Acknown Posted 18 February , 2018 Share Posted 18 February , 2018 Is it possible to research whether an individual was recommended for, but did not receive a VC? Case in point, Lt Henry Charles Victor Macdowall, 7th Canadian Battalion who fought at St. Julien and was captured on 24 Apr 15. This source claims he was recommended: http://www.thepeerage.com/p45563.htm#i455630. But can I check its authenticity? Acknown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robins2 Posted 18 February , 2018 Share Posted 18 February , 2018 his service files are on line here : http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=146276 they may have the info you need regards Bob R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acknown Posted 18 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 18 February , 2018 Bob - Very many thanks, but no citation there. Acknown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 18 February , 2018 Share Posted 18 February , 2018 A while ago I was investigating the case of a man recommended for the VC, but who received a DCM instead. The thread is HERE. In short, the relevant records were later destroyed in the WW2 blitz, but it may well be that only one in thirty men recommended for the VC were actually awarded one. A recommendation was just the beginning of a process that was likely to see the man awarding nothing in about half of the cases, and a lesser award in most of the others. It seems that some divisions/corps only awarded it posthumously. The process was not transparent, so men had unrealistic expectations after their CO told them that he had recommended them for a VC. Since the paperwork has been lost, what is left are the thousands of family anecdotes about how father/uncle/brother was recommended for a VC, but unaccountably never received it. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 19 February , 2018 Share Posted 19 February , 2018 Im pretty sure in the 1st btn Coldstream Gds there are only 1 or 2 examples of a VC being recommended and not awarded - my source is a battalion handwritten ledger written during the war that I found in a cupboard at RHQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acknown Posted 19 February , 2018 Author Share Posted 19 February , 2018 Many thanks to you both. It appears that he was not given a 'lesser' award. I will therefore assume that the recommendation in The Peerage is purely anecdotal. Acknown Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WilliamRev Posted 19 February , 2018 Share Posted 19 February , 2018 8 hours ago, Coldstreamer said: Im pretty sure in the 1st btn Coldstream Gds there are only 1 or 2 examples of a VC being recommended and not awarded - my source is a battalion handwritten ledger written during the war that I found in a cupboard at RHQ That is interesting. If others have information suggesting that more recommendations led to VCs that I have suggested, let us know. William Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murrough Posted 19 February , 2018 Share Posted 19 February , 2018 From 3rd division diary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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