Millitary Medal

[deenor]

My grt grandfather Ernest J. Jones was awarded the MM on the 18th August 1917, this was announced in dispatches 28th Sept 1917, Am I able to find out why he was awarded this ? This medal is not listed on his medal card,
He enlisted in the RWF in 1914 Pte 21508 , He was then in the Lab corps,
Cpl 570621, On the medal card it says date of entry ;2.12.15.What does this mean ? I would like to know what particular battle he was in, I know he was
gassed in France, I believe he remained in the army , Will there be sevice records for him ?

[Mutley]

It says here (http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/militarymedal.htm)that awards of the medal were announced in the London Gazette and I believe that is search-able on line now.
http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/londongazette.htm


Good Luck

[Terry Reeves]

Apart from the first few, Military Medal citations for WW1 were never published. There are a couple of long shots to try: The unit war diary which very, very occasionally make mention of them, but I would not hold out much hope, and the newspapers in his home town, which would be a better bet.

Terry Reeves

[Peter Goodey]

Military Medal citations weren't included in the Gazette. The best places to look are probably the War Diaries or, failing that, regimental histories and museums and local newspapers.

[Geoffers]

My grt grandfather Ernest J. Jones was awarded the MM on the 18th August 1917, this was announced in dispatches 28th Sept 1917, Am I able to find out why he was awarded this ? This medal is not listed on his medal card

See previous answers, above


He enlisted in the RWF in 1914 Pte 21508 , He was then in the Lab corps, Cpl 570621, On the medal card it says date of entry ;2.12.15.What does this mean ?

Prsumably date of entry into a theatre of war which qualified him for the campaign medl(s).

TNA has a guide associated with the medal card index which may help you
Click here (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp)


Will there be sevice records for him ?

This TNA guide deals with Campaign Records for WW1 (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=20)

The large majority of service records were damaged/destroyed in WW2, however to read abou the 'burnt' and 'unburnt' documents read here (http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/RdLeaflet.asp?sLeafletID=18)

[deenor]

Thanks Mutley, I have found my man in the gazette, what I wanted to find out was,
what he had done to be awarded the MM , I would like to try and pinpoint the particular battle hewas involved in.

[deenor]

Ernest was with the RWF in 1929, so I'm hoping there maybe service records for him.
There aren't any at TNA because I looked there. He lived in West Ham ,does anyone know what newspapers covered that area ?

[Geoffers]

Ernest was with the RWF in 1929, so I'm hoping there maybe service records for him.

In that case, the record should still survive and be lodged with the MoD. Have a browse of the Veterans' Agency web-site (http://www.veterans-uk.info/service_records/service_records.html)as to what you need to do.

[Mutley]

If you can work your way around this site you may find a mention of some local papers in East London.

http://www.newsplan.co.uk/laser_newsplan/modules.php?name=home

Or the East London Family History site may be able to advise.

http://www.eolfhs.org.uk/eolintro.htm

[Mutley]

The British Library here (http://www.ancestor-search.info/NAT-Libraries.htm)may also help, they do a research service
Good Luck

[leamington]

You should be able to find out the circumstances of his MM with reasonable certainty.

First, you need to know his battalion in 1917. This will be given in his entry in the medal rolls, which are given by codes on his index card. The rolls are at Kew.

Once you know his battalion, look up their war diary for around July-August 1917. Also at Kew.

I am willing to bet he was in one of the RWF battalions that attacked at the Pilkem Ridge on the opening day of the Third Battle of Ypres, 31 July 1917.