Major Harold England Festing D.S.O. Border Regt.

[barrowford29]

Hi everyone. I'm still finding my feet with the research side of things and would appreciate any help anyone could give me. I'm trying to find out how thos man won his D.S.O.

I've searched for him in the gazette archives but they seem to briefly mention him (I think they are promotions) but not what he actually did. Am I looking in the wrong place? Are those instances where he has been briefly stated in the gazette the "mentioned in dispatches" I've heard about or or is that something else?

His M.I.C. card says he entered the war on the first day of gallipoli. I would really like to find out how he won his D.S.O. and would appreciate any help or advice. The icing on the cake would be a photograph of him too if anyone could pull that out of a hat!!

Thanks for looking.

Best regards.

I

[SteveE]

His DSO was listed in the London Gazette #29565, 2 May 1916.

Link to the Gazette is Here

In this instance I'm not convinced that there is a citation, the terminology "rewards for Distinguished Service in the Field" to accompany his award suggests an award for 'good soldiering' (for want of a better phrase), rather than for an act of 'gallantry' which were accompanied with citations.

Regards

Steve

[ralphjd]

Must be close on your tail here Steve !! agree with your comments, my medal book quotes " but there are periodic lists of recipients without citations " Ralph.

[Stebie9173]

The awards are dated 1st January 1916 so are New Years Honours (though slightly late!), and therefore more often than not sans citation.

Steve.

[SteveE]

The awards are dated 1st January 1916 so are New Years Honours (though slightly late!), and therefore more often than not sans citation.

Missed that, well spotted!! Agreed, no citation.

Steve

[barrowford29]

Brilliant! Thanks very much fellas!! I'll keep looking for a picture. I might take a trip up to the Border regiment's museum and see what I can find - hopefully a full size canvas of the man.

Thanks again.

[michaeldr]

Festing: a famous name in my family's neck of the woods

My god-father was caught poaching by the FM (and former CIGS) of that name;

fortunately he'd had a bad day and not hooked anything up to that point.

The Festings were/are a military family. The FM's father was a Brigadier General, and that gentleman had three brothers who all won the DSO. One of those brothers was

"Major Harold England Festing of the Border Regiment, (who) won the DSO at Gallipoli, a Bar to the DSO in France, four mentions in despatches and the Croix de Guerre. He died of war wounds in 1923."

[quote from 'Festing Field Marshal - a study of Front Line Frankie GCB, KBE, DSO' by Lyall Wilkes, The Book Guild Ltd, 1991]

regards

Michael

[SteveE]

Thanks to Michael I've done a bit more digging.

Bar to D.S.O. was in London Gazette #31158, 1 February 1919 (with Citation )

Capt. (A./Lt.-Col.) Harold England Festing, D.S.O., 1st Bn., Bord. R.

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was the first commanding officer to reach the high ground west of Gheluvelt on 28th September, 1918, at once reorganising his battalion and selecting a good defensive position. On the 30th he led a rapid advance of about a mile under cross machinegun fire, without artillery help, and then personally went forward to reconnoitre. He maintained his position until relieved, and showed fine tactical capacity.

(D.S.O. gazetted 2nd May, 1916.)

Link to Gazette is Here

Croix de Guerre was listed in London Gazette #31409, 19 June 1919. Link to Gazette is Here

Order of the White Eagle 4th Class was listed in London Gazette #32085, 15 October 1920. Link to Gazette is Here

Hope it helps.

Steve

[barrowford29]

Thanks very much to all of you who have helped with my research.

Best regards,

Andy.

[linge]

Andy

From O'Moore Creagh

FESTING, H.E. (DSO LG 2.5.16) (Bar, LG 1.2.19)

Born 8.2.86 Son of late Major-Gen Sir Francis W Festing, K.C.M.G., C.B., R.M.L.I

Educated Cheltenham College; R.M.C., Sandhurst

Was Page of Honour to Queen Victoria and King Edward VII

Coimmissioned in the Border Regt 28.1.05; Lt 5.12.08; Capt 13.12.14; Major 8.2.22

Served in European War; Wounded in Gallipoli; Despatches; French Croix de Guerre; awarded the Royal Humane Society's Medal in India.

I believe this is his brother

FESTING, HUBERT WOGAN

Initials: H W

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Lieutenant Colonel

Regiment/Service: Durham Light Infantry

Unit Text: 15th Bn.

Age: 35

Date of Death: 21/03/1918

Awards: D S O

Additional information: Son of the late Maj. Gen. Sir Francis W. Festing, K.C.M.G.; husband of Elizabeth Dorothy Festing, of The Paddock, Headington, Oxford.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 68 to 72.

Memorial: POZIERES MEMORIAL

Regards

Pam

[barrowford29]

Thats fantastic! I would never have found all that information out myself. Thanks very much.

[michaeldr]

quote: "awarded the Royal Humane Society's Medal in India"

That's a piece of info which escaped Judge Wilkes when he was writing his book.

Festing, Harold E. Lieut. The Border Regt. Case 41258

Gade, Mahadeo Sadu.

On the 20th September 1914, a man, in an attempt at suicide, threw himself into the river at Satara, India, the river being in flood and 12 feet deep. Festing and Gade plunged in and between them succeeded in saving him.

[see http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~tamarnet/bronz14s.htmhere]

However, Wilkes does mention a couple of others examples from the Festing family

+ Maj Gen Sir Francis Wogan Festing (1833-1886 & father of HEF) awarded the RHS silver medal for rescuing people from a ship wreck

+ and a brother-in-law (?) [brig Gen F. L. Festing married his cousin Charlotte Festing, so where exactly that puts Arthur Hoskyns Festing CMG (1870-1915) in relation to HEF, I will let someone else sort out]

Moshi, Awudu Case 38061

Festing, A.H., Major, D.S.O., Royal Irish Rifles

At 6 p.m. on the 5th September, 1910, a canoe, in crossing a swollen river at Nabugo Gold Coast (sic), was capsized and a native carrier was carried away, the depth being from 10 to 20 feet and infested with alligators. Awudu Moshi went in and caught him but was unable to bring him in. Major A.H. Festing, D.S.O., Royal Irish Rifles, then went in and brought both to land.

[see http://www.users.globalnet.co.uk/~tamarnet/bronz11s.htm]

A H Festing's CWGC details are

Name: FESTING, ARTHUR HOSKYNS Initials: A H Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Major Regiment/Service: Royal Irish Rifles Unit Text: 1st Bn. Age: 45 Date of Death: 09/05/1915 Awards: C M G, D S O Additional information: Count of the Holy Roman Empire. Son of the late Henry Blathwayt Festing, of Bois Hall, Addlestone, Surrey. Served in the South African War. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 9. Memorial: PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL

regards

Michael

[barrowford29]

Wow, thanks very much for this brilliant information. He sounds like a real character (as do the rest of the Festings!!)

Thanks everyone.

Regards,

Andy.