MC & MM WINNERS.

[Cornwall]

I wondered how your list of men who won the MM and MC is going?

Oppy

[David Black]

My wife’s grandfather was awarded the MM in 1916 for bravery in France and the MC for bravery in Flanders at Passchendaele.

James Dickenson Smith was a sergeant in the 18th DLI in 1916 (MM) and acting Captain 10th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment from September 2017. Military Cross. More detail later...I am writing a history of his military service. He was also awarded the Russian Order of St. George.

[clk]

Hi David,

 

It seems that his MC was awarded for his actions on 13.12.1917.

 

 

 

Images sourced from the National Archives

 

Regards

Chris

[David Black]

Good morning,

I could not find ‘Feizieres’ but there is a ‘Peiziere’, a small hamlet to the north of Epehy. The time and location fits the action. I have an extract from an American newspaper which describes the confrontation at Epehy, Vandelles and Savy. There is a large cemetery at Epehy and at least one brave soul from JDS’s regiment is buried there. The Gazette date for the MM award was 10.11.16. The 18th battalion DLI fought in the Battle of Albert in 1916. James was a sergeant then. I cannot get access to the Gazette of that date, any help would be much appreciated.

I have not embarked on this study for personal gain. My first intention was to produce an illustrated page, A2 size, for my wife and son and two grandsons. But there is far too amuch for a single sheet of paper. The older grandson is also James, and he shares the same birthday as his great great grandfather.  We have only just discovered this...what a coincidence!

James Dickenson Smith MM MC Russian Order of St George, Coronation Medal 1937, volunteered to join the Durham Pals in 1914 when the group was formed.

 

He was promoted to corporal after taking part in the Defence of Hartlepool, December 16 1914,

From there to Port Said and back to the western front.

He was twice wounded.

Naturally, I am very pleased to have found the Forum and am grateful for the help. This is my first venture into military history,

many thanks,

David

 

 

Edited 8 April , 2020 by David Black
I now have 3 different dates for the MC !!!

[Open Bolt]

For this topic, see also https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/261159-mc-mm-combinations

[David_Underdown]

1 hour ago, David Black said:

James Dickenson Smith MM MC

A small point but the MC would always be worn before the MM, and the postnominals should also be in that order too as the Military Cross is higher in the official order of wear, so should be written James Dickenson Smith MC MM

[David Black]

Thank you I will make the necessary correction!

I had wrongly assumed that the 'postnominals' would be listed according to the date of the award.

kind regards,

David.

[Ian Davison]

Hi David,

              I have just found your post about MC/MM winners. Well my grandfather 6047 Henry DAVISON Scots Guards was gazetted with the MM on 27th October 1916 whilst acting RSM of 2nd Battalion Scots Guards. I understand this was won at the Battle of Loos but would welcome any more information. On 1st January 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross in the New Years honours list, this whilst still serving as the RSM. On 17th January 1917 he moved to 6th Battalion Gordon Highlanders as RSM, serving with them then 6th/7th Battalion, then 2nd Battalion after the war and eventually as senior RSM at the depot in Aberdeen before retiring in 1926.

I do recall many years ago that in the Medal News there was a full list of dual winners. 

Unfortunately I do not have his medals and have tried many times to locate.

Hope this is of interest to you.

                                              Ian Davison 

[David Black]

Good morning Ian,

I read your posting with great interest, particularly as my wife’s’ family hail from the Moray Firth. They were farmers supplying grain to the whisky distillers of Speyside. J D Smith’s father came down to Durham from Portsoy, via Montrose. Whilst we have been isolated from this terrible bug I have been reading about the Durham Light Infantry and the Yorkshire Regiment. There was a great stroke of luck when I came across an article about the 18th battalion of ‘Durham Pals’, I was able to confirm James’s company....and trace his wartime steps.
I know nothing about ‘soldering’ as Anthony Quayle described it in’Lawrence of Arabia’.

What I do know is that the Smiths of Bracobrae, Cullen and Portsoy were remarkable people.

My own grandmother’s first husband was killed in the Battle of Albert, July 1916.....Yorkshire Regiment I believe.....Alexander Turner.

James Smith fought in the same battle with the DLI. Prior to the war they Iived 150 miles apart.

