Pte Herman Race 48172 4th bn East Surreys

[runningbunny]

I'm very new to this so apologies in advance!!

Pte Herman Race 48172 4th bn East Surreys

Enlisted 27.5.1918

Discharged 12.8.1919

Cause of discharge Para 392 XVI

Awarded Victory and British Medals as well as Silver War Badge

This is my grandad - he was born and lived in Suffolk.

Research so far shows that the 4ths were Extra Reserves who did not leave this country, and the medal card does not indicate a theatre of war, but my understanding is that to receive the Victory/British Medals he must have left this country and entered a theatre of war - is this correct? From looking at the long, long trail site could he have had another medal card as the one that I have appears to be the SWB type? Can I therefore assume that he enlisted with a different batallion before returning injured to the 4ths.

According to my mum, he was injured at the start of October 1918 in France, spent some time in hospital over there and then returned to hospital in Sidcup, Kent.

I would like to find out any information on where he enlisted, which batallion he served with, any recorded details of his injury and why he would have been returned to the 4th batallion in this country.

Thanks in advance!

[ian turner]

RB - welcome to the forum!

You are correct in that to have earned the BWM and VM the seviceman needed to have entered a theatre of war.

I have often seen the similar case where the medal card lists the home training battalion - it seems common that the serviceman was not posted to an active front line battalion until after arrival in France. Thus technically he may have still been with the 4th on his arrival. You would need to see his service records to find out his actual unit.

Perhaps a look at the SWB roll itself may tell you more - but I leave another pal with specific experience of that to advise you.

Does he have a pension record, as having been discharged on medical grounds he would surely have received a pension.

Ian

[runningbunny]

Unfortunately I think that the service records are part of the burnt collection - I have been to Kew to no avail and not sure about the pension records - searches so far have not proved fruitful.

Following some more searching on the forum I have found out that Queens Hospital in Sidcup was renowned for facial injuries/surgery and my grandad received a facial injury so my mum's recollection of him saying that he went to Sidcup could prove to be correct.

Any more ideas/help out there?