US medical corps officer with UK Military Medal

[doogal]

As it says in the header - has anyone got experience of tracing the details of an American awarded the MM?

I've tried the London gazette, but have had no luck there (but that could mean anything given the search facility there.)

As with UK soldiers offered foreign awards, should I be looking in the Foreign office indexes at Kew, or more feasibly, is there an American equivalent to the Gazette that can be searched?

thanks

doogal

[bob lembke]

As you may know, in mid-war the Brits hired (that was the word I saw used) Yank doctors to serve in the UK forces. I imagine that when the AEF arrived in strength in Europe some migrated to the AEF. Just read something about this in the last week, probably in Dunn's The War as the Infantry Knew It, which has a great index, surprisingly.

Bob Lembke

[Terry]

I have a listing complied by Al Gleim in 1982 of the War Office announcements giving details of awards given to US personnel. If you have a name, I can do a check for you.

Cheers,

Terry

[stevem49]

As you may know, in mid-war the Brits hired (that was the word I saw used) Yank doctors to serve in the UK forces. I imagine that when the AEF arrived in strength in Europe some migrated to the AEF. Just read something about this in the last week, probably in Dunn's The War as the Infantry Knew It, which has a great index, surprisingly.

Bob Lembke

Bob

Some stayed with a British Battalion to the bitter end. The 9th (Service) Bn Sherwood Foresters had an MORC who gained an MC whilst with them until well into 1919 - Lt H Alexander MORC, MC.

From your other thread - The 9th (Service) Bn The Sherwood Foresters (Notts & Derby Regiment) where the first volunteer battalion and came from mostly Notts & Derby. Men would travel some distance to join their own County Regiment. Obviously as the war went on men from any county would be put in any Regiment.

stevem

[welshdoc]

A medical corps officer (American or not) surely would not be awarded an MM as this is for other ranks. It would be at least an MC. It is of course possible he was awarded one as an OR, prior to promotion. If you post the name we can try to look using the black arts.

[doogal]

welshdoc - yes it was an MC. This was a deliberate mistake on my part!

OK, this is what I know on the soldier:

He was a Lt J W Sherrick. He was WIA on 28/03/1918 whilst with the 5th West Riding Regiment. Their diary notes he was to be awarded the MC in April of its war diary. I have traced an MIC fo rhim, but there is no medal roll associated with it.

He was one of the orthopaedic docotrs who came to the UK in mid-1917, and is noted by the West Riding diary as "USMC" - so it apears he may well have remained as part of the US army.

Terry - I'd be grateful if you could do a look-up.

In broad terms, does an archive of any kind specialise or hold details of thee doctors, who I am aware from other research, came over as volunteers headed by a leading US orthopaedic doctor.

doogal

[Terry]

I checked the publication done by Al Gleim, and he has the War Office List No.27, of 3 Sept.,1918, which shows:

To be awarded the Military Cross (M.C.)

-1st Lieutenant John Weslex Sherrick, Medical Reserve Corps,U.S.A.

I thought that his middle name might be Wesley and that there was a typo as I have never heard the name Weslex!

Gleim was a retired US officer who produced a large number of medal lists,etc. years ago. This one gathers together various War Office papers for this list.

[4thGordons]

There is a book called "The Cellars of Marcelcave A Yank Doctor in the BEF" (Christopher J Gallagher MD)

isbn 1-57249-110-8 (Burd Street Press) - which I think is an adaptation/re-edit of the earlier memoir A Yank in the BEF: Battalion Medical Officer in the Great War (Bernard J Gallagher)- that descibes one individual's expereinces in this context. It has quite a number of pictures and diagrams and a describes the joining up process etc. It is a little odd as far as memoires go (lots of first person dialogue - which it is not clear to me if it is remembered, reconstructed or imagined) but does have give a general overview of the process. I think parts of it are included in one of Lyn MacDonald's books.

Chris

[BJanman]

I have come across quite a comprehensive list of MORCs who were awarded British medals. I do not know where it came from as it was sent to my father when he was doing the RAMC research, there is a post it note attached though which states "Complete list of British awards to US Medical Personnel - WW1" and then signed. It is typed out and not an official document, so could be someones research or completed by copying from an official source.

Lt J W Sherrick is not on it. I'm not saying definately, but maybe he didn't receive the award. Also the information is officially out there somewhere.

I would be interested to know if he was awarded the MC, even if it is only to know that my list is not complete.

Cheers

Barbara

[stevem49]

Barbara

Could it be that your list only had MORC men and the ones who stayed attached to the US medics are separate?

stevem

[BJanman]

Hi Steve

No the list isn't only MORCs, there are names of men who were from the Medical Reserve Corps and ladies who served in the US Army Nurse Corps. There are also a few whose service states Infantry. The column for 'British Unit's attached to' are both medical units and regiments. I haven't research this myself but just wanted to advise the possibilities.

Also, I forgot to add that I did a bit of research for a forum member a while back on his grandfather whose service was MORC attached to a Field Ambulance. He was awarded the MC and there was a medal index card for him.

I hope this helps. Sometimes its better to stay quiet as it only confuses things

Barbara

[welshdoc]

It should be listed in the London Gazette but I cant find it. prehaps Stebie can

[doogal]

Hi Terry,

thank-you for the look-up, the information is a great help.

