TOPIC:

Picture courtesy of Spink

MM GV (86537. Sjt: E. Long. R.E.);
QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (6142 Pte. E. Long. Welsh Regt)
[ Great War Medals ]

Also entitled to SA01.

MM London Gazette 1 February 1919.

Evan Long was born at Creech Heathfield, Taunton, Somerset in 1879. Enlisting with the Welsh Regiment on 20 November 1899 he was posted to the 1st Battalion on 22 September 1900, joining them in South Africa during the Boer War where he served until 19 October 1901. Returning to Britain,

Long saw Home Service until 19 November 1907 when he was transferred to the Army Reserve, extending this service on 20 November 1911.

With the outbreak of the Great War Long was still with the Welsh Regiment but transferred to 170th Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers on 1 June 1915. Entering the war in France on 24 November 1915, promoted Corporal on 22 July 1917 and further advanced Sergeant on 19 January 1918. Notably Long's company had been heavily involved in fighting a large fire in Bethune in April 1918. Despite the later gazette the company War Diary notes that the M.M. was awarded on 21 September 1918.

Demobilised on 22 February 1919.

The two MMs sold yesterday.

Private Scarborough sold for a hammer price of £700. Totals (inc VAT on the commission for the UK only): £868. R16,800. Au$1,460. Can$1,290. US$1,010

Sergeant Long sold for a hammer price of £320. Totals (inc VAT on the commission for the UK only): £397. R7,700. Au$670. Can$590. US$460

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

Military Medal, GV (T-13202 Sjt: - A.S.S. Mjr: - A. C. Sparks. 19/Res: Pk: A.S.C.);
QSA (3) Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Driefontein (13202 Corl. A. C. Sparkes, A.S.C.);
AGS 1902 (1) Somaliland 1908-10 (13202 Cpl A. C. Sparks. A.S.C.);
1914 Star, with clasp (T-13202 Sjt A. Sparkes. A.S.C.);
British War and Victory Medals (T-13202 W.O. Cl. 1. A. C. Sparks. A.S.C.) note the spellings of surname

MM London Gazette 13 March 1918 (France).

Albert C. Sparks was a native of Ruthin, Wales. He served with the Army Service Corps during the Second Boer War and was ‘Invalided 20 August 1900’ (Medal Roll refers), and in Somaliland 1908-1910. Sparks advanced to Warrant Officer Class 1, and served during the Great War with the Corps in the French theatre of war from 5 October 1914.

QSA confirmed. Invalided 20 March? 1900

Two more on Jonathan Collins' site (both sold) Text from his site. Pictures included with kind permission from Jonathan.
Ian

Military Medal GV

8934 Cpl T W Ross 109 Hy By RGA

Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Transvaal, Laing’s Nek

8934 Gnr T W Ross 5th ED RGA

China Medal 1900 no clasp

8934 Gr T W Ross No 91 Coy RGA

British War Medal

8934 SJT T W Ross RA

Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Army GV 1st type

8934 Gnr T W Ross RGA

With details extracted from his on line service record, London Gazette and Medal Index Card.

Thomas William Ross was born in Kellancott, Antrim, Ireland in 1877 a Farmer, he attested for the Royal Garrison Artillery 12thMarch 1895 and joined at Londonderry 19th March 1895. Posted 39 Company Southern Division RGA 1st April 1895, Royal Artillery Malta 18th November 1898, 15th Company Southern Division 16th July 1900, 91st Company 1st January 1902, 4thBattery 108th Company 12th January 1907, 168 Heavy Battery 12th March 1907, 4th Depot RGA 22nd December 1909, 109 Battery 25th August 1914, appointed Acting Bombardier 7th June 1915, promoted Corporal 18th May 1916 and Sergeant 8thApril 1918. Posted 3rd Reserve Battery RGA 29th April 1918.

Ross served overseas in Malta 18th November 1898 to 16th July 1900, South Africa 18th November 1898 to 16th January 1900, China 18th July 1900 to 12th August 1901, India 13th August 1914 to 4th April 1918. Long Service and Good Conduct Medal awarded in Army Order 412 of 1914. Discharged to pension 15th February 1919, total service 23 years and 341 days.

Served in France from 22nd September 1914 with 109 Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery, entitled to the clasp on his 1914 Star.

