swethera Posted 1 December , 2019 Share Posted 1 December , 2019 Hi, I recently found this, and realised it wasn't as common as I thought. William Charles Simmons is my great grandfather, and according to my dad never mentioned anything to do with the medals, and apart from the mentioned in dispatches clasp (which I now realise should be on a different ribbon - these medals were just in a plastic bag with birth/marriage/death certificates) he had no other gallantry medals. If anyone has any more information about what he might have received this for, or any other information I would be very grateful. If it is of help he was a gas fitter both pre and post war, born in Wallingford, Berks, and I believe was living in Chipping Norton in 1913 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBrook Posted 1 December , 2019 Share Posted 1 December , 2019 (edited) Welcome to the forum! The award of the French medal was announced in the London Gazette on 17 April 1920 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31827/supplement/3408 Click back to page 3405 for the exact title of medal. A large number of men received the medal in this issue of the London Gazette. The reason for the award - I have no idea. The announcement of his mention in despatches was published in the London Gazette on 11 June 1918 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30740/supplement/6923 The mention was for Salonika. Click back to page 6917 for the date of the despatch etc. The heading for the Ox & Bucks Light Infantry list is on page 6922. Edited 1 December , 2019 by HarryBrook Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swethera Posted 1 December , 2019 Author Share Posted 1 December , 2019 Thank you - I had found the french medal gazette item, but not the despatches which is brilliant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 2 December , 2019 Share Posted 2 December , 2019 Hi There were less than 700 bronze awarded from 1914-1925 to the commonwealth forces. So it is a lot rarer than you think. The certificate is very rare as these do not survive. I have been researching foreign awards for over 40 years and this is only the third I have seen. Try the war diary as I have had a good success rate with citations. Also his local newspaper may help. If you do find a citation could you please let me know so I can add it to my database. Are these the only two medals you have? Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swethera Posted 2 December , 2019 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2019 Obviously that side of the families habit of stuffing things in boxes and leaving them (hence I have only just found these among my great aunts boxes of photos/bits of paper) has actually been of benefit for once.I only have the 1914/1915 Star, war medal and victory medal for William I will have a go at the war diary although strangely I haven't had much luck in tracking down another great grandfathers citation for his military cross in those - but maybe I'm not very good at it yet! If you could like a photo of the certificate, I would be happy to email you one Sophie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 2 December , 2019 Share Posted 2 December , 2019 59 minutes ago, swethera said: Obviously that side of the families habit of stuffing things in boxes and leaving them (hence I have only just found these among my great aunts boxes of photos/bits of paper) has actually been of benefit for once.I only have the 1914/1915 Star, war medal and victory medal for William I will have a go at the war diary although strangely I haven't had much luck in tracking down another great grandfathers citation for his military cross in those - but maybe I'm not very good at it yet! If you could like a photo of the certificate, I would be happy to email you one Sophie yes please Sophie, I would love one Thanks. Glad you have all his service medals and there are service paper available on Find My Past. I will see what is there and let you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForeignGong Posted 2 December , 2019 Share Posted 2 December , 2019 I would suggest you get a sub for FMP or I think the UK libraries may help as you have a lot of info on your G G Father to sort through. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swethera Posted 3 December , 2019 Author Share Posted 3 December , 2019 Thank you Peter, I will try that. I already have an Ancestry subscription. Interestingly other members of the Ox and Bucks LI seem to have had photos taken by another member of the family in Princes Risborough, where dad tells me the SImmons family had a photographers for many years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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