War Diary Found

[Seadog]

Today’s SUN newspaper has the following article about the discovery of a war diary kept by John French who became a sapper with 254th Tunneling Company of the Royal Engineers. A very interesting article and if members scroll down they will see the newspaper also reports that he was awarded both the MC and the MM but the actions for which he was awarded these medals for are not known. Pretty good going for the SUN makes a change from Jordan and Peter!.

Click here for article

Regards

Norman

[Liam]

What a nice little story and what a brave man

There can't have been too many men awarded both the MM and the MC during the war

Liam

[Ravrick]

Excellent story...could this be the man?

Sgt J T French RE MM 04 Feb 1918

2/Lt John Thomas French RE MC 30 May 1919 -178th Tunneling Company RE

Notice he missed a 1914/15 star by a few hours.........

[Seadog]

What kept you Ravrick, its been all of 10 minutes since this was posted!. Is it possible to determine the reasons for the award of the MC & MM?. If anyone can throw any light on this please note that there is a e-mail for the author of the article at the end.

Regards

Norman

[ianw]

Yes, I too have a special admiration for holders of the MC and the MM.

I wonder if he gets a mention in any of the specialist tunnelling books?

[michaeldr]

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 4 FEBRUARY, 1918.

His Majesty the KING has been graciously

pleased to approve of the award of the Military

Medal for bravery in-the Field to the

undermentioned Non-commissioned Officers

and Men: —

144962 Sjt. J. T. French, R.E. (Redruth).

(no luck with the MC yet)

[PhilB]

If he was in a Tunnelling Company he hardly needs a reason for the awards!

[Seadog]

Agreed Phil but it would be good to know of the deed (s) for which he was awarded the medals. However if we never know that will not detract one iota from his brave actions.

Regards

Norman

[PhilB]

Quite right, Norman. Was the floppy hat an option for officers or just certain regiments?

[Ravrick]

Extract from "The long, long Trail"

178th Tunnelling Company

On formation, moved to the Fricourt sector of the Somme. Moved up to try to mine enemy positions in High Wood, as the advance progressed in July 1916. In March 1918, the Company was spread in Fins, Gouzeaucourt and Heudicourt, when the enemy bombardment struck these places. After this the Company was engaged in Tortille bridge demolition, and other defensive activities.

Rick

[Ravrick]

MC entry 30 may 1919

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/31370/pages/6827

The KING lias been graciously pleased, on

the occasion of His Majesty's Birthday, to approve

of the undermentioned rewards for dis-

' tinguished service in connection with Military

Operations in France and Flanders. Dated

3rd jUne, 1919:

T./'2nd Lt. John Thomas French, 178th

. Tunn'lg Coy.-, R.E.

[geoff2050]

What a great find.

Brings home the sober truths .

Geoff

[Seadog]

QUOTE (Phil_B @ Oct 29 2009, 10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quite right, Norman. Was the floppy hat an option for officers or just certain regiments?

Phil it will take someone more expert than I to answer that, Knowing the expertise here we will not wait long.

Norman

[Andrew Upton]

Notice he missed a 1914/15 star by a few hours.........

Curious though, as the picture of him in uniform after the war shows him with the ribbon of the 14/15 Star on his chest.

His diary entry from the 31st December 1915 has him leaving Chatham on Friday morning (which would have been the 31st) at 7.30, and arriving at Rouen Saturday at 1pm after marching there in full kit.

Maybe for the early issue of the ribbon alone, it was decided anyone arriving over the night of the 31st Dec./1st Jan. was allowed to qualify, but for the later issue of the actual medal it was not (if I recall correctly, for the 1914 Star the deadline was set at midnight on the night of 22nd/23rd November)? Or was it simply a case of human error and him wearing something he wasn't supposed to?

QUOTE (Phil_B @ Oct 29 2009, 10:10 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Quite right, Norman. Was the floppy hat an option for officers or just certain regiments?

It's the Officers version of the "gor blimey" cap, with the ear flaps that could be unfolded in cold or bad weather. Usually the mark of a man who has seen frontline service (as they're quite untidy!).

[Kath]

On display here:

http://www.museumsincornwall.org.uk/museum...uth-town-museum

Kath.

[roughdiamond]

Some more handwritten pages printed in the Daily Mail I posted this on the Soldiers forum: -

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12...-mans-land.html

A strange one that he's wearing the 1915 Star but it's not on his MIC, could he have been a Sapper at the time and it's on a seperate card? I noticed in his diary entry 12th Jan 1916 he writes "Several NCO's left for the line including some Redruth Men. THE NCO who slept in our tent is gone with them" does the use of "The NCO" suggest to anyone else that he wasn't one at the time?

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Interesting find.

WO 95/405 178 Tunnelling Company Royal Engineers 1915 Aug. - 1919 Apr.

[J Banning]

As noted by some on this forum this diary is remarkable in that it has details of the Red Dragon mine explosion at Givenchy in June 1916 and gives details of the tragic attempt to rescue Sapper William Hackett (posthumously awarded the VC) and Pte Thomas Collins.

After 30 years of research Peter Barton can't believe his luck in this diary coming to light now. As he says in the article below, "None of this was known until now. This is the only account of Hackett's action. Until now, it was a hidden, almost private act."

An article from Sunday's Telegraph was posted in The Culture Pages section but got little response. I've included it below:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics...Cross-hero.html

[Kath]

There may be responses next Sunday, Jeremy.

Kath.