5th or 8th Londons

[Sappersson]

I am researching my Great Uncle Sgt Joseph Henry Bodley who was awarded the Military Medal and would be grateful for any help to find out which London Battalion he served in when he received it and any additional information anyone might know.I cannot find his Service Records and this is the information i have found to date

From his M I C

Sgt Joseph H Bodley

Corp Rif Brig

Reg No 2496

Theatre of War [1]

Date Of Entry Therein 20/12/1914

From his M.M Award Card

Sgt Joseph Henry William Bodley

Corp 8th Bn Lond R [TF]

Reg No 376815

Date of Gazette No 62

I bought a copy of the Post Office Rifles 8th Battalion City of London Regiment 1914 to 1918 and found an entry of his MM award there,but the entry in the London Gazette has him recorded in the 5th Battalion London Regiment.Is this just a simple typing error.

I have also tried to follow his his regimental Warpath for the 5th and the 8th but the more i look at it the more confused i become.From his Regimental number 2496 i believe he joined up after September 1914 and went to France in December 1914 this seems a very short time to be trained or was this usual.Thanks in Advance for any help and Guidance.

Dave.

[Chris_Baker]

Without looking at it in detail, his number and rank in the Rifle Brigade, together with his embarkation date, imply he was a serving soldier of the regular army. He landed in France with the 4th Rifle Brigade and would have enlisted well before the war - my estimate from his number is 1907. The question is, how and when did he get transferred to the London Regiment?

[Sappersson]

Thanks for the reply Chris. In 1914 he would have been 29 years old so maybe he was a career soldier.

[Chris_Baker]

It's possible - and it raises the possibility of him serving on to 1921 or beyond. If so, his service record should be available from the Veteran's Agency.

[Steven Broomfield]

4th Rifle Brigade landed in France 21.12.14, having arrived from India and joining the 27th Division. That fits with his date of entry.

[NigelS]

Hi Dave

The History of the London Rifle Brigade 1859-1919 (5th Bn London Regiment) contains lists of it members who won MM's, but doesn't mention your great uncle (although it's quite possible he could have unitentionally been missed off) this together with the fact that the award does appear in the POR history, gives credence to the possibility of the Gazette entry being wrong.

Member Ernie Crisp, who has a comprehensive knowledge on the soldiers of the LRB may well be able to confirm whether he did at some time serve with the LRB. I'll draw his attention to this thread.

NigelS

[Sappersson]

Hi Dave

The History of the London Rifle Brigade 1859-1919 (5th Bn London Regiment) contains lists of it members who won MM's, but doesn't mention your great uncle (although it's quite possible he could have unitentionally been missed off) this together with the fact that the award does appear in the POR history, gives credence to the possibility of the Gazette entry being wrong.

Member Ernie Crisp, who has a comprehensive knowledge on the soldiers of the LRB may well be able to confirm whether he did at some time serve with the LRB. I'll draw his attention to this thread.

NigelS

[Sappersson]

Thanks everyone for all your help.As Chris has advised i will try to get his service records from the Veteran's Agency.Please keep the information and your thoughts coming, i am really enjoying this.

[stiletto_33853]

Dave,

Chris is correct in the 1907 enlistment, he enlisted in November 1907, probably between the 20th to 22nd of that month. Find attached his entry in the British War Medal - Victory Medal Roll showing the 8th Londons and that he moved about a little from the 4th to the 9th and then the 16th Rifle Brigade before going to the 8th Londons, and then back to the Rifle Brigade Depot. The 16th Rifle Brigade, his last battalion before going to the Londons did not land in France until March 1916.

Andy

[stiletto_33853]

Just as a little extra, his name does not appear in the 9th RB's Nominal Roll of December 1915.

Andy

[chrrip]

As you say, MM gazetted on 14.5.19 to 376815 5th Londons. However not in LRB Regimental History honours list but many others are missing as well. LG date suggests Aug/sept 18 fighting; if with 5th then likely to have been around Croisilles/Hendecourt. I do have examples of men with similar army numbers transferring to 8th London & one transferring between 8 London & 16 RB onmy 5th nominal roll. His MM entry may not have been a mistake. regards Chris

[Sappersson]

Thank for all the replies.Excuse my ignorance what is Depot Rifle Brigade listed on the medal rolls.I note that there is no mention of the 5th Londons on the list of Battalions and he was Gazetted on 14/05/1919 the 8th Londons was the last Battalion he was with near the end of the war.The evidence so far looks to me like an error in the London Gazette Battalion entry.