Thomas Highgate

[john w.]

Recently there was a thread on Medals, plaques and scrolls being given to Canadian SAD.

I looked for the first 4 SAD Uk cases and found only Thomas Highgate's papers. There is no mention of the scroll and plaque. His MIC shows forfieture of medals.

Other soldiers papers that I went through do show a letter referring to the plaque and scroll. It seems that the SAD cases then forfeited everything when shot, their families received nothing.

Please see below a copy of a letter from the War Office instructing how the letter to the family of Thomas Highgate was to be constructed.

John

[Guest Pete Wood]

Sorry, John, I am still not 100% convinced.

As I see it, your evidence suggests that the families were being told that the soldier was killed (rather than "he was executed"). If I was the next of kin of a SAD soldier, I'd be writing asking where the medals were and where 'my' boy's plaque and scroll was.

Now I know that this might put the army in an uncomfortable position and that 'they' could quote chapter and verse about medal forfeiture - but I have still yet to see anything in British records that the plaque and scroll was denied.

I have, however, just heard from the New Zealand records office which seems to show that memorial plaques were NOT issued at the time. My understanding is that in the last 4 years the country's opinion on this matter has changed. But I will hopefully confirm this, shortly.

In other words, while you are probably right, John, I'd still like to see the 'written' proof. As you know there is now plenty of evidence to show that some plaques, scrolls and medals (YES really) were issued to British/English SAD soldiers - even if it was by 'mistake'........