Military Medal London Gazette 27th October 1916 page 10484

Mentioned in Despatches (Haig, France) London Gazette 4th January 1917 page 213


Military Medal GV

14346 SJT M Doyle 10/L N Lanc R

Queen’s South Africa Medal clasps Cape Colony, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902

1914/15 Star

14346 Pte M Doyle L N Lanc R

British War and Victory Medals

14346 SJT M Doyle L N Lanc R

With copy 1WW service papers, QSA Medal roll entries, Medal Index Card, Census entries, London Gazette entry for MM, copies from the Battalion War Diary etc.

Michael Doyle was born in Widnes, Lancashire in 1881, the 1891 census records he is residing at 69 Lysdale Road, Widnes with his mother and brother. Serving with the 3rd (Militia) Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in South Africa 1901 to 1902, his Queen’s South Africa Medal and clasps are verified correct on the Medal roll TNA WO100/192 pages 447 and 497.

Michael married Annie Farrell in West Derby, Liverpool in 1903, the 1911 census records Michael is employed as a Brickmaker’s Labourer residing with his wife and three children at 20 Oceanic Road, Old Swan, Liverpool, he had also been a Dock Labourer for 6 years at Hornby Dock, Liverpool. Attesting for the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment 8thSeptember 1914 at Liverpool and posted to the 11th Battalion 21st October 1914 and transferred to the 10th Battalion 2nd September 1915 which arrived in France the following day. Appointed Lance Corporal 17th July 1916, promoted Corporal 25th November 1916 and Sergeant 22nd December 1916. Wounded in action 4th June 1916, he was treated in France and returned to his Battalion.

Awarded the Military Medal London Gazette 9th July 1917 page 6829, the award announced in the Battalion War Diary on 1st June 1917.

His Military Medal was awarded for gallantry during two disastrous attacks by his Battalion during the battle of Arras, the attack on Brown Hill on 23rd April and the attack on Greenland Hill 28th April 1917. The Battalion sustained a total of 21 officers killed and wounded and 478 other ranks killed, wounded and missing in these two actions.

Doyle inflicted a wound on himself in order to be evacuated home from the front, his service papers do not reveal the nature of the wound but he probably shot himself. He was evacuated to Base from No 53 Casualty Clearing Station by No 14 Ambulance Train on 9th January 1918. Evacuated to England aboard the Hospital Ship Newhaven 12th January 1918, he was admitted to No 3 Southern General Hospital, Oxford. Various correspondence has survived in his service record regarding his pending trial by Field General Court Martial under Section 40 of the Army Act for wounding himself from Field Marshall Haig, who wants him returned to France on recovery for trial, during his period in hospital he was still in arrest. Doyle was discharged from hospital 13th April 1918 and was found fit for home service only, FM Haig, on receiving his medical report wants no further action taken, Doyle is discharged from the Army unfit for further service 9th June 1918 the result of his self inflicted wound (awarded a Silver War Badge), and I would suggest his altered mental state, he also received a pension. Doyle appears on the 1921 census residing in Widnes with his wife and two children (one died in November 1915).

A most unusual case.

Edge knock over last number of service number on QSA which has almost obliterated it otherwise

SWB wrote: [quote="exyeoman" post=76456
If Meurig hasn't already clocked the rare trio of MM/QSA/Silver Medal for Valour, Serbia, he will now!

Thank you Ian, very nice research.

My total of MM + QSA is up to 145, some way to go to the ~1000 estimate.

The SIlver Medal for Valour is a first I have recorded with a QSA.

Sgt McQuade is the 12th I have recorded for ABW veterans killed on the First Day of the Somme .[/quote]

Meurig
If you search CWGC website with precise date of death 01/07/1916 and put South African Campaign in the Additional Information box, it produces 37 hits. However this almost certainly understates the number who served in the ABW and died on the First Day of the Somme as it depends on whether next of kin provided the additional info. NB chance that some of those 37 died elsewhere than the Somme on 1/7/1916: you'd need to go through them all. Always happy to provide a "hack"!

BTW, searching only on South African Campaign produces 2759 hits - assuming they were all on British side in ABW, that is about one in 150-200 of those who fought in South Africa.
Ian

Picture courtesy of Spink

MM GV (R.6568 Pte. W. E. Heckrath. 2/K.R.R.C.);
QSA (2) Cape Colony, Transvaal (21934 Tpr: W. E. Heckrath. Eastn: Prov: Horse)
[ Trio ]

MM London Gazette 1 September 1916.

Walter Edward Heckrath enlisted on 4 November 1914 and served in France with the 2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps from 8 October 1915. He is noted in the King's Royal Rifle Corps Chronicle as having won his MM for actions in February 1916 and was discharged on account of wounds on 12 May 1917.