DCLI Posted 13 June , 2013 Share Posted 13 June , 2013 Please see attached. it is the MIC of a professional soldier, RFA. I have his medal group which includes a clasp to his 1914 Star, however, his MIC says he is ineligible for a clasp. Why would they specifically say he was ineligible? Do you think he added the clasp himself because he thought he deserved it? Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin spof Posted 13 June , 2013 Admin Share Posted 13 June , 2013 To qualify for the Clasp you needed to have served within range of enemy guns. With his arrival date, he may well have still been at a depot somewhere until after 22nd November. IT certainly appears to be an unauthorised addition but whether it was added by him or someone else later on, we'll never know. Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCLI Posted 13 June , 2013 Author Share Posted 13 June , 2013 I almost wish I hadn't downloaded his MIC now - ignorance is bliss. I may have to remove his clasp now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rksimpson Posted 13 June , 2013 Share Posted 13 June , 2013 Hi Looking at in on Ancestry, it appears to be consistent with other parts written on the card. Is there a clasp roll, ie clasp2/1270 as the comment "shews Sjt" is written in pencil whereas all the rest is in blue pen. I would agree he must not have been in gun range. regards Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 13 June , 2013 Share Posted 13 June , 2013 57 Brigade RFA? Wasn't that a New Army unit that went to Gallipoli? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin spof Posted 13 June , 2013 Admin Share Posted 13 June , 2013 I read that as 5/Bde RFA with the top edge of the 5 hitting the slash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCLI Posted 13 June , 2013 Author Share Posted 13 June , 2013 He also won an M.M. I wanted to attached his MIC for this but was unable to. He served with the 81st Battery. I don't know if this will help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 13 June , 2013 Share Posted 13 June , 2013 81 Battery was indeed in 5 Brigade RFA, part of 3 Indian (Lahore) Division. He may well have been in transit somewhere between Marseilles and Flanders on 22 November. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 13 June , 2013 Share Posted 13 June , 2013 Aha. That could well explain it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCLI Posted 13 June , 2013 Author Share Posted 13 June , 2013 That would also explain this chap's Delhi Durbar medal for 1911. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 13 June , 2013 Share Posted 13 June , 2013 Does this help -? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 13 June , 2013 Share Posted 13 June , 2013 Next entry on them as follows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCLI Posted 13 June , 2013 Author Share Posted 13 June , 2013 But his qualifying dates is November 6th 1914, so perhaps he went ahead of his unit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 13 June , 2013 Share Posted 13 June , 2013 True, or the qualifying period for the Lahore Div. was 6th November as was entered then realised that his brigade didn't join the Lahore Div. until later? I certainly wouldn't remove the clasp as snippets of information have a habit of popping up when you least expect them and, either way there is some sort of story lying behind it be it honest or otherwise and it makes a great point of discussion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCLI Posted 13 June , 2013 Author Share Posted 13 June , 2013 Do you know what happened to the 5th Brigade during the rest of the war? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin spof Posted 14 June , 2013 Admin Share Posted 14 June , 2013 Do you know what happened to the 5th Brigade during the rest of the war? It stayed in France and worked with the Canadians for a while http://www.1914-1918.net/rfa_units_5.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 14 June , 2013 Share Posted 14 June , 2013 But his qualifying dates is November 6th 1914, so perhaps he went ahead of his unit? That would have been the date of his arrival in an overseas theatre. In the case of the Lahore and Meerut Divisions, that would have been when they arrived at Marseilles - or possibly even in Egypt en route for Marseilles. Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCLI Posted 14 June , 2013 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2013 I thought the 1914 Star was only given to those in France/Flanders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 14 June , 2013 Share Posted 14 June , 2013 This man George Edwards was with 5/Bde RFA and has same date of entry. Might be worth looking for a man with similar history, to see if a service record survives? Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 14 June , 2013 Share Posted 14 June , 2013 Also Gunner 50688 Alfred Henry Meredith 5/bde RFA Entered Theatre 6/11/1914 MIC SWB Not sure if these help much. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCLI Posted 14 June , 2013 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2013 Thanks for that. I got all extravagant and bought Meredith's MIC. There is no mention of ineligibility nor that he claimed clasp and roses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 14 June , 2013 Share Posted 14 June , 2013 Thanks for that. I got all extravagant and bought Meredith's MIC. There is no mention of ineligibility nor that he claimed clasp and roses. Sorry DCLI, I was assuming you had access to Ancestry. Didn't mean you to waste money, and apologies for that. I only meant that there might be service records available, that might shed light on your man. Ancestry is free at your local Library, and it might be worth you having a good rake about on it. I owe you a pint If I post any other suggestions, they are merely that. Good luck with your search, I'm sure " the truth will out " Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCLI Posted 14 June , 2013 Author Share Posted 14 June , 2013 Not a problem. My fault/excitement entirely I like your Great War Weather link, very interesting and useful. How can I add information to it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 14 June , 2013 Share Posted 14 June , 2013 I like your Great War Weather link, very interesting and useful. How can I add information to it? Ah! Great War Weather I had almost forgotten about it. Quite a while since I added anything. The idea was for anyone, like yourself, to add data, and by all means, feel free to do so. Just sign in and have a go. If I remember correctly, there is a practice page. It takes a bit of getting used to, but it's just a wiki. The site was very slow for a while, and people were rightly put off, but I think they sorted the problem. I will get back to it one day. Meanwhile-add as much as you want, the more the merrier. Cheers Mike Edit DCLI your pm inbox is full Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaforths Posted 16 June , 2013 Share Posted 16 June , 2013 That would have been the date of his arrival in an overseas theatre. In the case of the Lahore and Meerut Divisions, that would have been when they arrived at Marseilles - or possibly even in Egypt en route for Marseilles. Ron On the 6th of November the Meerut Division were at Hinges as per the two extracts I posted earlier. Diary entry for the Medical Services on 29th October gives locations of Lahore and Meerut Divisions as Estaires and Merville respectively. I would surmise then that given the information in the other posts that the 6th November was the date of arrival of the RFA units concerned in theatre and the diary entry I posted then seems to reflect their arrival with the Lahore Division. I do have a fighting strength for that particular month for the Meerut Division and it might be possible that one also exists for the Lahore Division. The one I have looked at for November shows all the entire fighting strength of the Div. and then the entire ration strength of the Div. For the artillery units, this is broken down into batteries. It also shows personnel attached for liaison purposes and interpreters so it is quite a detailed breakdown. If there was an advanced party of these particular RFA with the Lahore Div. I would imagine it would be reflected in the ration strength data - if that exists in their diaries. Sorry DCLI - I don't know what happened to the 5th during the rest of the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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