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  1. #1
    Valued member of Brit-Gen barbara lee's Avatar
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    Default RNVR medal records

    I have just spotted by grandfather's youngest brother, Jesse C Holly, in the RNVR medal records. It says he was A.B. (able seaman, I presume), number R/504, he got the Victory and British War medals, and they add "How disposed of - S".
    Is anyone with more experience able to read more into this? Does his number say anything? Did the medals awarded mean he served on the seas or in battle?
    He was born Southampton in 1887, was a married man with two young children, and was a carpenter and joiner.
    Barbara

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    Default Jesse Holly

    Quote Originally Posted by barbara lee View Post
    I have just spotted by grandfather's youngest brother, Jesse C Holly, in the RNVR medal records. It says he was A.B. (able seaman, I presume), number R/504, he got the Victory and British War medals, and they add "How disposed of - S".
    Is anyone with more experience able to read more into this? Does his number say anything? Did the medals awarded mean he served on the seas or in battle?
    He was born Southampton in 1887, was a married man with two young children, and was a carpenter and joiner.
    Barbara
    He was also awarded the Silver War Badge (Naval Medal). 28 July 1918, issued by Blandford. Badge number 23781, rating A.B. Service number R 504 WW1. I wonder if the column you have seen which shows S stands for the Silver Badge and there is no column for that particular award. Perhaps not, I am sure someone else on this forum will know.

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    Default

    You know that RNVR is the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves.

    RNVR was open to civilians with no prior sea experience. By the outbreak of the First World War there were six RNVR divisions in major ports around the UK.

  4. #4

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    Hello,
    He was in the RNVR - Drake Battalion of the Royal Naval Division. You can download his service record for free from the National Archives - just sign in. https://discovery.nationalarchives.go...ils/r/D7288302

    He suffered severe wounds to his right hand.

    By the way S = Self and does not refer to the Silver War Badge.
    Regards
    Hugh

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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by LOVAT# View Post
    Hello,
    He was in the RNVR - Drake Battalion of the Royal Naval Division. You can download his service record for free from the National Archives - just sign in. https://discovery.nationalarchives.g...ils/r/D7288302

    He suffered severe wounds to his right hand.

    By the way S = Self and does not refer to the Silver War Badge.
    Regards
    Hugh
    I didn't think the S referred to the badge, it was just a guess really. So Self means the actual person was given the awards. Thanks for the info.

  6. #6
    Valued member of Brit-Gen barbara lee's Avatar
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    Default

    Thanks, Hugh. Just downloaded the record. Interesting stuff.
    There seem to be wounds to both hands listed.
    On 20 April 1918 (recorded 23rd) to Field Ambulance, puncture wound right hand acc (what's acc? acident?)
    On 24 Apr 1918, Wd hand, R hand, NOK informed.
    On 27th April at General Hospital Rouen, GSW (gun shot wound) L hand Sev(ere). NOK informed
    On 29th April to University War Hospital Southampton (or was that 20th, recorded 29th?)
    On 10th May recorded that he was invalided, punc wound R hand, acc
    On 19th July at Aldershot, "unserviceable, suffering from injury right hand"
    On 25th July it says "Disability Pick injury"

    So, although one record says left, all the others are right hand. Just a mistake, I imagine. "Gun shot wound" was used for all kinds of injuries, not just the obvious. For a while I was wondering about self-inflicted, but probably not. And lastly, the final record called it "Pick injury". Would that be what I imagine? Yeow! They were all digging trenches, wielding picks, a moment of inattention, and poor Jesse gets a pick in the hand?

    Other entries, before his injury, say he departed Folkstone and arrived Boulogne on 4/5 April 1918. This was just after the German's big offensive, when the British fell back in disarray. Were all available men sent over to construct a new defence line in a hurry? Anyone know where the Drake Battalion were working in those few days?

    Amazing stuff. I just looked him up on a whim, and a whole story emerges.
    Barbara

  7. #7
    Valued member of Brit-Gen barbara lee's Avatar
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    Default

    Just to add
    Thanks also to Sue for the info on the Silver War Badge/
    Also just noticed on his record "SH Frevent". That'll be [something] Hospital, Frevent, his first destination before Rouen. Frevent is a small town about 15 miles west of Arras, behind the lines, so he was around there somewhere.
    B

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    It looks like he was in the 189th Brigade of the RN Division. It said TM Co. which I think means Trench Mortar Company. Try this link as a starting place.

    https://web.archive.org/web/200607100...ylet1/RND4.htm

    Keith

  9. #9
    Valued member of Brit-Gen barbara lee's Avatar
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    Thanks, Keith.
    Digging-in trench mortars sounds very probable.
    I assumed he must have had a pension, which would say what percentage disability he had. I wondered if he would be able to carry on as a joiner and carpenter. Unfortunately the ADM pensions series at TNA is said not to be name indexed (if I've got the right one). Just have to wait and see what the 1921 census says, I guess.
    Barbara

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    Quote Originally Posted by barbara lee View Post
    Just to add
    Thanks also to Sue for the info on the Silver War Badge/
    Also just noticed on his record "SH Frevent". That'll be [something] Hospital, Frevent, his first destination before Rouen. Frevent is a small town about 15 miles west of Arras, behind the lines, so he was around there somewhere.
    B
    Its the 6th Stationary Hospital, which was at Frevent Jun 1916 – Aug 1918. The series of events appears to be:

    12 Apr 1918: Admitted to Field Hospital - puncture wound right hand
    15 Apr 1918: Admitted to 6th Stationary Hospital, Frevent
    17 Apr 1918: Admitted to 10th General Hospital, Rouen
    20 Apr 1918: Arrived at University War Hospital Southampton (Netley)

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