Can anyone tell me about this box and the Battle of Mons?

[RaineyW]

My mother told me my paternal grandfather, Charles Walker (whom I never knew) was a survivor of the Battle of Mons. She said my grandmother once showed her a small metal box, said to have been awarded by the Queen of the day to all survivors of the Battle. My mother incorrectly presumed this to be the ''Mons Medal'', and often spoke of how different it was to most medals.

Today, I know that the Mons Medal was actually a star. But I cannot find any record anywhere to explain the little metal box that my grandmother showed my mother. She told her it had contained a tiny flask of water and a miniature piece of cake, and was symbolic of the fact that when the survivors were rescued, they were starving and at risk of death from deprivation of food and water.

My grandmother offered to give my mother the box, and all my grandfather's medals, but she declined the offer. Sadly, they were all, eventually, lost, along with all the other valuable artifacts my grandmother owned.

I would love to know more about this little box, as reading about the Battle of Mons and the medal that was awarded has aroused my curiosity about my grandfather's involvement.

Can anyone help please?

[ianw]

I think you are talking about the Princess Mary Christmas Gift box. If you google it you will get the full story.

Also we should keep in mind that although an important event, the casualties at Mons were only about 1600 British dead, wounded and missing. So by definition most of the B.E.F survived it!

Do you know what unit your Grandfather served in?

[redbarchetta]

If it's not the above box, Rainey, a photo would be good to identify it - personally never come across a 'Mons Box', but anything is possible... May have been a local thing, given to survivors from a particular town... Photo speaks a thousand words...!!

James

[RaineyW]

Interesting! Thanks heaps Ian.

[RaineyW]

Wish I had a photo, Red. In those days, taking pictures was costly and people didn't often take photos of artifacts. Certainly it wasn't the sort of thing my mother would have thought to photograph. Sad that it was lost, so all I have is my mother's description. I'll tell her about the Christmas box and see if that triggers a memory.

[KevinBattle]

Hi, Rainey

We can certainly try and find out more background for you.

The Princess Mary Christmas giftbox (try Googling to see if the contents ring a bell) was issued to most of the BEF certainly during the Christmas of 1914/5.

That would include men who had fought at Mons.

That would also indicate that Charles was already a fully trained soldier, as only regular soldiers were ready enough to be sent out to France in August 1914, just after the War had started.

He would have been entitled to the 1914 Star, with a clasp showing "1914" and a small rosette to sew on the medal ribbon strip when not actually wearing the medals themselves.

That would also entitle him to be an "Old Contemptible".

Can your family recall anything about which Regiment he served in?

How about birthplace, parents, where he was born, and his later life?

There is at least one Charles Walker who was killed in 1915, presumably though your grandfather survived WW1?

For example, he's NOT one of these as they don't have the 1914 Star..

Charles T Walker. Regiment or Corps: Manchester Regiment, Regimental Number: 2188, Manchester Regiment. Regimental Number: 250394.

Charles Walker, Regiment or Corps: Liverpool Regiment, Regimental Number: 13927

Charles Walker. Regiment or Corps: Royal Lancashire Regiment, Regimental Number: 2430, Royal Lancashire Regiment, Regimental Number:240665

Charles Walker. Regiment or Corps: Coldstream Guards. Regimental Number: 21907

A bit more help and we might be able to provide a lot more information for you!