garfyboy Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 (edited) Morning folks, I am researching a William Kerslake, East Surrey regiment, he was awarded a 1915 trio,a MM and a French Croix De Guerre Firstly is there anywhere I can find a list of Croix de Guerre recipients? it would be nice to have a date for the award Secondly, the London gazette date for the MM is 8th august 1916, would anybody happen to have a war diary that possibly has a mention of his award. His service number was 9997 I believe this was 2nd battalion, he then served with the labour corps (151729) before returning to the east surreys, (L/14155) this time I believe the 7th battalion. many thanks Edited 9 May , 2017 by garfyboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 Hi garfyboy I do not have any listing of him as a CdG and I have over 65,000 names. Not saying I have 100%, but must be close. This does not mean he was not awarded one as quite a few were handed out with out being in the London Gazette. Your best bet is the war diaries of the units he served with, then local newspapers If you do find the CdG could you please let me know so I can add him to my database. Thanks Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandererpaul Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 (edited) WD for the 2nd Battalion East Surrey's only go to October 1915 on my records. Maybe the rest has yet to be digistised? Not checked Ancestry or TNA yet. Is this him in the newspapers?! For the wrong reasons. I cannot find a reference to him in the newspapers re a Military Medal or a C d G. (West London Observer - 23 July 1915 pg.2) Edited 9 May , 2017 by wandererpaul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandererpaul Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 Having checked his MM card, it says William Kerslake, attached to the Royal West Surreys, so I'll look for those...... W Kerslake Year; 1916 Service number; 9997 Rank; Lance Corporal Regiment; East Surrey Regiment Regiment as transcribed; E Surrey R (Attd 8th Battalion, R W Surrey R) Force; British Expeditionary Force Gazetteer date; 10.08.1916 Gazette date; 10 Aug 1916 Medal type; Military Medal, 1914-1920 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandererpaul Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 (edited) I've found him in the West Surrey Regt War Diary. So, if you look for the 8th Battalion West Surrey War Diary, you can read when the East Surrey's were attached to this regiment and the action he took part in. The action is well documented. 15th July 1915 names him as receivng the MM. Edited 9 May , 2017 by wandererpaul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfyboy Posted 9 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2017 Wonderpaul That's brilliant, I didn't spot the attachment to the west surreys, I will look the action up shortly, and many thanks for the newspaper clip also, great work 4 minutes ago, wandererpaul said: I've found him in the West Surrey Regt War Diary. So, if you look for the West Surrey War Diary, you can read when the East Surrey's were attached to this regiment and the action he took part in. The action is well documented. 15th July 1915 names him as receivng the MM. 1 hour ago, ForeignGong said: Hi garfyboy I do not have any listing of him as a CdG and I have over 65,000 names. Not saying I have 100%, but must be close. This does not mean he was not awarded one as quite a few were handed out with out being in the London Gazette. Your best bet is the war diaries of the units he served with, then local newspapers If you do find the CdG could you please let me know so I can add him to my database. Thanks Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfyboy Posted 9 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2017 Peter Thanks for that, I will keep searching and if I find anything I will surely let you know kind regards Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandererpaul Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 (edited) Have you seen this record before? If he rejoined in 1921, would the MoD have his records on file? Or is that too early for those witheld? Edited 9 May , 2017 by wandererpaul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfyboy Posted 9 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2017 Yes I spotted that he rejoined in 1921, not sure if that's to early for the MOD to have his records, I shall dig thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandererpaul Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 1 minute ago, garfyboy said: Yes I spotted that he rejoined in 1921, not sure if that's to early for the MOD to have his records, I shall dig thanks There is something on Ancestry saying there could be records http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc=EOo143&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&indiv=1&db=MinistryofDefenceIndexes&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsln=Kerslake&gsln_x=1&MSAV=1&MSV=0&uidh=ea7&pcat=39&fh=3&h=191862&recoff=&ml_rpos=4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfyboy Posted 9 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2017 Unfortunately that's just a text document only, no information. Do you by any chance have his MM card please, I cant find it on ancestry Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BFBSM Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 PM sent. Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandererpaul Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 His MM card is on FMP. I'll PM you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wandererpaul Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 35 minutes ago, garfyboy said: Unfortunately that's just a text document only, no information. Do you by any chance have his MM card please, I cant find it on ancestry Andy Yes, but it tells you his record is still on file, so there could be information within it like his service record. It may be at TNA? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garfyboy Posted 9 May , 2017 Author Share Posted 9 May , 2017 Nice one, thank you 6 minutes ago, wandererpaul said: His MM card is on FMP. I'll PM you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Underdown Posted 9 May , 2017 Share Posted 9 May , 2017 (edited) 44 minutes ago, wandererpaul said: Yes, but it tells you his record is still on file, so there could be information within it like his service record. It may be at TNA? It's an index entry that -providing all the dates match - indicates that his full file is still held by MOD, not yet transferred to TNA. There's other discussion about this index set elsewhere on the forum. In fact, since the 7 digit army number matches that also given by wandererpaul above it's a certainty that his full file is held by MOD. Edited 9 May , 2017 by David_Underdown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bootneck Posted 16 May , 2017 Share Posted 16 May , 2017 6134284 William Kerslake was discharged on 29 March 1934 due to KR para 370 (xvi) so papers still retained by MOD. You will find his enlistment book entry amongst the Surrey, England, Regimental Rolls, 1914-1947, on Ancestry. The originals are held at the Surrey History Centre, Woking. Wanderer Paul only posted the left hand side of his entry. The right hand side under Campaigns, Wounds, Medals, etc, states The Great War - France 1915-16. Mil Medal (London Gazette) 8/8/16, 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals. It also has 161729? Labour Corps. His Labour Corps number is poorly written. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted 19 October , 2017 Share Posted 19 October , 2017 Hi, Just joined the site following my discovery of research being carried out on 9997 William Kerslake of the East Surrey's. I have received copies of his service papers from the MOD and there is no mention of his Croix de Guerre? I was wondering what your interest in him is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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