He does in fact have a medal index card at Kew, but it has no references on it at all for any medals. it is a standard campaign medal mic rather than an MC style one, and his MC is not noted on it either.

As he was WIA, would there be any kind of report on him held by the US or even the UK as a foeign national attached to the British Army?

doogal

[themonsstar]

Also on list No 27 3rd Sept 1918, are the dates/No, May 27 1918 (0137/4/97.) next to hes name.

[JulianB]

tantalising info,

i'm still trying to find out about a Lt Leslie MORC, wounded whilst serving with 41 Bn MGC in March 1918 (info from Bn WD)

if any of you good folk see him on any of your lists I'd be v grateful

Julian

[apwright]

Not entirely sure I've got the right fellow, but a bit of googling revealed the following:

familysearch.org:

John Sherrick - born 1 May 1887, died Jun 1975 in Oakland, Almeda California, Social Security No 549-66-1916

... matches this chap in Western Journal of Medicine, August 1975 (vol 123(2), page 174:

IN MEMORIAM

[...]

SHERRICK, JOHN WESLEY, Oakland. Died June 20, 1975 in Oakland of carcinoma of the prostate, and cardiac failure, aged 88. Graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, 1915. Licensed in California in 1922. Dr. Sherrick was a retired member of the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association.

There's an article entitled "In memoriam. John Wesley Sherrick 1887-1975" in Transactions of the Pacific Coast Obstetrical and Gynecological Society (1976/43/LXII-LXIII - PMID: 790664), which may be available from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?c...pt=AbstractPlus if you can work out how to order it.

ellisisland.org:

John Wesley Sherrick, age 34, single, born Camp Point (Adams Co) IL USA, May 1, 1887, arrived at Ellis Island NY on Aug 15, 1921 aboard steamship CELTIC from Liverpool, address in US: University Hospital, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Hope it helps,

Adrian

[doogal]

Hi Adrian,

This is very helpful - I'd got as far as identifying the bit on the Trans Pacific Obstetrics, but had not got even close to the other details.

It looks promising!

many thanks

doogal

[andigger]

and is noted by the West Riding diary as "USMC" - so it apears he may well have remained as part of the US army.

Remember unlike the British design, the US Marine Corps is a separate entity from the US Army.

Also, with the info in either Illinois or California you can look up the census in each state to see what other identifying info (profession, etc) might help you tie the Ellis Island entries with your man.

Andy

[Black Watch]

No Medal roll entries because he may not have served "abroad", and could have been based in a UK hospital ?

Neil

[4thGordons]

HERE is a link to a short history of his birthplace (Camp Point IL not so far from where I am)

I have an ancestry membership at the moment so I can have a look there if it is not already covered.

If there is anything local that you think I might be able to help with let me know (I am very lose to the state archive/library) - It seems it might be worth contacting the people who put the web together as they will likely have detailed local knowledge.

I am following up (on anthother thread) a hospital in LIVERPOOL where a good number of US troops from my area ended up.

Chris

[doogal]

hi Chris,

Somehow I managed to miss your post first time round.

I'm reapraising the Sherrick details again, and would be very grateful for any help on this one.

I e-mailed the Obstetrics Assoc a while ago, but have heard nothing back.

I might telephone them and see where that gets me.

If it's OK, I'll drop you a line if it looks like an archive visit would help. either way, many thanks for your offer - sorry to come back so late

regards

doogal

[doogal]

Hi All,

got an email from the historian of the Pacific coast Obstetric Soc. I've sent some further details through to him, as it looks likely this is the right Sherrick. I hope to hear back soon.

doogal

[JMcCulloch]

Undoubtedly the right man. If you write to his university alumni office odds are you will be able to find a biography of him. Also, at the time, there was 'our boys in the war' articles in the University newspaper and undoubtedly you will find additional details in their archives. Many larger U.S. Universities have professional (and sometimes under worked) archivists who can help with queries.

The MDs sent (not "hired") were almost immediately done so. As the American army in the Spring of 1917 was miniscule, Wilson asked the Allies what the USA could do immediatley to help. They said-"send field surgeons/Doctors" and so a whole series of newly minted Doctors (and medical volunteers) were sent off post haste and attached to British units for almost the entire duration of the war.

The Cellars of Marcelcave is an excellent read and rewritten by the good doctors' children-augmented by his private conversations with them before his death (which is where some of the dialogs come from).

Medal groups to these Doctors are in great demand as not a few received the MC, the BWM, VM AND their hometown/and/or state WW1 service medals. A recent group to a Doctor hailing from Brewer, Maine went for $5,000.

I live 2 miles from a large medical library so may be able to obtain his obit rather quickly. I shall see what i can do.

[pbrydon]

Hope this might be of some interest, the 6th Kings Liverpool ( Liverpool Rifles ) had an american M.O..

The Chaplain Phil Fisher was something of an artist and there is a publication" Figures and Phases of the War 1916-1919" in which there are cartoons of various officers and men of the battalion drawn by him.

Attached is the cartoon of "Old Doc Thomas " on which I hope you will be able to see his U.S. collar insignia. ( actually reproduced better than I expected )

P.B.

[Ken Lees]

There were two more officers of the Medical Officers Reserve Corps serving with the 55th (West Lancashire) Division who were awarded the MC in 1918.

Lt Maurice Linsey ALLEN was attached to 276 Artillery Brigade HQ

Lt William Henry JENKS was attached to the 1/4th King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regt)

Ken