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Remembered Today:

War Memorial, wrong details?


garfyboy

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Hi folks

I am researching a Robert Stanley Temple MM East Yorks, born Stockton on Forest, res Hull

I have found a photo online of the stockton on forest war memorial and one inscription is:

S.TEMPLE DCM EAST YORKS

cwgc has only one S.Temple and he is AIF from OZ killed at Gallipoli

mic has one S.Temple with the east yorks but a Lieut MC, mentions "applied for medals 1921"

So my conclusion is that the war memorial inscription is indeed supposed to be Robert Stanley Temple MM but is wrong on two counts - initial should be R S and award should be MM

Would be interested to hear your thought, is this unusual?

would be interested to hear of other cases also

Andy

post-75253-0-13843600-1397717656_thumb.j

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Andy

6 men called Temple won the DCM. The closest match is 51732 Sgt RW Temple of 18 Lancs Fus for action on 28 Sept 1918. It looks like an error for possibly an MM.

He probably enlisted using his full name of Robert Stanley for official purposes like enlisting in the army but otherwise used Stanley for day to day use and was probably only known as this to his village.

Glen

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Thanks Glen

I can understand the name eliment, Robert using Stanley but to get the award wrong also!!

makes you wonder what his family thought of the unveiling of the memorial...

With no one to the name Temple winning the DCM to the east yorks, this is certain to be my man

cheers

Andy

And thanks Graeme, i have all the usual research, i was kind of hoping i had missed something and was going to be put right but this looks certain to be my man now.

cheers

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  • 6 years later...

Hi  I realise this is a long time after this post was made but recently a book written by my grandfather has surfaced some 55 years after being hand written by him and the name of Sergeant R W Temple comes up. The officer who recommended him for his citation of dcm to add to his mm was my grandfather Capt P Merrick MC.

My grandfather was shot in the hip by two machine gun bullets whist leading his men on the Menin road. He was thrown into a ditch by the impact and Sergeant Temple picked him up over his shoulders and carried him to stretcher bearers 1/4 of a mile down the open road whilst constantly under heavy fire. My grandfather recommended to his C O that he be put forward for the VC for his actions that day. I hope this is of interest. My email is (PLEASE PM ME FOR MY EMAIL ADDRESS) I would be honoured to send you a copy of this book. My grandfather always  spoke of Sergeant Temple and how proud he was of him.

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3 hours ago, Robert Merrick said:

Hi  I realise this is a long time after this post was made but recently a book written by my grandfather has surfaced some 55 years after being hand written by him and the name of Sergeant R W Temple comes up. The officer who recommended him for his citation of dcm to add to his mm was my grandfather Capt P Merrick MC.

My grandfather was shot in the hip by two machine gun bullets whist leading his men on the Menin road. He was thrown into a ditch by the impact and Sergeant Temple picked him up over his shoulders and carried him to stretcher bearers 1/4 of a mile down the open road whilst constantly under heavy fire. My grandfather recommended to his C O that he be put forward for the VC for his actions that day. I hope this is of interest. My email is (PLEASE PM ME FOR MY EMAIL ADDRESS) I would be honoured to send you a copy of this book. My grandfather always  spoke of Sergeant Temple and how proud he was of him.

 

     Good Afternoon RM- Welcome to Great War Forum. What a lovely story- and thank you for picking it up a few years in arrears of the main thread.

         I feel sure many GWF members would be very interested in his memoirs-you may be deluged.  It might be mutually useful to pop up a few details about his diary- knowing that such things exist is half the game and materials are still squirreled away in family hands (rightly so on that one!!)  If it is not too large, then you may consider putting some/all of it on GWF-You might well be surprised at what extra detail comes back from my very learned colleagues. It may seem trite but if your grandfather -to use the official phrase for such things- had shown enough "gallantry" to be awarded the Military Cross and his sergeant enough to be awarded the DCM, then these are matters that deserve remembrance and to be embraced within the realms of our collective memories of the Great War.  The old  modesty of latter years of many of these men- that they did nothing special and (particularly with the MC) that it "came up with the rations" is modesty covering real achievement. I have never read of any MC, DCM or MM that was not earned the hard way. These are things that should be remembered.

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Good evening robert

 

well what a pleasant surprise hearing your family’s story almost 7 years after I started this thread, and a fantastic story to,  a great addition to my research (which I still have)

 

all the best

Andy

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Would you care to see the army orders for both my grandfathers MC and Sargeant Temples DCM in addition to his MM. I have the original framed on my wall along with the written notes on the rear about what sergeant Temple did

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1 minute ago, Robert Merrick said:

Would you care to see the army orders for both my grandfathers MC and Sargeant Temples DCM in addition to his MM. I have the original framed on my wall along with the written notes on the rear about what sergeant Temple did

 

    I think the answer to that is the same as if I ask my son's happy old mutt whether he would like another cocktail sausage-   YES PLEASE!!

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57 minutes ago, Robert Merrick said:

Would you care to see the army orders for both my grandfathers MC and Sargeant Temples DCM in addition to his MM. I have the original framed on my wall along with the written notes on the rear about what sergeant Temple did

Yes please

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  • 11 months later...
On 21/01/2021 at 21:50, Robert Merrick said:

Did you receive the pictures? 

Hi again

i never did receive the images if by any chance you still check on here I would love to see them and a copy of the book of possible 

thanks

Andy

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3 hours ago, garfyboy said:

i never did receive the images if by any chance you still check on here I would love to see them and a copy of the book of possible 

You can use the personal message system to contact Robert Merrick provided that he has not changed his email address.

Keith

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