'Decyphering' 'Medals Help Please

[Guest Cidix]

Hi, let me say that I am a new member and I have 'trawled' for this information as best I can round this and other sites without success - so if I am asking daft questions - please forgive me!

I have a set of four medals for my husband's great grandfather.

Military Medal: 240204 Cpl J Heaton 1/5 L N Lanc T F

1914-15 Star: 240204 Pte J Heaton L N Lan R

British War Medal: 1614 Cpl J Heaton L N Lan R

Victory Medal: 1614 Cpl J Heaton L N Lan R

What I know - these are all for the same man - James Heaton from the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

What I think I know: 1/5 = 1st Battlion 5th Regiment; T F = Territorial Force; changes in rank because some medals were awarded bearing the highest rank attained, some with rank at time of medals awarded.

What I don't know (in no particular order) - why the change in service number; why is the T F missing on three medals; is there a significance in the low service number; did this mean that James was in the Territorials before the war; can I find out when he won the MM (I have been unable to get the online medals records - the site appears to be 'down' at the moment); can I find out why he won the MM (research unsuccessful so far and citiation missing)?

I would appreciate any help and/or confirmation on the above information - my heads hurts from banging on brick walls...

Carol

[9th Black Watch]

Hi Carol,

The following is a link to the page in the London Gazette, 14 January 1918, that mentioned your husband's grandfather as being awarded the Military Medal. Hope it works. The LG shows he came from Wigan.

As far as finding a citation for the award I've often found local newspapers the most useful source of information. If Cpl. Heaton was mentioned as being decorated for gallantry there's a chance that the act that led to the award will also be recorded.

I'll leave it those with a bit more experience and knowledge of the Loyal North Lancs to give you further details on other areas - regimental histories, war diaries etc.

Gazette Gateway

All the best,

Derek

[Michael]

Carol

I can answer a couple of your queries.

the TF were renumbered at some stage from 4 figures to 6 numbers which is why you have 2 service numbers. If you look up the TF on the main site there is a section dealing with this.

You can find out when the MM when announced in the London Gazette by looking up his MM card at the national archives. These are not online at the moment and the MIC's that are online will not show this. It is unlikely that you'll find the reason unless there is a mention in the war diaries at the national archives or in the regimental history.

I hope thuis helps

[9th Black Watch]

Hi Carol,

I should have added that with regards Heaton's service number, during the first half of 1917 it was decided that the territorials should be re-numbered and receive a new six digit number. This would explain why his number changed.

T.F. would only impressed on the gallantry award and not his campaign medals.

Derek

[Guest Cidix]

Dear Derek and Michael,

Thanks for the valuable info!

I have connected to the Gazette link, saved and printed the page - so excited!

I'm saving to go to Wigan next year for a research holiday, as all the family are from there or the surrounding villages. What I find curious is that the family men are all coalminers - James was certainly a 'collier' in 1919 when he got married - so I am working on how he managed to get out of the mines and into the war!

Huge thanks again,

Carol

[Ken Lees]

Carol,

I would guess that he joined the Territorial Force some considerable time before the war, perhaps around 1910-1912. As member of the TF he would have been mobilised with his battalion on the outbreak of war and volunteered for 'Imperial Service', that is, volunteered for overseas service. this wasn't compulsory for pre-war Territorials.

As for him being a miner - at the outbreak of war, there wasn't sufficient forward planning to hold back enough men to keep vital industries going, let alone to allow for the inevitable expansion that war placed on these industries. As the war progressed, more and more miners were released from the armed forces to return to their previous occupations.

On the subject of his Military Medal award, the date of the London Gazette suggests to me that he may have been one of the men recommended for decoration following the actions of the battalion in the Epehy area on 30th November and 1st December 1917. A number of officers and men were put forward for MCs, DCMs and MMs following this action. Unfortunately, whilst I have details of many of the men and the citations containing the recommendations for this period, I have nothing concerning James Heaton.

The Regimental Museum is at Fulwood Barracks, Preston. They don't hold individual service records, but may be able to help with your query.

Regards,

Ken

[Guest Cidix]

Dear Ken,

thank you so very much for the information. I'm thrilled to have found this site!

I have the details of the museum as it will be one of my research stops next year. I love the hunt and chase of research and so will be reading up on Epehy!

Thanks again.

Carol

[Ken Lees]

Carol,

If you can get it on inter-library loan, there is a Divisional History which will give you some information:

"The Story of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division" by the Rev. J.O. Coop (published 1919).

Ken

[Chris_Baker]

1/5th does not mean 1st Battalion 5th Regiment, but should be read as "first fifth".

The 5th Battalion was a unit of the TF from 1908. In 1914, men were asked to volunteer for overseas service. Those that chose not to do so were separated. The battalion thus became two, at first called the "Overseas Service" and "Home Service" battalions, but soon taking the form 1/5th and 2/5th Battalions.

The new numbers were issued from 1 January 1917.