. Whilst there the battery was quite active, one notable day being 6 April, when the battery put down 552 rounds on the German 'Damstrasse' position, in a successful shoot which saw many rounds actually fall into the trench works. The middle of the following month saw the battery serving as instructional siege battery at the Second Army Artillery School at Tilques, near Saint-Omer.

The battery saw service at the Battle of Messines, from 1 June, moving into positions near Locre and unloading 3,400 shells by 3.30am on 31 May, setting up its Observation Post on Kemmel Hill and registering its four guns on Hun Farm. Its roles included destructive bombardments, wire cutting and bombarding Messines and Wytschaete villages, targeting strongpoints and practice barrages, including some mostly successful  aeroplane-guided shoots on hostile batteries. 

Henry George was appointed Acting Corporal and then confirmed  in rank on 28 July 1917, whilst the battery was at Grand Bois. This was after the battery had joined the 41st Heavy Artillery Group on 8 June 1917. The group was being used in support for the coming Battle of Polygon Wood, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. The support provided included direct support to infantry attacks through counter-battery shelling, such as for the 6 and 10 November Canadian attacks on Passchendaele Village. 

In early December he enjoyed some leave to the UK; during this period (on 4 December) he was also granted his class I professional pay.

Around 3 January 1918 the battery joined 36th (Australian) Heavy Artillery Group (Brigade from 5 February),  RGA, 2nd Army. The battery was at near Oosttaverne in the Ypres Salient at the time. It was principally occupied with counter-battery work, particularly in conjunction with 54 Siege Battery. In mid-February the battery was made up to six Howitzers.

The brigade appears to have remained in the Oosttaverne position until the opening stages of the Battle of the Lys on 9 April ('Operation Georgette' to the Germans). In the days before the battle opened, the battery was  particularly employed in suppressing Trench Mortars. 

Coincident with the start of the battle, on 9 April 1918 Henry was appointed Acting Sergeant (Paid). 

After the battle opened, fire shifted to pre-arranged schemes including Counter-battery Lines South and 'Defend Armentieres'. On the 10th the battery was subjected  to shelling and gas bombardment, Captain Dyke being killed bringing ammunition to the guns, and the order was given to withdraw the guns to Army Battle Zone positions.  By 6 pm all but one gun, which was too difficult to pull out, had gone. A detachment under Lt Martin fought the lone gun until the enemy were within a few hundred yards of the position and an order came at 9 pm to destroy it and withdraw, which they safely did. After this the battery was almost constantly in action, regularly shifting its position (to the Lettenberg, or 'Little Kemmel Hill', on the 11th and near Locre on the 13th) as Second Army withdrew to a shorter and more defensible line off the Passchendaele Ridge, but keeping up fire by day and not infrequently by night too. Indeed, in its entry for 14 April the war diary notes that that night the majority of the men enjoyed their first sleep for four days. The battery was employed in counter-battery, harassing and other fire on enemy positions, transit points and concentrations plus barrages and gas shell shoots. On 15 April at 4.30pm it carried on firing through particularly heavy shelling,  in spite of communications with Brigade being cut and the officers having to replace wounded men at the guns. The brigade had a similarly difficult time from 1.40am on the 25th, with much gas being used on them, probably in connection with the fighting around Mont Kemmel.  On 28 April, in the vicinity of Scherpenberg, it was in the unusual position of being well forward of the field batteries  (which had had to be positioned to the rear to clear the crest of the ridge in front). The following day, the Germans called-off Operation Georgette. 

It was almost certainly during this period that Henry George won the Military Medal, which is named to him as Corporal (Acting Sergeant) serving with 155 Siege Battery. The award, by the Corps Commander, was notified to the battery commander by wire on 12 May 1918, with the congratulations of both the Corps Commander and Brigadier-General Commanding VIII Corps Heavy Artillery. In the absence of a citation it is not clear for what the medal was awarded. It may have been for a single act of gallantry  (for example in withdrawing the guns under fire on 10 April, or whilst with the Martin detachment - an action for which Lieutenant Ronald Martin was himself awarded the Military Cross) or, like the DCM awarded to Sjt W J Elms of the battery, for gallantry and devotion to duty over ten days' operations. Two other Corporals (Acting Sergeants) from 155 Battery were awarded the Military Medal in the same Gazette and although their consecutive schedule numbers are nearly 3,000 away from Henry George's, it is possible that they were awarded for the same action or actions.

On 19 August 1918 Henry George was confirmed in the rank of Sergeant. 

His Military Medal was gazetted in the London Gazette Issue 30873, dated 29 August 1918. 

Towards the end of September the battery was pulled out of its position on Pilkem Ridge and rested in Hazebrouck whilst new positions (which the gunners then built, levelling the ground and installing a platform of railway sleepers) were scouted-out on Messines Ridge, close to the scene of the previous battle, at Gapaarde, opposite Wervicq. 

Henry George suffered a Gas Shell wound (seemingly Mustard Gas) on or about 15 October 1918, probably in or around the above position. At this time the brigade was heavily employed in firing gas-shell concentrations on suspected enemy positions, neutralising machine gun posts and firing in support of the Infantry crossing of the Lys. He was passed along the casualty evacuation chain to No.4 Stationary Hospital, Arques, being admitted on 17 October and discharged back to duty on 29 October 1918. He finally rejoined his unit, via a casualty clearing station, on 2 November 1918. At that time the brigade was in the vicinity of Dottignies, near Tourcoing, engaged in neutralising fire and instructional shoots.

He enjoyed a further fortnight's leave in the UK,  via Calais, between 19 December and 2 January 1919.

Following a medical examination in the field on 2 February 1919, Henry was posted to the Home Establishment for release before being demobilised on transfer to the Army 'Z' Reserve on 9 March 1919. He was medical category A1 on discharge. His address on demobilisation had changed to 64 Elgin Avenue, Maida Hill, London.

His Specialist Military Qualification was recorded on his Soldier's Protection Certificate as 'L'  6" (interpreted as Layer, 6" [Howitzer])

He is recorded on the Prudential Assurance Roll of Honour 1914-18.

Henry George Bacon died in Willesden,  Middlesex, on 11 June 1943, aged 60. His effects were left to his widow, Dorothy.