AndyJohnson Posted 20 May , 2015 Share Posted 20 May , 2015 Hi A relative of the above man has asked me if I could find out why his Gt Uncle won the MC. The London Gazette Supplement 29837, Published Date: 25 November 1916 has the following: 2nd Lt. John Rowland Sturdy, Suff. R. For conspicuous gallantry and bold leading of his platoon. He led a bombing party against the enemy under heavy rifle fire, and in pitch darkness, causing them to retire with great loss. His initiative saved what might have been a serious situation. Can any Suffolk enthusiast expand on this? What battalion was he serving with, and what might the date of the action be? Sturdy had served before the war in the 14th Hussars, the Supply and Transport Corps, Gurkha Rifles (in India I think) before being commissioned into the Suffolks in October 1915. His address in May 1919 (from Medal Index Card) was 2nd Suffolks, Curragh. regards Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 20 May , 2015 Share Posted 20 May , 2015 Hi Unfortunately the date is missing from the below - but Salonica - so 1st Battalion (?) Regards, Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotonmate Posted 20 May , 2015 Share Posted 20 May , 2015 Andy The Officer seems to have served with 84 Infantry Brigade of 28 Division in Salonika. There seems to have been only day-to-day incidents occurring between Lake Doiran Dec 1915 and Oct 1916 (the next action) so you may need to see the relevant War Diary pages to find what happened, but you don't have a date for his MC so it might take a fair bit of reading to come across it as I guess it will be mentioned in the Diary, which won't be digital as yet. There seems to have been around a 3 month delay between action and publication in the LG,certainly so in France and Flanders, and it might have been more for distant theatres. http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7360901 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJohnson Posted 21 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 21 May , 2015 Gentlemen Thanks so much for your contributions, that's so much more than I had expected. Graeme, can I ask what the MC Card is that you have attached, and where did you come across it. Placing him in the 1st Bn is a great leap forward. Sotonmate, thanks for the link - I seem to struggle with finding War Diaries on the NA site. I will forward the information and see if the relative wants the National Archives to give him a quote. many many thanks Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stabilis Posted 22 May , 2015 Share Posted 22 May , 2015 Andy The 1st Battalion War Diary records that he was presented with his MC by the Army Commander on 26 October, awarded for gallantry during an action on 3 October. On that day 28th Division was in support of 30th Division in an attack on enemy trenches north of the Salonika-Seres road between the 78 and 79 kilometre marker stones. Fighting seems to have fluctuated between Mazirko, where the Battalion was based, and Jeniko, the object of the attack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 22 May , 2015 Share Posted 22 May , 2015 Hi Andy Free from the NA http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/r/C14593 Regards, Graeme PS Nice find Stabilis !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyJohnson Posted 22 May , 2015 Author Share Posted 22 May , 2015 Stabilis Many thanks, that's excellent detail. Appreciated. Graeme Teach a man to fish... etc. Also appreciated, looks like a few hours browsing. regards andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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