aim Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 How many types of commemorative medals for the Messina, Italy, earthquake were there? Did Royal Marines have to apply for them, and were they allowed to wear them? aim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 What is the connection between The 1908 Messina earthquake and the Great War ? If none then the subject is off topic Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aim Posted 13 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 13 February , 2019 Quite a few men with Messina medals served in the Great War, and I have seen topics include the QSA medal in this Forum. aim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 16 minutes ago, aim said: Quite a few men with Messina medals served in the Great War, and I have seen topics include the QSA medal in this Forum. The difference being that the QSA was a campaign medal the medals awarded after the Messina earthquake were civil decorations awarded by the Italian King although many R.N. mercantile marines and soldiers were awarded them Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 Aim Thanks for your post. I was aware of the Messina medal but have never given a thought to any WW1 connections. I look forward to your research. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 Aim you may find answers to your questions in the following book Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARABIS Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 There was only one type of Messina Medal, issued in silver, and Royal permission was given in 1912 for the medal to be worn in uniform. Nearly 5,000 medals were awarded to all the crews of the battleships DUNCAN and EXMOUTH, the cruisers EURYALUS, LANCASTER, MINERVA and SUTLEJ, and the destroyer BOXER, also to those of the crews who had actually landed from the battleship CANOPUS and the cruisers PHILOMEL and ABOUKIR. In addition some 400 medals were awarded to members of the mercantile marine and 12 to the army. From Collecting Medals and Decorations by Alec A. Purves. So any Royal Marines [RMA & RMLI] serving in the qualifying ships would be entitled to the medal. ARABIS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 Also often awarded, at least to medical staff - I have several in the collection at work - was the Italian Red Cross. The Royal Naval Hospital at Malta was awarded the institutional medal in bronze (now on display at Bighi) and I believe Haslar was awarded the silver institutional medal. If so, it seems to have gone missing when the hospital museum was hit by a bomb in 1941. I have a copy of Angels in Blue Jackets: the Navy at Messina, 1908 (J.W. WIlson, R. Perkins. Chippenham: Picton, 1985) somewhere, and I believe it includes a complete roll for the Messina Earthquake Medal. It'd be an interesting exercise to go through that and check GW service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 13 February , 2019 Share Posted 13 February , 2019 1 hour ago, RaySearching said: What is the connection between The 1908 Messina earthquake and the Great War ? If none then the subject is off topic Ray On the other hand there is a massive and superb thread occupying the niche 1902 to 1914 regarding uniform details that the Mods, very wisely, have never objected to, and thus enriched our knowledge of that formative period. We really cannot limit the Forum to August 1914 up to Christmas 1918 for very good reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 14 February , 2019 Share Posted 14 February , 2019 11 hours ago, Muerrisch said: On the other hand there is a massive and superb thread occupying the niche 1902 to 1914 regarding uniform details that the Mods, very wisely, have never objected to, and thus enriched our knowledge of that formative period. We really cannot limit the Forum to August 1914 up to Christmas 1918 for very good reason. Valid point taken on board Regards Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 14 February , 2019 Share Posted 14 February , 2019 A gentleman, sir. [not a lot of mileage in being GRUMPY these days ............. ] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 14 February , 2019 Share Posted 14 February , 2019 I don't see the connection to ww1 sorry, this is what skindles is for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 14 February , 2019 Share Posted 14 February , 2019 I think my post raised a distinct possibility of a GW link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 14 February , 2019 Share Posted 14 February , 2019 34 minutes ago, Coldstreamer said: I don't see the connection to ww1 sorry, this is what skindles is for If you feel strongly, report it to the Mods and let them decide. Somehow I don't envisage the Messina subject covering as much bandwidth as discussion on eligibility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Inspector Posted 14 February , 2019 Share Posted 14 February , 2019 1 hour ago, seaJane said: I think my post raised a distinct possibility of a GW link. I hadn't got a clue what the forum was discussing so http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/colonial/messina_earthquake_medal_1908.htm now I have. Yes SJ you are right, it does have a full list. Regards Barry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keithmroberts Posted 15 February , 2019 Share Posted 15 February , 2019 Regarding relevance, a report has been made, and we are discussing it. EDIT: it was a close call, but we have decided that there is a sufficient potential connection in this case to let it be. That is of course not to be taken as a precedent. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aim Posted 15 February , 2019 Author Share Posted 15 February , 2019 Thank you to Arabis for answering my questions, and thank you also to Muerrisch for your kind defence. aim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58 Div Mule Posted 15 February , 2019 Share Posted 15 February , 2019 I have a group of WW1 medals to a Pte in the RMLI that includes a Messina Medal (HMS Sutlej). I see no reason why discussion shouldn't be included on the forum? The award is recorded on his service record ADM 159 TNA. Fevyer and Wilson authored an excellent book listing British recipients "Angels in Blue Jackets". Many subsequently served in The Great War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 15 February , 2019 Share Posted 15 February , 2019 29 minutes ago, 58 Div Mule said: Fevyer and Wilson authored an excellent book listing British recipients "Angels in Blue Jackets". Many subsequently served in The Great War. As mentioned in my post #8, the authors in fact being Wilson and Perkins. (Fevyer wrote several books on awards and medals, but I've not seen one by him concerning Messina.) sJ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58 Div Mule Posted 15 February , 2019 Share Posted 15 February , 2019 Sea-Jane you're quite right. I've dug out my copy of Wilson and Perkin's book and note that four of HMS Sutlej's RM detachment (recipients of the Messina Medal ) were killed in the Great War. Ply 12773 Pte Gray R, Ply 13552 Pte Lynch W, Ply 9061 Lcpl McMillan J Ply 13266 Pte McQueen W J. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 15 February , 2019 Share Posted 15 February , 2019 Thank you, 58 DM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARABIS Posted 16 February , 2019 Share Posted 16 February , 2019 18 hours ago, aim said: Thank you to Arabis for answering my questions, and thank you also to Muerrisch for your kind defence. aim You are most welcome. Attached is a photo of the WW1 trio, Messina Medal, and Constantinople Medal awarded to Colour Sergeant J. Pickering R.M.L.I. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 16 February , 2019 Share Posted 16 February , 2019 I saw this post, and thought it pertinent insofar as there are parallels with a post about the army and the Boer War, namely: just how many of those recipients were still serving, or re-enlisted during WW1? A general discussion about the circumstances of 1908 would be off topic, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith_history_buff Posted 16 February , 2019 Share Posted 16 February , 2019 The following men appear on the Royal Marine medal roll as Messina medal recipients. Last name First name Born Died Medal/Event Broadbent Albert Edward — 1915 1914 Brown Roland — 1919 1914 Hanson Francis John — 1916 1914 Johnson Clive — 1915 1914 McMillan John — 1917 1914 Ward John William — 1919 1914-20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
58 Div Mule Posted 17 February , 2019 Share Posted 17 February , 2019 Back to Wilson and Perkin's. 481 Marines from HMS Duncan, Euryalus, Exmouth, Lancaster, Minerva and Sutlej were issued the Messina Medal. 3,463 RN personnel from the same ships also received the award. From my notes a number of marines awarded the Messia Medal were killed during the Great War, I've given the names of four from HMS Sutlej in post #20 above. Ch11534 Cpl Eldridge T & Ch7356 Bugler Heffernan C were both killed during the Zeebrugge Raid of 23 April 1918. HMS Sutjej was acting as a Boys Training Ship and had on board 168 Boys 1st Class. No doubt these 17 year olds offered assistance to the people of Messina following the death of an estimated 160,000 people in the devastating earthquake of 28 December 1908. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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