"Divisional Honour Card"

[JulianB]

I have just read the interesting topic on the Croix de Guerre citation and there is a mention that the chap had a Division/al Honour Card. I'm intrigued because a passage in one of my grandfather's letters reads:

"I have just had a card sent from the Divisional General 'placing on record his appreciation & thanks for my val. & gall. service etc on -- at -- by doing so-&-so'. "

(this was for an MC award, Flers 15.9.1916, he was in 41 Div).

Would this have been a "division honour card" ???

if so were they formal things, what did they look like. Sadly there is no trace of such a thing surviving in the family archives.

thanks

Julian

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

They are "Cards" or certificates on "Vellum" presented @ Regimental,Brigade & Divisional Level to reward Gallantry,Devotion to Duty & Good Conduct in Action,an example was posted in a recent post[Yesterday] for an Artilleryman,sometimes they were a precursor to a higher award,such as an MM,DCM,MC,but often were just a reward for a specific action or period of Gallant Conduct & no other award was given.

An example is depivcted below from the 4th Division[From the current posting Ref Kersley RFA],however the designs varied considerably even within Division I have three 18th Dvn Ones Two typed on vellum & one printed on card in colour,as well as examples to the 39th & 8th Divisions,no two are the same,but the jist is similar.

[Stebie9173]

Apart from the example post, they also varied quite markedly from Division to Division.

Steve.

[Steven Broomfield]

I see the recipient of HarryB's card is a Pioneer, in an RFA Brigade. Presumably he was there to prepare gun pits, and so forth? Didn't realise Pioneer was a rank in the artillery.

[Muerrisch]

I would be happy to put such cards on my Army Forms data base, on this site, if Pals would make them available.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

I would be happy to put such cards on my Army Forms data base,

Here ye go LB 3 for starters!

The 8th Division Parchment is sadly faded due to sunlight but the typed citation reads:16754 Pte samuel Adnitt 2nd Bn;The Northamptonshire Regiment:

"During the recent operations near Passchendale;This man carried Messages under Heavy Shell,Machine Gun & Rifle Fire to the Front Line in a very exposed position,with snow on the ground & very bright moonlight.This man on previous occassions has shown conspicious gallantry in carrying out all his duties

as a Company Runner"

Signed Maj.Gen.Cdg 8th Divn{signature illegible}

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

And 3 from the 18th Division{to Men of the 6th {Service} Northamptonshire Regiment}

[Muerrisch]

very many thanks, I will start to add to the data base.

I might need to ask posters to post on the existing database if I have not the skill to whip them across ......... we shall see.

[DaveNich]

HarryBetts

My grandfather won his MM at Westhoek Ridge on the 10th August 1917.

As you would expect his card is exactly the same as the one you posted.

It was nice to see the card for the Northamptonshire Reg. My grandad was with the 7th Beds.

Regards

David

[JulianB]

Thank you all, interesting, pity I don't have my grandfather's one

Julian

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

My grandfather won his MM at Westhoek Ridge on the 10th August 1917.

Thank you David

George Tilley also was awarded the MM for Westhoek Ridge the Bar that followed the later Card was for March 1918 Near Jussy

Sadly he was apparently Killed by "Friendly Fire" when he had been captured & was being used by the Germans to bring in their Wounded.

[yellow]

Killed whilst bringing in German wounded?

Did both sides use prisoners for this? This sounds like one of the Huns fiendish tricks!!!!!

The human shields as Dunkirk in WW2 is a proven fact but Ive never heard of this can you perhaps elaborate?

Steve.

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

The information came to me with the Medals from Major Geoffrey Moore,their previous "Keeper" who had researched Tilley,as best he could{& being a Former Northamptonshire's Major,possibly a bit easier than for the rest of us {in the 1960/70s anyway}I will dig out his letter & elucidate {they can't touch you for it} tomorrow!

[Stebie9173]

The 6th Northamptonshires themselves used German POWs as stretcher bearers at Boom Ravine on 17-2-17. The 54th Brigade History states: "Stretcher cases were carried the 2400 yards between the regimental aid-posts in Boom Ravine to Hessian Trench, then pushed along the tram-line 2300 yards to the adavanced dressing station. The carry was uphill all the way, under fire [presumably the Germans own fire on the German POWs] and over ground all churned up by shells and knee-deep in mud. In the opinion of the medical officers of the Brigade it was the heaviest work the bearers ever had to perform".

Steve.

[JulianB]

Seems to have sparked an interest ....

If anyone had any examples of a 41 Div 'card' I'd be v interested to see it.

thanks

Julian

[Desmond7]

didn't work

[Mark Abbott]

Herewith an example of a 55th Division Gallantry Card

[michelle1512]

I am really new researching and am helping my Dad out - researching into the award of medals for his grandfather.

From the weekly press in Guernsey it show his wife wife was sent a "card of Honour" what would this have contained ?? and would it have been kept anywhere ? At this time he recieved a divisional badge aswell what was this ??

We are looking into why he was awarded two medals if we can't find the reasons in the unit diaries (we have now checked books written, the local press, library, ) is there anywhere else at all we can try reseraching ?

It is mainly for the medaille militaire which he was awarded,

Many thanks to anyone who cna help,

Michelle

[MelPack]

Hello Michelle

A 'Card of Honour' and the Divisional Badge sounds like a variation on the Divisional Card or 'Green Ticket' system.

These were most often awarded in circumstances where a soldier had been recommended for a gallantry medal but an award was not made.

The link below is an example of how the system operated:

http://www.thewardrobe.org.uk/wardiary.php...mp;date=2421030

regards

Mel

[Desmond7]

As a Channel Islander .. was he (and this may sound strange) in an irish regt.?

[1RGLI]

Michelle,

This sounds like a Divisional "Gallantry Parchment". if this is so he would be allowed to wear this honour badge on his lower sleave "a smaller red triangle divisional badge in laurel leaves", I have a picture of one of these that I could email you, these are very rare to see these days.

This is the first time possibly that I have heard them called "Honour cards", but a parchment was produced to match the badge, so this may opens up a new angle for me. I am currently unaware of a Parchment Gallantry for 843 CPL J C Sealley? or is this to another relative?

16th (IRISH) Division wore a Green diamond for thier Gallantry badge, the 29th (IRON) Division wore the Red Divisional triangle sorounded by a garland of laurel leaves on thier lower arm, in addition to the normal red triangle on thier upper arm as the divisional badge.

If you have the press article or a picture of the Honour Card this would be most welcome.

thanks,

Mark.

[KernelPanic]

I'm resurrecting this old thread to see if anyone has an example of a 1916 divisional honour card from the 14th Division. The reason is that I'm researching a soldier from the 10th DLI (Sgt. Wm. Blenkinsop, 20060) who according to a letter in his service record from his family:

'won the DCM (in January 1916) ... He also got a Green Card of Honour for Gallantry & Meritorious Conduct near Ypres on Feb 2 1916 signed by Major General V Couper'.

I'm presuming that the DCM and Honour Card were for two separate events, but maybe that's not the case. The DCM citation in his record states that he won it 'For conspicuous gallantry on many occasions ...'. I have yet to check the various WDs to see if there any references there.

In any event I'd be interested to see a contemporary example from the 14th if anybody has one.

Thanks.