Ken Lees Posted 13 August , 2019 Share Posted 13 August , 2019 Very scant information to go on, sadly, but I have just been asked for information on the following man: Temp 2/Lt. (Acting Major) Albert Edward HOWARD, MC born 9/10/1887 in London died 1966 in London MC 28/11/14 That's all I have currently and none of it is confirmed. Can anyone give me a starter on a possible unit for this man? I can't find anything in the London Gazette other than an appointment to a commission in the Royal Fusiliers in 1917, which may or may not be the same man. Thanks all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 13 August , 2019 Admin Share Posted 13 August , 2019 There is a service file that may well be his https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1157141 No other Officers under that full name (but he could have served later). Edit: Seems it is him as his MIC on Ancestry shows he was awarded MC (Commissioned from ranks) Ancestry MIC link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 13 August , 2019 Share Posted 13 August , 2019 (edited) Hi His card says MC in 1918, do I have the wrong man ? 4th R. Fus. Regards, Graeme Edited 13 August , 2019 by GraemeClarke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 13 August , 2019 Author Share Posted 13 August , 2019 That looks like him. Gazetted to the 5th Royal Fusiliers, it seems, but served with the 4th Bn. Many thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 16 August , 2019 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2019 The mystery continues. Neither the 4th, nor 5th Bns served in Italy, according to the Long, Long Trail. Nor did the 21st Bn. which is mentioned on his MC Card (above) which had actually been disbanded long before his MC action. So, who was he serving with? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 16 August , 2019 Admin Share Posted 16 August , 2019 Might he have been on Attachment? Guessing the service file might be best bet (had a quick shufti through the September 1918 Army Lists but my search skills have let me down so far, will have another go). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 16 August , 2019 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2019 7 minutes ago, DavidOwen said: Might he have been on Attachment? Guessing the service file might be best bet (had a quick shufti through the September 1918 Army Lists but my search skills have let me down so far, will have another go). There is no suggestion of an attachment in any of the records I have seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 16 August , 2019 Admin Share Posted 16 August , 2019 In that case might the Asiago Plateau refer to the citation above? Anything in the war diary? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 16 August , 2019 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2019 56 minutes ago, DavidOwen said: In that case might the Asiago Plateau refer to the citation above? Anything in the war diary? That's the problem. Without knowing which unit he served with, I can't check the War Diary. Knowing which, if any, battalions of the Royal Fusiliers were serving in Italy in June, 1918 would be a start, but it appears that none were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 16 August , 2019 Admin Share Posted 16 August , 2019 I checked the CWGC for Granezza as that seemed closest to the plateau and no Royal Fusiliers buried there. In fact none at all in Italy during ww1. That given I would go for the Battalion on the citation or as listed in the Gazette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 16 August , 2019 Share Posted 16 August , 2019 There is an Ancestry Tree - click for tree - with a photo. Seems to be the MIC man, and has correct birth & death dates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GraemeClarke Posted 16 August , 2019 Share Posted 16 August , 2019 (edited) Hi The Asiago Plateau is from the citation above that for Albert. The date under the citation is the date of the deed but the area seems to be missing. Where has Italy come from ?? There is no mention of the 21st Battalion on his MC card, just 4th Battalion. Regards, Graeme Edited 16 August , 2019 by GraemeClarke Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin DavidOwen Posted 16 August , 2019 Admin Share Posted 16 August , 2019 9 minutes ago, GraemeClarke said: Hi The Asiago Plateau is from the citation above that for Albert. The date under the citation is the date of the deed but the area seeems to be missing. Where has Italy come from >> Regards, Graeme Probably, as you say, from the citation above. Glad that is cleared up. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 16 August , 2019 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2019 2 hours ago, GraemeClarke said: Hi The Asiago Plateau is from the citation above that for Albert. The date under the citation is the date of the deed but the area seems to be missing. Where has Italy come from ?? There is no mention of the 21st Battalion on his MC card, just 4th Battalion. Regards, Graeme A fresh pair of eyes! Thank you. I will check the diary for the 4th Bn. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 16 August , 2019 Author Share Posted 16 August , 2019 (edited) I can now happily confirm that the attack in which A. E. Howard earned his MC took place on the night of 14th/15th June, 1918 at Chocques, just west of Bethune, France. He was serving with the 4th Bn. Royal Fusiliers. Battalion War Diary – 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers 14th/15th June, 1918 Location – Chocques, Front Line “One OR [other rank] wounded before zero hour which was 11:45pm. It was expected that the moon would be out but owing to clouds the attack had to be carried out in the dark. After an artillery and machine gun barrage of eight minutes, ‘X’ Company on left (Capt. R Mabbott MC), ‘Z’ Company on right (Capt. A.J. Lord DSO, MC) with ‘W’ Company in support to both ‘X’ and ‘Z’ Companies (Capt. O.P. Atwell) advanced in three lines of shallow columns. The two leading lines advanced direct to the objective, a distance on an average of 500yds. The third line consisting of ‘W’ Company did the mopping up of the enemy front line posts and dug eight close support posts in the captured area and afterwards helped to man these and one of the front line posts. The left columns of both X and Z Companies met with practically the only resistance offered. About 60 prisoners and 7 German machine guns were captured including two heavy machine guns. At the same time one platoon of ‘Y’ Company under 2/Lieut. Robertson attacked a house in the enemy front line and cleared it of the enemy and returned to our old front line. Two platoons of ‘Y’ Company , 5th Royal Fusiliers advanced at Zero hour plus eight minutes and dug three posts on the right of ‘Z’ Company. Very little opposition was met by these two platoons owing to the fact that they did not go as far as the enemy front line posts. Three platoons of 5th Royal Fusiliers were attached for this operation. One German machine gun was captured by 5th Royal Fusiliers. Lt. H.V. Blight killed, Lieut. C.A. Brasher and 2/Lieut. A.P. Clarke wounded 11 Other Ranks killed and 83 wounded including two at duty. 20th June – 2/Lieut. T. Smith, Capt A.E. Howard, Capt. J.P. McGeehin RAMC and Capt. O.P. Atwell were recommended for MC” Edited 16 August , 2019 by Ken Lees Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 17 August , 2019 Share Posted 17 August , 2019 Well done, it's always rewarding to put a date to such things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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