domwalsh Posted 20 May , 2010 Share Posted 20 May , 2010 Hi everyone, I have just taken delivery of an auction item comprising a WW1 pair to CH.21153 Pte GHT Brooker RMLI. Included in the lot were 3 French medals described as: Combatants Cross, Medal for Volunteers Combat Service and Medal for Resistance. I have no idea if they are related but they came as one lot, so I'm trying to establish if there was a link -preferably so I can prove they were all to the same man!! His RM service ended in 1919 when he was discharge invalided, no doubt as a result of wounds sustained a year earlier, and I have no idea if he served in WW2. Perhaps he joined the Foreign Legion!! Any thoughts gratefully received. Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 20 May , 2010 Share Posted 20 May , 2010 No mention of them in the RM Medal roll: First name(s): George Henry Thomas Last name: BROOKER Number: CH/21153 Rank: Private Awards: Medals & clasps earned: Victory & British War Medals How issued or disposed of: Self Service branch: Royal Marine Light Infantry Unit: Date of death: not known Cause of death: Remarks: Notes: Discharged Invalided. There is a record on TNA - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=5 - costs £3.50 to download Name Brooker, George Henry Thomas Register Number: 21153 Division: Royal Marine Light Infantry: Chatham Division Date of birth: 26 June 1898 When Enlisted/Date of Enlistment: 31 January 1917 Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 21 May , 2010 Author Share Posted 21 May , 2010 Hi Grant, thanks for your reply. Good to have the medal roll entry, so thanks for that. I've got his ADM159 already, which again makes no mention of any other medals. I suspect proving a connection - if there is one - could be impossible. Cheers, Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 21 May , 2010 Share Posted 21 May , 2010 How about checking out his pension records for post-war links with France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 21 May , 2010 Author Share Posted 21 May , 2010 Thanks Siege Gunner...where do I find those? D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Johnson Posted 21 May , 2010 Share Posted 21 May , 2010 I would check with some of the Resistance Veterans groups in France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 21 May , 2010 Share Posted 21 May , 2010 Here he is with family in 1911: BROOKER, Thomas Henry Head Married 14 years Gardner Domestic born 1871 Farnham Surrey BROOKER, Eliza Wife Married born 1870 East Dereham Norfolk BROOKER, George Henry Thomas Son School born 1899 Weybridge Surrey BROOKER, Lilian Kate Daughter School born 1901 Weybridge Surrey Living at 9 Lodge Woodcote, Byfleet Road, Weybridge Here's a site listing the French Medals - http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/foreigngu...rance_index.htm Cross of the Combatant - instituted in 1930 for holders of the combatant card, Awarded to vetrens of the Great War and many conflict involving French forces (including WW2, Korea) Cross of the combatant volunteer of the resistance - instuted in 1954 to comm service of 3 months or more in one of the reconised resistance groups, only service before 6/6/44 could be counted. There are pics of the medals as well, if they match yours, then your man might have been a member of SOE or similar in WW2 Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 24 May , 2010 Author Share Posted 24 May , 2010 Cheers, Grant, very useful. I've just discovered he was still living in West Byfleet when he died on 27 May 1965. Might see if I can find an obit in local papers. Anyone have access to local library/records office? Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted 25 May , 2010 Share Posted 25 May , 2010 Dom, According to both the Surrey Advertiser and the Woking News and Mail, both of which were published on 5 June 1965 and held at the Surrey History Centre. “The death occurred suddenly on Thursday last week of Mr George Henry Thomas Brooker, of 80 Station Road, West Byfleet. He was 66. The Rev. G H Thomas (minister) conducted the funeral service at West Byfleet Congregational Church on Wednesday [3rd]. Burial was at St Mary’s Churchyard, Byfleet.” It might be possible that there was a longer piece in the Surrey Herald, which appears to be the local newspaper. It is held at Chertsey Library. If you ring 0300 200 1001 and ask to put through to the library they should be able to look for you. regards Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 25 May , 2010 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2010 Duncan, very many thanks, I really appreciate your efforts. V best Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grantowi Posted 25 May , 2010 Share Posted 25 May , 2010 Cheers, Grant, very useful. Did you manage to identify your medals with the pics ? Grant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 1 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 1 June , 2010 Yes, Grant, all confirmed. Duncan. Sadly there is no mention of Brooker in the Surrey Herald. One thing I was going to ask - if you are going to the Surrey History Centre - could you look up Brooker in the local papers in the immediate aftermath of the Zeebrugge Raid 22-23 April 1918, when he was quite badly wounded. I'd really appreciate it. He was living in West Byfleet then too. All the best, Dom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted 1 June , 2010 Share Posted 1 June , 2010 Dom No problem! I went through the Woking News & Mail last year concentrating on Woking & District for the Woking Remembers project. I didn't find any Zeebrugge men mentioned, as I was expecting one, which surpried me, but will happily check again. Also have a look at Surrey Advertiser. regards Duncan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
domwalsh Posted 1 June , 2010 Author Share Posted 1 June , 2010 Cheers, Duncan. Much appreciated. D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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