Military Medals awarded for Afghanistan 1919

[wrightdw]

Hi All,

Trying to get my posts up above 10 so I can use the PM function so am posting a few threads which may be of interest to members.

The following are a list of Military Medal's (MM) awarded for the campaign in Afghanistan NWF 1919 (Third Anglo-Afghan War).

Interestingly two of the awards are to the RAF. It is quite unusual for an army award to be received by the other services.

Service during the campaign also qualified for the India General Service Medal 1908-35 with clasp "Afghanistan NWF 1919".

Most of these soldiers would have presumably seen service in other theatres of WW1.

Cheers,

Damien

114 Squadron RAF

20116 1/AC Baker, J.H. LG 15/01/1920

132271 1/AC Butler, S. LG 15/01/1920

1st Dragoons

20903 Cpl. Bell, W. LG 15/01/1920

Royal Horse Artillery

88232 Dvr. Bayliss, W.G LG 14/05/1920

48499 Sjt. Fitch, A.L. LG 15/01/1920

69663 Sjt. Stanton, G.E. LG 14/05/1920

87937 T/Bdr. Tinson, D. LG 14/05/1920

Royal Garrison Artillery

30521 Sjt. Hunt, A.T. LG 15/01/1920

Royal Engineers

24025 Sjt. Richards, M. LG 15/01/1920

201227 Spr. Wakley, D. LG 15/01/1920

2Bn. Somerset Light Infantry

7178 CSM. Norris, W. LG 15/01/1920

9207 Pte. Pike, H.J. LG 15/01/1920

204035 Pte. Wright, F.J. LG 15/01/1920

1Bn. The Green Howards

9745 Cpl. Bryant, C. LG 15/01/1920

7132 CSM. Gill, A.E. LG 15/01/1920

8956 Pte. Kelly, P. LG 15/01/1920

9026 Pte. Sankey, G. LG 14/05/1920

1Bn. West Riding Regt.

9178 Pte. Benn, E. LG 15/01/1920

10150 Sjt. Gordon, J. LG 15/01/1920

8529 Sjt. Griffiths, J. LG 15/01/1920

9009 Sjt. Palmer, J. LG 15/01/1920

1Bn. Sussex Regt.

L/8913 Cpl. Gannon, W. LG 15/01/1920

G/20853 Pte. Hughes, J. LG 15/01/1920

L/8674 Cpl. Oakley, A.G. LG 15/01/1920

L/8581 Pte. Ruff, H.W. LG 14/05/1920

L/9184 Sjt. Wood, L. LG 14/05/1920

6Bn. Hampshire Regt.

40836 Pte. Virgo, G.R. LG 15/01/1920

2Bn Rifle Brigade

9606 Pte. Woodhouse, A.W. LG 26/05/1920

2Bn Royal Fusiliers

134616 Pte. Greenwood, F. LG 28/10/1920

150766 Cpl. Nash, S.C. LG 28/10/1920

Royal West Kent Regt.

240420 Pte. Blacker, G. LG 15/01/1920

200163 Sjt. Coomber, H.J. LG 15/01/1920

200228 Sjt. Haines, W. LG 15/01/1920

201964 Pte. McAllister, J. LG 15/01/1920

Machine Gun Corps

1239 Gnr. Carmichael, A. LG 15/01/1920

163356 S.M. Moores, J.R. LG 14/05/1920

163453 Sjt. Spooner, R.H. LG 14/05/1920

114036 Pte. Tarrant, A.E. LG 15/01/1920

163533 BSM. Vickers, T.E. LG 26/05/1920

RASC

M2/147249 Sjt. Watson, F. LG 15/01/1920

Indian Medical Department

1st Class Asst. Surg. Jones, G.T. LG 15/01/1920

S&T Corps Indian Army

Pte. Steed, W. LG 14/05/1920

[nigelfe]

Apart from being placed first on the list I'm not sure that ther's anything notably unusual about RAF recipients of the MM, probably earned during an action around a landing strip or going out to an aircraft that had force landed.

The regular infantry battalions listed were most if not all in India throughout WW1. Ie 2 SLI, 2 N Staffs, 1 Yorks, 1 R Sussex, 1 DLI, 1 S Lancs, 2 Kings, 1 Duke of Wellingtons, 1 W Riding . Other Brit bns in the war were 2-4 Border, 1-4 RW Surreys, 1-4 RWK, 1-1 Kents, 1-25 London, 2-6 R Sussex, 1-5 Hants. The infantry also included No 17 Special Service Bn (whatever that was). However, the Official Account does not list 1 Green Howards, 2 RB, 2 RF as being in the war 6 May - 8 Aug 1919

The varying rank titles in the MG Corps, who also operated armd cars, reflect the various types of coy level units, eg MG Coy, Armd Motor Bty, Motor MG Bty, MG Sqn.

[wrightdw]

Apart from being placed first on the list I'm not sure that ther's anything notably unusual about RAF recipients of the MM, probably earned during an action around a landing strip or going out to an aircraft that had force landed.

Unusual in the sense that of 115,000 Military Medals awarded 1916-19 only 170 odd were awarded to the RAF.

[nigelfe]

Unusual in the sense that of 115,000 Military Medals awarded 1916-19 only 170 odd were awarded to the RAF.

First you need to be in the vicinty of the enemy, in WW1 airfields were not usually in that position in European theatres. Second the RAF was only formed in 1918, so unless they 'claimed' the RFC's then I'm surprised it's so many.

[Staffsyeoman]

First you need to be in the vicinty of the enemy, in WW1 airfields were not usually in that position in European theatres. Second the RAF was only formed in 1918, so unless they 'claimed' the RFC's then I'm surprised it's so many.

And the Distinguished Flying Medal and the Air Force Medal were available to the RAF, if not the RFC, from June 1918 for flying duties.

[Matthew B.]

Interesting thing about the Richards MM to the RE

His medal group has just appeared for auction and although he earned it with the RE (on attachment to the 3rd Wireless Signals Squadron, Royal Engineers) its named thus :

24025 Sjt. M. Richards, 1/Garr. Bedf. & Herts.

Its actually a belter of a group:

Military Medal, G.V.R. (24025 Sjt. M. Richards, 1/Garr. Bedf. & Herts.);

1914 Star, with clasp (8338 Pte. M. Richards, 2/R. Suss. R.);

British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf (8338 Pte. M. Richards, R. Suss. R.);

India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, Afghanistan N.W.F. 1919 (24025 Sgt. M. Richards, Bedf. & Herts.);

Army Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., 1st issue (24025 Cpl. M. Richards, 1/G. Bn. Bedf. & Herts. R.),

MSM for India too!

Matthew