32012 Pte H. W. Riley D.C.L.I. and his medals

[Martin Robson Riley]

Although my interest in the service of family members during the Great War has continued, unfortunately I haven’t been able to undertake much active research for some time now. Nevertheless, I thought I would post up the following story, which I hope fellow members might find interesting:

Thanks to the 1919 absent voters list I have long known that my Dad’s father, Henry William Riley (1898-1927), served in the 6th Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry (apparently in the “3rd Corps, 8 Co.”) and that his service number was 32012. However, despite trying several times, it seems my grandfather’s actual service record, like so many others, was lost in the Blitz of the Second War. Having said that, back in 1992 I received a most helpful letter from Major W. H. White at the Regimental Museum in Bodmin giving a possible outline of his service. In his letter Major White suggested that, going by the regimental number, Henry seems to have been enlisted around August 1916. How a fella from Birmingham ended up in the D.C.L.I. I don’t know, but I’m assuming he was conscripted and so was just sent to whichever regiment needed men at the time. Anyway, Major White also speculated Henry might well have been sent out to France in late September of that year to reinforce the 6th Battalion, following losses it sustained on the Somme. I know that my grandfather was definitely at Arras for the fighting there in 1917, as the family apparently received a postcard with “Arras” written on it in tiny writing in one corner. I am also led to believe that at some point he was gassed, and returned to England for treatment at the 1st Southern General Hospital, which had been set up in the buildings of Birmingham University in Edgbaston at that time. It seems he was in hospital when the Armistice was signed in 1918, but eventually went back and, I was told, served in ‘the watch on the Rhine’. Sadly, at some point he contracted ‘sleepy-sickness’ (encephalitis lethargica), perhaps because of him being weakened by the gassing, something that would eventually lead to him losing his post-war job with Birmingham Corporation and to him taking his own life as a result.

Anyhow, for many years following his death, my grandfather’s service medals were kept in the family home in Bournbrook, Birmingham, tucked away in a sideboard drawer. That is until after the death of my Dad’s stepfather in 1981, when my Dad went to retrieve them as he was clearing the house. It was then that it was discovered they had gone missing. What happened to them I honestly do not know – had they been sold, given away or stolen? Whatever happened doesn’t really matter, because at the end of the day they had gone and that, I thought, was the end of things. Mind, I always half-hoped that one day they would turn up somewhere and I might have the chance to reclaim them. This then brings us to now, or rather the other weekend in fact, when late on a Sunday night I happened to search a well-known internet auction site, only to be amazed to see my grandfather’s Victory Medal appear! Overcome with excitement, I sent a message to the seller explaining who I was and that he had one of my grandfather’s medals. The answer I received was beyond my expectations, for the seller promptly sent me the medal free of charge:

As you can imagine, I am absolutely over the moon at having my grandfather’s Victory Medal back in the family, and can’t thank the seller enough for his kindness in sending it to me. Obviously, my hope now is that somehow his War Medal will also come to light, hence in part why I am posting the story up here. Following making similar postings to both the British Medal Forum and The British & Commonwealth Military Badge Forum I was advised to register my search for Henry’s War Medal on the Medal Tracker site and The Medal Reunited Project, both of which I have now done. But can I also make an appeal here, that if any member of this Forum happens to have any D.C.L.I. War Medals, could they please check to see if they say “32012 Pte H. W. Riley D. of Corn. L. I.” on them? Similarly, maybe some members who know about such things could to look to see if there is any record of my grandfather’s War Medal being sold anywhere, or maybe next time they are looking through a dealer’s stock they could bear things in mind? The gentleman who sent me the Victory Medal said it was part of a mixed lot of medals that were bought from an auction down in Cornwall, but that the War Medal didn’t seem to be with it. I’m assuming the pair were split up at some time, and it would be all my Christmasses come together if I could reunite them. I’d obviously be most grateful for any help I receive in this matter – so here’s hoping it won’t take another thirty years to find my grandfather’s other medal!!

Best regards

Martin

[bill24chev]

I cant help you with your search but i must thank you for mentioning the medal tracker site.

I am trying to trace my maternal Grandfathers medals H M Wild Loyal North lancashire Regt.

By the way of coincidence my name is William Henry Riley

[old joe]

Hello Martin, congratulations on your find and I read the piece on the BBC online about your receiving the medal.

I will keep an eye out for the medal to Pte. Riley and also those of Bill's grandfather.

Last year I sold a pair back to the granddaughter and son of a Great War soldier, and am happy to have helped get the medals back into the family. They too assumed the medals were still with the family and have no idea how they left the family but somehow they did and are now back with them, so to those still searching keep on because these reunites do happen.

Regards,

Joseph

[bill24chev]

Thank you Joseph

[Martin Robson Riley]

Many thanks for the replies gentlemen, and best of luck with your search Bill. I don’t know how successful the Medal Tracker site has been, but as the person on the Badge Forum who recommended it to me said “it’s got to be worth a try”. Yes, that’s right Joseph the story has now been picked up by the BBC website, after it was initially published in our local paper the Cambrian News. There was also a nice spread in the Western Mail, and I was even asked to speak briefly about things on Friday evening on BBC Radio Cymru and BBC Radio Wales. I’m hoping the story might now make it into the papers across the border in England, because the more folk who get to hear about things the more chance there is, that if my grandfather’s War Medal is still out there, someone might just reunite me with it. It was good to hear how you helped another family in a similar situation, so I do remain hopeful I may yet find my grandfather’s other medal. Anyway, thank you both again for the postings, and if I do strike lucky I’ll be sure to report back to the Forum.

Best regards

Martin