Brynley Harries MM with bar – Cheshires or RAMC?

[WelshVoices]

Hello –

We are currently running a project on the WW1 roll of honour in Caersalem Newydd Baptist chapel in Treboeth, north Swansea, with the help of the Heritage Lottery Fund.

There are 81 names on the roll of honour, and we are trying to find out as much information as possible about them.

One of the names is ‘B Harries, MM with bar, Cheshires’. This is Brynley Harries, who can be found as a 3 year old in the 1901 census, and a 13 year old schoolboy in the 1911 census (where he is listed as Brynley Harris), living in Caersalem Row (right next to the chapel).

In the Cambrian Daily Leader of 23 February 1918 we have a record of a meeting at Treboeth public hall: ‘a presentation meeting was held at the Public Hall, when Ptes. Bryn Harries, Trevor Davies, D. Charles and Tommy Mathews were presented with medals and Treasury notes on behalf of the Treboeth and District Reception Committee’

I cannot find any medal cards for Brynley Harries serving with the Cheshires; however there are two possibilities (Brynley Harries and Brynley Harris) serving with the RAMC. (The roll of honour is not infallible in the information it gives about regiments). However, one of these (Pte Brynley Harries 1894) was awarded the 1915 star, and the other (Pte Brynley Harris 368142) enlisted on 21.10.1914. Given that ‘our’ Brynley Harries would have been 16/17 in August 1914, perhaps these do not refer to him.

Is it possible to check a list of recipients of the Military Medal? I’ve had no luck using the online search facility for the London Gazette.

Thanks in advance for any help,

Gethin

[HarryBrook]

There is a service record on Ancestry for Cpl. Brinley Harris 26204 Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regt.

The address is as in post 1

One of the papers is a receipt for a Military Medal.

The papers are generally in poor condition.

His birth was registered in the Swansea District 1898 Q1 as Brinley Harris

This is the gazette for his Military Medal. From the late date of this he probably may not have received a bar.

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31227/page/3430

[Hywyn]

He is shown as Brindley Harris on his medal card.

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1262/30850_A000693-00452/1859015?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26db%3dMedalRolls%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dbrindley%26gsfn_x%3dXO%26gsln%3dharris%26gsln_x%3dXO%26dbOnly%3d_F0003FD8%257c_F0003FD8_x%252c_F0003FD9%257c_F0003FD9_x%26uidh%3da63%26pcat%3d39%26fh%3d0%26h%3d1859015%26recoff%3d9%2b10%26ml_rpos%3d1&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

Hywyn

[WelshVoices]

Excellent - thank you very much for these.

This is definitely our man, and the roll of honour is not actually wrong - his service record is -

54954, Rank: Private, Corps: 22nd Cheshire Regiment

38542, Rank: Private, Corps: 65th Labour Corps

26204, Rank: Private, Corps: West Riding Regiment

Thanks again,

Gethin