The Military Medal was awarded after the first conflict on the Somme. The Military Cross was awarded after the first foray through Epehy in 1917, a year later.

 

My grandfather was at Albert also. Harry was Alec Turner’s best friend. After the war ended, Harry married my grandmother and the surviving children were properly looked after by the two of them. They were wonderful people, and inseparable. Alec would have been happy for them....because he loved them both.

But if Alexander Turner had survived the Great War I wouldn’t be writing this, because I wouldn’t be around!

Thank you for your posting, my wife is thrilled that people like You  have taken the trouble to write.

For my part I never ceased to be moved at the depth of feeling and emotion that families still carry in their hearts about their loved ones...and the Great War.

James Smith MC MM survived the war but died before his 50th birthday, well before I was born. From all accounts he was simply worn out. But I did know his wife and sons. There was never any mention of army exploits, all this is new to me, which makes the story even more poignant.

James Dickenson Smith’s son could not attend his father’s funeral. James junior was fighting in North Africa with the Eighth Army.

you must be rightly proud of your grandfather, Ian,

kind regards,

David.

[Ian Davison]

Hello David, 

                    Thank you for your reply which I found most interesting and moving.I am in agreement with you about respect for these men and what they did and survived. I only knew my grandfather for 5 years before he died and my father told me that the war had eventually taken its toll on his body. He was a brilliant man who loved his allotment, so we never went short of fresh veg etc. When I went to senior school I called in on my grandmother every day. Sometimes I was allowed to hold the frame containing his medals, this really started my interest in collecting. There were a million and one questions going through my mind about the medals. There was also a large photo of his last regiment, I used to look at this to try and find him but all the time I knew he was in the centre of the front rank with the CO.When my grandmother died in 1969 I was in the army (special forces) and we were on secret operation so did not find out she had died until 5 days later. I could not get home as well. I asked my father about the medals and photo and he told me they were not in the house when he went. I have tried many times to locate them without success. I dearly want them back in my possession.

Good luck

                Ian Davison  

[mcmmandbar]

On 08/04/2020 at 09:47, David Black said:

Good morning,

I could not find ‘Feizieres’ but there is a ‘Peiziere’, a small hamlet to the north of Epehy. The time and location fits the action. I have an extract from an American newspaper which describes the confrontation at Epehy, Vandelles and Savy. There is a large cemetery at Epehy and at least one brave soul from JDS’s regiment is buried there. The Gazette date for the MM award was 10.11.16. The 18th battalion DLI fought in the Battle of Albert in 1916. James was a sergeant then. I cannot get access to the Gazette of that date, any help would be much appreciated.

I have not embarked on this study for personal gain. My first intention was to produce an illustrated page, A2 size, for my wife and son and two grandsons. But there is far too amuch for a single sheet of paper. The older grandson is also James, and he shares the same birthday as his great great grandfather.  We have only just discovered this...what a coincidence!

James Dickenson Smith MM MC Russian Order of St George, Coronation Medal 1937, volunteered to join the Durham Pals in 1914 when the group was formed.

 

He was promoted to corporal after taking part in the Defence of Hartlepool, December 16 1914,

From there to Port Said and back to the western front.

He was twice wounded.

Naturally, I am very pleased to have found the Forum and am grateful for the help. This is my first venture into military history,

many thanks,

David

 

 

Hello Ian,

 

I have read with interest your post on James Dickensen Smith, MC,MM. Did he serve in the police force at any point? 

I have been compiling a definitive work on all recipients of the MC MM combination and would love to know what you have already found on James since your last post.

Please contact me here

 

Best wishes,

 

Rich

[mcmmandbar]

2 hours ago, mcmmandbar said:

Hello David,

 

I have read with interest your post on James Dickensen Smith, MC,MM. Did he serve in the police force at any point? 

I have been compiling a definitive work on all recipients of the MC MM combination and would love to know what you have already found on James since your last post.

Please contact me here

 

Best wishes,

 

Rich

 

[cazack]

hello all

 

yes an interesting topic as I have always been curious to how many MC, MM awardees' there are as to how rare or common this is.

 

I have one such group in my collection. The MM was awarded while serving in the Leicestershire Regiment 1916 in France, and his  MC was awarded for North Russia attached to 13th Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, also awarded an Order of St Anne 3rd class with swords, and his awards where unique combination in the British Army

 

C