J.F.Delpiano, R.Sussex Regt - British and French Victory Medals

[clive_hughes]

In visiting the Royal Hospital Chelsea last week I noticed in their Museum an unusual group of medals to J.F.Delpiano, R.Sussex Regt. It consisted of the 1914-15 Trio; French Croix de Guerre; French Commemorative Medal 1914-18 with "Engage Volontaire" clasp; and French Victory Medal. There must be an interesting story behind this - anyone aware of it?

His MIC states John F.Delpiano was Private G/5533 in the Royal Sussex Regiment, landing in France on 23 June 1915. Later transferred to Labour Corps as Private 441894 and discharged 16 June 1918.

Clive

[Jim Hastings]

Hi Clive,

That would make him 2nd or 7th Bn. Haven't come across his name before with regards to 2nd, although I'll trawl again. There was a history produced for 7th Bn and I know some forum members hold copies (I have read it but it was a library loan). With a G prefix cannot see him being 5th Bn, and besides Paul Nixon's Army Number website puts his number as a late August 1916 issued number if he had been 5th Bn, so leaves him as a Replacement for 2nd or 7th, which landed in France 1st June 1916.

As said I'll check 2nd stuff again, but maybe other members interested in the 7th (Mandy Hall, Nick Ward ...) may come up with something.

All the best

Jim

Sorry, meant to say, 7th landed 1st June 1915!!!!

[clive_hughes]

Thanks Jim, we'll see what else can be discovered about him!

Clive

[Keith_history_buff]

John Francis Delpiano appears on the 1939 electoral register of Royal Chelsea Hospital in-Pensioners. The 1939 register gives him a declared date of birth of 25 June 1869. His death was registered in Surrey in Q1 1955.

In 1949 he resides at The Royal Hospital Chelsea Lodge, Highlands Road, Leatherhead, Surrey.

His birth was registered in the Holborn district in Q3 1869. He appears on the 1871 Census as Francis Delpiano, son of an Italian Father, and an English mother from Bristol. The family reside in Holborn.

[rac1473]

Labour Corps 1914/15 Star roll says he was 7th Bn

 

https://www.ancestry.com/interactive/5119/41804_636897_11425-00128?pid=621264&backurl=https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv%3D1%26dbid%3D5119%26h%3D621264%26tid%3D%26pid%3D%26usePUB%3Dtrue%26_phsrc%3DUFH2385%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=UFH2385&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true

[clk]

Hi,

 

He has a SWB record under the surname spelling of Delkiano. Discharged 16.6.1918, age 48 - Para 392, sickness. Enlisted 25.3.1915.

 

Regards

Chris

[charlie962]

FMP Newspapers tells us he was ex French Foreign Legion, inter alia. Originally enlisted RSR 1887.

 

Charlie

 

 

Edit- and a useful Tree here

Edited 29 April , 2019 by charlie962

[Keith_history_buff]

I did check the French matricule militaire but could not see him. It does seem to be the exception, and not the rule, if you come across such records for men who joined the Legion, though.

[corisande]

An Ancestry tree - click

 

Says he was a salesman

 

1. Born 10 Jun 1869 in Middlesex

 

2 , Married in Paris 10 Jan 1910 to Rosalie Eugenie Duforet

 

3. Divorced 26 May 1924

 

4. Died 22 Jan 1955 in Surrey

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 29 April , 2019 by corisande

[Keith_history_buff]

There can't be that many whose service career sees them both in the Foreign Legion and subsequently an in-Pensioner at the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

[charlie962]

4 minutes ago, corisande said:

Says he was a salesman

When he married in 1910 he is shown as fabricant d’articles de voyage, as was his father.

[charlie962]

17 minutes ago, Keith_history_buff said:

I did check the French matricule militaire but could not see him.

Could he have joined the Legion under an assumed name ?

[Keith_history_buff]

It's a possibility, but the difficulty of researching men of the French Foreign Legion has been mentioned on here before.

I'd not see a need for him to give a false name, and he must have been Time Expired a long time prior to 1914. If the French medals were engraved, and if one of us was the museum curator, we could take a look.

[Keith_history_buff]

On 29/04/2019 at 21:10, charlie962 said:

FMP Newspapers tells us he was ex French Foreign Legion, inter alia. Originally enlisted RSR 1887.

 

Charlie

 

 

Edit- and a useful Tree here

Were it not for 'their annual outing from Surrey', we'd be none the wiser about either his enlistment in the Royal Sussex Regiment in 1887 or his service in the French Foreign Legion. 

 

Article in Eastbourne Herald - Saturday 29 August 1953 

[Keith_history_buff]

On 29/04/2019 at 21:22, Keith_history_buff said:

I did check the French matricule militaire but could not see him. It does seem to be the exception, and not the rule, if you come across such records for men who joined the Legion, though.

 

 

On 29/04/2019 at 21:40, charlie962 said:

Could he have joined the Legion under an assumed name ?

 

I have been reminded that the matricule militaire is supposedly only for French citizens, to document their military service. I have come across a few exceptions to this rule, however.

[Keith_history_buff]

Quote

Gold Dust. The Royal Sussex kept a ledger recording every man who was sent to France in the Great War. It survives and has been transcribed and integrated with the 1914 Star and 1914-15 Star medal rolls.

 

I wonder if there is any reference to the circumstances under which he got his Croix de Guerre?