Military Medal?

[hazelhodges]

I found my 1st cousin 3x removed Cpl Thomas Christopher French of DurhamLight Infantry 1st/7th Battalion on the Commonwealth War Graves site, he died 10 April 1918 Killed In Action. In his casualty details it says Awards: M M. I am assuming this is the Military Medal? I have his service records but very hard to read as they must have got wet and probably lucky the records even survived! Is there anywhere I can find a list of soldiers that received this medal and what it was for?

Hazel

[Stebie9173]

It looks like it is the Military Medal:

London Gazette 9-12-1916 - list of M.M. awards:

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29854/supplements/12045

Steve.

[daggers]

Hazel

There were very large numbers of Military Medals awarded. The award itself should be listed in the London Gazette which can be searched online, but their site is notoriously fickle, but worth trying [see below]. If you are very lucky, there may be a separate entry with a citation of a few lines describing the incident. Either of these entries could appear after the date of death.

It is worth using all the names of the MM winner, and if they do not bring results, try fewer, try with initials etc, but keep trying.

Other possible sources are the battalion's war diary which should be at the National Archives and may be available online, the regimental history or a newspaper local to where he lived.

Good hunting.

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/AdvancedSearch.aspx?GeoType=London

Daggers

[Piorun]

I found my 1st cousin 3x removed Cpl Thomas Christopher French of DurhamLight Infantry 1st/7th Battalion on the Commonwealth War Graves site, he died 10 April 1918 Killed In Action. In his casualty details it says Awards: M M. I am assuming this is the Military Medal? I have his service records but very hard to read as they must have got wet and probably lucky the records even survived! Is there anywhere I can find a list of soldiers that received this medal and what it was for?

Hazel

When you say you "have his service records", do you mean you have them personally or do you mean you have found them on Ancestry? If you have the link to them on Ancestry, may I suggest you post the link and you may find that some Forum Pals will help you decipher them. If you have them personally and can scan them, you could see whether any Pals would accept them by e-mail and do the same thing. Feel free to PM me with your e-mail address if you can scan and send them. I'm willing to try and help you either way. Antony

[daggers]

Steve's fast finger beat me to it. I cannot see a citation unfortunately.

If you want to follow my method when you have the search page for the Gazette, put the dates in for the start and finish of the year 1916, and in the 'exact' box put FRENCH DURH. This should bring up Steve's reference as the first choice, if the site behaves.

D

[NigelS]

Steve's fast finger beat me to it. I cannot see a citation unfortunately.

Likewise. Not un-surprisingly (as the lists are taken from the Gazette) the award also appears in The Times under War Decorations. French Honours For British Officers., Military Medal Awards in column B, page 6, Monday, Dec 11, 1916.

NigelS

Edit: his service record is on Ancestry Click also MIC Click

[hazelhodges]

Thank you for your replies, Steve that link was great. As for the service records I found them on Ancestry.co.uk, the are really faded and look as if it may have been water damaged, but a lot of documents attached!

[rksimpson]

Hi

Here he is on TWGPP-

http://twgpp.org/information.php?id=890594

regards

Robert