Sgt.Harry Pocock M.M., Royal Signals

[rgalley]

I am trying to help my dad to find the medal citation covering the award of the Military Medal to his uncle (my great uncle), Harry Pocock. Harry was with the Royal Signals and served under Allenby in Palestine and at Gallipoli. If not the citation itself, then any more details of the incident.

I only ever met Harry once. I was a small boy at the time and, therefore, my memory may have become muddled in the intervening years, but I'm sure I remember him telling me that he won the medal at Gallipoli for helping to unload horses from a transport ship whilst under fire. My dad doesn't know this version, but recalls hearing about Harry going out under fire to calm artillery horses which were beginning to panic.

If anyone can help shed any light on this, it'd be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Richard

[Sligfo]

There's a record of a Meritorious Service Medal awarded to a Harry Pocock of the 2/4 Btn Royal Berkshires, number 201007. His rank is down as CSM. Could this be him?

Sue

[IPT]

I think we'd be hard pressed to find a better starting point than Stebie's original response from 7 years ago, so I've included that below.

Do you know if his birth name was Henry, Harry or Harold? Also, do you know where he was born/resided, and year of birth?

I'll start by confusing matters straight away!

This seems to be Harry's M.M.:

London Gazette 22-3-1918

295120 Sjt. H. Pocock, Som. L.I. (Bridgwater).

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...;selHonourType=

Further up the page is a reference to George Coppard - Author of "With a Machine Gun to Cambrai" - who won his M.M. at Cambrai. (Nov 1917)

However, I think Harry would have been in Palestine at the time, so possibly an award for the 3rd Battle of Gaza on 1/2 November 1917 or the subsequent action at Tel esh Sheria on November 6th (provided awarded at a major battle). It could perhaps even be for as late as the capture of Jerusalem at the end of November 1917.


His number puts him in the 12th (West Somerset Yeomanry) Battalion of the Somerset Light Infantry (though not necessarily all the time...)

http://www.1914-1918.net/CAVALRY/westsomerset.htm


The WSY served at Gallipoli, in Palestine and on the Western Front from 1918.


His medal card:

Medal card of Pocock, Henry
Corps Regiment No Rank
West Somerset Yeomanry 871 Lance Serjeant
Somerset Light Infantry 295120 Serjeant

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=2


Not an expert on yeomanry numbers but I would imagine the 871 number was pre-war.


His MM card, which should confirm a battalion:

Medal card of Pocock, H
Corps Regiment No Rank
Somerset Light Infantry 295120 Serjeant

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=2



Hope I'm not barking up the wrong tree with this one, but it seems likely...


The Royal Signals is a post-war designation, so perhaps he served after WW1 ?


He could still have been a "battalion" signaller as part of a Cavalry or Infantry unit.


As for the mules.... Well, I'm sure Harry may have unloaded some, but like many old soldiers, he was probably being modest...



Alternatively, these two men were in the Royal Engineers (from where Signallers were also drawn):

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...mp;mediaarray=*


Steve.

[HarryBrook]

From institution of the Military Medal in 1916 until end of 1919 it was awarded to only two H. Pocock's

H. Pocock Sjt. 295120 Somerset L.I. (Bridgwater), who was Henry Pocock (as posts above)

and

H. C. Pocock Sjt. SD/30897 Royal Sussex Regt. (Gt. Berkhampsted), who was Herbert C. Pocock.

London Gazette issue 30897 of 10.9.1918 page 10771

[rgalley]

Sorry for the delay in acknowledging the helpful contributions on this enquiry. Much appreciated. I need to have another chat with my dad in the light of this info!

Richard