132987 Sapper HenryJoseph Gleeson MM 254 Tunnelling Coy

[Guest]

Hi everybody, I am trying to help out a family friend with researching his fathers MM and for what it was awarded, and a kind member of another forum pointed me in this direction!

I am also struggling to find out where he was when he enlisted as he came straight to leicestershire post war, but we may be under the impression he was in ireland pre war?

I was wondering if anyone was planning a visit to Kew and could possibly have a quick look in the regimental diary to see if anything shows up in there? Any help on this would be VERY greatly appreciated as I have come up against a brick wall and don't know where to go from here.

Below is all the information I have managed to obtain, so please have a read and let me know if you have any suggestions, or if anyone knows even if it is possible to find out what a particular MM was awarded for???

anyway here we go!! (sorry for the length of this post)

John Gleeson, a dear family friend who is ninety-two, would dearly like to know more about how his father won the Military Medal.
He is intensely proud of the fact that his father served in WW1 ,(John himself was in the RAF in WW2) , and knows that his father worked as a tunneller , but only has the following pieces of paper records. The medal itself has passed to another member of the family who he has lost contact with.

These are the details of John’s snippets of information.
A clipping – not know from where but which quotes a piece from the London Gazette which says:
(London Gazette 14th September 1916)
His Majesty the King has been graciously
pleased to award the Military Medal for
bravery in the field to the undermentioned:
Then follows a list which includes;
132987 Sapper H.J.Gleeson

CERTIFICATE OF EMPLOYMENT DURING THE WAR.
Reg. Number: 132987 Rank: Sapper
Surname: Gleeson
Christian Names: Henry Joseph
Regt. Royal Engineers Unit: 251(T) Coy R.E.

Regimental Employment:
254 (T) Coy. Royal Engineers 21st October 1915 to 19th May 1917
251 (T) Coy. Royal Engineers 20th May to 12th December 1918


Trade before enlistment: Coal Miner Group 3
Courses of Instruction and Courses in Active Service – None
This means that Henry won the MM whilst serving with 245 Tunnellers Company in 1916

Under “Special Remarks” his commanding officer (Major G A Church) has written:
“A handy man around the mines. Can tend all classes of pumps. The harder the conditions, the more this man may be trusted to do the impossible”

CERTIFICATE OF EARLY RELEASE
There is a little slip of paper, (A certificate), which tells that, as from 12th December, 1918, Henry was given an early release from military duties in order to undertake work of “immediate importance” as a miner. The word MINER is emblazoned across the certificate.

CERTIFICATE OF TRANSFER TO RESERVE ON DEMOBILISATION
This shows that he was transferred to Army Reserve on 13th January 1919
Under “Medals and Decorations awarded during present engagement” is written:
“Authorised prior to 11/11/18, Military Medal vide London Gazette 10/10/16”
(Vide is Latin for “see”)

Medal Roll Index Card
Has little to add. Underneath his name is written “MM”
He was awarded the Victory Medal, the British Medal and the 1915 Star.
However, it does give the information that he first served in the “Theatre of War” in Egypt on 7th December 1915 (gallipoli??)

well that's it..... hope someone out there can help this dear old veteran out!
many thanks for reading.
Ed

[LarsA]

Try contacting Jeremy Banning on the "Tunneller's memorial" website.

ATB

Lars

[Guest]

Many thanks LarsA, i did send them an email a while back, but havent heard anything.

I will try again.

kind regards

Ed

[LarsA]

The 254th mounted a raid to destroy the enemy's shafts on 5/6th July 1916. This was in retaliation to "the red dragon crater" mine. This man earned a DCM for this raid:

18275 Cpl. J. Davies, R.W. Fus.

For conspicuous gallantry when acting as bomber and leader of a party of miners, who followed a raid to destroy the enemy'sshafts. He was heavily attacked and wounded badly in three places, but stuck to his post and bombed till the enemy were either killed or driven away. The work of destruction was completed.

Don't have the LG date to hand just now.

[LarsA]

LG 18th august 1916.

Lars

[roughdiamond]

Ed

War Diaries rarely mention MM awards, your best bet is to look at the newspapers local to where he lived at the time.

This below from the website "The Long Long Trail" shows 254 Coy did indeed arrive in Gallipoli in Dec 1915 rather than Egypt.

254th Tunnelling Company Formed in England and moved to Gallipoli in December 1915, where it merged with the existing VIII Corps Mining Company - but too late to have any serious impact on operations there. Moved to France and relieved 176th Company in northern Givenchy area in Spring 1916.

Sam

[robertb]

War Diary 254 T.C.: Sapper Gleeson mentioned !