rsm whitehead

[kemp52]

Hello again everyone. Last week you very kindly answered a few questions that i had asked about a certain  RSM Whitfield of the 1/5 Devons  .

I am afraid to say that i got the name wrong and now that i have possession of the set of Medals i can say that it is RSM    F. W. Whitehead   army no 13405 of the 10th  Devonshire Regiment .His medals are the 15 Star  stamped PTE FW Whitehead,  the War Medal  W.O CL 1 FW WHitehead,  The Victory Medal  <ditto> containing Oak Leaves for MID,    A Meritorious Service Medal and the French Medal  of  Honour Des Etranges with the  Oak Leaf Wreath and Crossed Swords suspension and this also has a ribbon pin of miniature crossed Swords.  I have found on his Medal Roll the date of the Mention in Despatches  but i have only found his earlier service record from 1902 in the 1st Battalion The Grenadier Guards on Ancestry   and nothing about his Great War Service.

.May i ask if anyone knows what the ribbon pin of crossed swords signifies, and also what do you think the Meritorious Medal was awarded for ?

In the box containing the Medals is another British War Medal not belonging to RSM Whitehead, it is stamped 100729   PTE H Smith  MGC , can anyone enlighten me as to who this is as i cannot find him on the medal Roll.

I understand the 10th Devons were posted to France immediate  Marseille and to Salonica .Would this be correct  ?

Thank you for any information ,Yours Andy.

[ss002d6252]

14 minutes ago, kemp52 said:

 

In the box containing the Medals is another British War Medal not belonging to RSM Whitehead, it is stamped 100729   PTE H Smith  MGC , can anyone enlighten me as to who this is as i cannot find him on the medal Roll.

 

He was private Hedley Smith - http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=llE538&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&indiv=1&db=IWOServiceMedalAwardRolls&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&_F8007A65=100729   &MSAV=1&uidh=yvc&pcat=39&fh=3&h=4217750&recoff=87 88&ml_rpos=4

 

Craig

[kemp52]

Gosh ,thank you Craig,i do not suppose you know where abouts he comes from?

[ss002d6252]

Unfortunately not - that information isn't on the medal rolls.

Craig

[The Inspector]

Hi kemp52

Frederick W Whitehead, is the French Medal (Medaille d'honneur des affaires etrangeres") bronze, silver or silver gilt?

Issued after October 1917 included the oak wreath.

Regards Barry

[ForeignGong]

Hi Andy

I do have this gent on my database

This is his Medaille d'Honneur avec Glaives en Argent (Silver) approx. number gazetted 329

 

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31465/supplement/9229

 

His MSM

 

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31373/supplement/6954

 

Peter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[kemp52]

Thank you everyone  for some fantastic information..Thank you peter/Foriegn Gong for taking the trouble to post the London gazette information

i had thought that the word Argent was silver but i was not too sure. Do you think the miniature swords represent a french mention in despatches?

Thank you inspector barry ,as you  see the medal was awarded post 1917 and was silver with an oakleaf wreath and crossed swords although the ribbon pin crossed swords are a mystery

Many Thanks ,Andy

[ForeignGong]

The Croix de Guerre is the French version of a mention in despatches.

Can you post a photo of the group plus the mini swords

Peter

Edited 16 October , 2016 by ForeignGong