RFC01 Posted 10 June , 2008 Share Posted 10 June , 2008 Hi can anyone help please. Im new here, great forum:) Here i have a John Chamberlain 3rd class airman in RFC, hes my great Uncle. PDF is here, hes top left reg number Medal Card 108859 Ive found out that he was first in the Royal Scottish Fusiliers as a private, which is the first line of the medal card crosses out. I then looked in Lancaster Roll of Honour in the ref library there and found he transferred to the RFC via the Royal Engineers.?!? If that makes sense. In the RFC and at the CWGC his unit is down as 2nd Bde. Can anyone shed any light on this unit? actions? locations? I cant find anything. He is burried in Belgium and died on 30/11/1917, aged 37, after the end of the 3rd ypres battle. Buried at LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY, which i gather is a hospital cemetery, so its likely his body was either picked up after the end of actions of Ypres or he was a casualty and died some days later in the hospital. Anyway of finding out which? i find no actions to 30th Nov. 1917, im guessing he was injured some days earlier. Now ive found info about the X with dots on the medal card being a cross reference and in the remarks section of the medal card there is some text which i believe starts with GWVM, the rest i cant make out. Can anyone shed light on what that text may say. Where the medals returned? reissued? Lastly, service papers. Given all of the above, will i find service records for him? I looked on LDS and found a reference to films they have on Chamberlains. Hope someone can help me fill in some gaps. Many Thanks:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 10 June , 2008 Share Posted 10 June , 2008 Hi, Below is a colour copy of the MIC. I've had a look at the writing at the bottom and it appears to start "BWM.....". Had the medals been returned you'll find that a note is placed next tot he medal(s) concerned together with some King's Regs & a date. Not sure about the rest of your query, but I'm sure someone will be along shortly and be able to answer or point you in the right direction. Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 10 June , 2008 Share Posted 10 June , 2008 Here's a close up on the text at the bottom. (on a side note, you may want to consider placing a thread in the "War In The Air" section - they may be able to pin down squadron movements around the date) Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFC01 Posted 10 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 10 June , 2008 Cheers Les for that. Can you make out any more of the writing at the bottom? At best I thought it said: BWNM ??????? missfired - min. 10 X But it didnt seem to make sense so i was kinda guessing at BMVM John having been awarded the British and Victory Medals. Ah you beat me to it:) Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 11 June , 2008 Share Posted 11 June , 2008 It looks like he was a territorial soldier (plenty of information on the Long Long Trail) from his 6 digit Royal Scottish Fusiliers number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFC01 Posted 11 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 11 June , 2008 Indeed, but when did he join up, and when did he transfer? And what does that writing say? We now know he was in Number 17 Balloon Company. Does the writing reveal the cause of death? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFC01 Posted 9 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 9 July , 2008 I got his service record from the NA but nothing about his time in RSF. Just a KIA and date, name, service number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphjd Posted 10 July , 2008 Share Posted 10 July , 2008 It might read " BWMV MEDAL TRANSFERRED TO MIN " ( Air Ministry)? Ralph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFC01 Posted 22 December , 2009 Author Share Posted 22 December , 2009 It might read " BWMV MEDAL TRANSFERRED TO MIN " ( Air Ministry)? Ralph. Ah thats a good observation, Cheers. Any pointers now to finding out his territorial history from his regiment number with royal scottish fusiliers???? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Piorun Posted 22 December , 2009 Share Posted 22 December , 2009 Perhaps "BW & V" is more likely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 22 December , 2009 Share Posted 22 December , 2009 Or BW + VM. Maybe the comment is also written in the medal roll where it would be clearer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 22 December , 2009 Share Posted 22 December , 2009 It is a comment about the alteration at the top of the card; that is the BWM and Victory Medal should be named as per the second (RFC) entry. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RFC01 Posted 5 January , 2010 Author Share Posted 5 January , 2010 Thanks for clearing that up or at least casting some light on that bit of text:) RFC01 It is a comment about the alteration at the top of the card; that is the BWM and Victory Medal should be named as per the second (RFC) entry. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
annemiemor Posted 1 February , 2010 Share Posted 1 February , 2010 Dear Sir I found your enquiry on John Chamberlain, your great uncle. I am doing research on Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, a project granted by the Flemish Government and the Town of Poperinge. For all information: www.lijssenthoek.be I would appreciate it immensely if you could give me more personal details on J Chamberlain (photo, letters, etc....) We try to set up a database with personal information. I can send you a photograph of his headstone, if you do not have one yet. Please take contact: lijssenthoek@poperinge.be Thank you Regards Annemie Morisse Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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