pioneer Posted 28 January , 2011 Share Posted 28 January , 2011 Hi, Would anyone be kind enough to have a look in the war diary for 1/6th Sherwood Foresters if they have it please. The person i am looking for is Act Sgt Thomas Hunter MM 2388 (later 240557) He was MID in gazette issue 15th June 1916 and his MM was gazetted 11 Nov 1916. Many thanks:thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 28 January , 2011 Share Posted 28 January , 2011 PM or e-mail me your e-mail address and I'll send you copies of the WD for 1916. I think I've got a photo of him somewhere as well. We have on board an expert on the 6th battalion who may well be able to tell you much more. Hopefully the title will ensnare him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pioneer Posted 29 January , 2011 Author Share Posted 29 January , 2011 Thanks Andrew, PM sent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebriggs Posted 29 January , 2011 Share Posted 29 January , 2011 Is it ensnare or entrapment Interestingly, Thomas Hunter was also MID in April 1917 for the attack on Fosse 3 when the 1/6th got a bit of a bloody nose and suffered 100 casualties Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pioneer Posted 29 January , 2011 Author Share Posted 29 January , 2011 Hi Mike, As i have a card that states he was MID and it was gazetted 15th June 1916, page 5945, does that meen that he was MID twice? Can you tell that i am new to this!!! Cheers jus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebriggs Posted 29 January , 2011 Share Posted 29 January , 2011 With regards to his MID and MM in 1916, I can't see any reference in the War Diary or Battalion History to any particular action. There are few possibilities though:- 1) Atttack near Grange and Birkin trenches April 1916 2) Part of Lt Bonds raiding party in June 1916 (Bond won MC for his raids in June/July of 1916) 3) Help digging advance trenches June 1916 cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebriggs Posted 29 January , 2011 Share Posted 29 January , 2011 As i have a card that states he was MID and it was gazetted 15th June 1916, page 5945, does that meen that he was MID twice? Hi Justin I think he must have been. The copy I posted came from the original copy of the 1/6th Battn History (which prides itself in listing ALL of the Honours and Awards won by men of the Battalion), so I can only assume that it is correct. The more recent reprint of the Battalion also has Hunter listed twice, but there is no record of a bar to his MM. cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pioneer Posted 29 January , 2011 Author Share Posted 29 January , 2011 Hi Mike A friend of mine has just found his citation. 30-9-1915 "AT THE BLUFF ON THE YPRES COMINES CANAL.THE ENEMY EXPLODED A MINE UNDER A TRENCH CUTTING OFF THIS NCO AND HIS PARTY. FOR SEVERAL HOURS HE WAS ISOLATED DURING WHICH TIME HE ACTED WITH GREAT COOLNESS AND GALLANTRY. What a result, i just have to find out what he was MID twice for now, easy!!!! Mike, where could i buy a copy of that 1/6th Batt history??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebriggs Posted 29 January , 2011 Share Posted 29 January , 2011 You can probably get a copy of the reprint from the Regimental Archivist (I don't have the URL but try a google search). In it there is quite a good write up of the action that he recieved the second MID for, but it does not mention him by name. I will scan the 2-3 pages and e-mail you a copy. cheers Mike These are my notes on the action which I think that he won the first MID for:- On Monday 28th September the Battalion returned to trenches 27-30S and R11. At about 6.15 pm on the 30th September the Germans began a very heavy bombardment of the fire, support and reserve trenches on and around the Bluff. It was probably the worst shelling that the Sherwood Foresters had so far experienced. Shortly after the bombardment started the Germans exploded a mine under trench No. 29 and the right of angle trench occupied by Lieutenant Lewis Dickenson and Number 9 Platoon of “C” Company . Lieutenant Dickenson and most of the men were buried and only Corporal Simmonds (1192) was dug out alive. The Germans immediately tried to capture the destroyed trench but were held off by rifle fire from the survivors. At this time communications with Headquarters was cut off but through the gallant efforts of L/Cpl Stubbs a message was delivered and reinforcements were sent. Due to the continuous shelling it was long after midnight before the relief was completed and the final casualties were very heavy; in total Lieut. Dickenson and 15 men were killed or died of their wounds, but the bodies of 10 of these men were not recovered and their names are commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the missing . A further 24 men were wounded by the mine explosion, whilst an additional 3 men were wounded during the trench duty. The body of Lewis Dickenson was later recovered and he is buried in Spoilbank Cemetery, less than 1km behind the firing line where he was killed. The Battn were relieved during the night of the 30th September. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pioneer Posted 29 January , 2011 Author Share Posted 29 January , 2011 Thanks Mike and Andrew for all your kind help and effort. I have bought over thirty MM over the past twenty or so years and i have never managed to find out a single thing about the recipient, this has made my year. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Hesketh Posted 29 January , 2011 Share Posted 29 January , 2011 Is it ensnare or entrapment Gotcha! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pioneer Posted 29 January , 2011 Author Share Posted 29 January , 2011 Mike, Where would i find a copy of Thomas Hunter's MID for the 23rd April 1917, the one you have kindly added here? Is it published in any work? Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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