George Alexander Aiers - 13348 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards

[swethera]

I wonder if anyone can help me in learning more about my maternal great grandfather George Aiers? He was born in 1886, and in 1907 joined the Grenadier Guards. By 1910 he was a Lance Corporal, and embarked for France on September 12th 1914 I believe.

I know he was wounded at least 3 times - 6th of Feb 1916, and for a third time (according to the Ponsonby book) on 26th July 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross in the 1918 New years honours, and he ended his army career as a Regimental Sergeant Major. 

I've been able to find his medal rolls, and have newspaper clippings from his death in 1938, but have no further information about his military life. He would never talk about why he got the MC apparently, but was a founder member of the Richmond branch of the British Legion.

Any information would be most gratefully received.

[helpjpl]

The Military Crosses in the 1918 New Years Honours were awarded to soldiers who had distinguished themselves in service and not for a specific action on a particular date:

 

London Gazette 1 January 1918:

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30450/supplement/30/data.pdf

 

JP

 

 

[sadbrewer]

Does this help?

From The Echo January 12th 1918, courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive. 

[swethera]

SadBrewer, that is fantastic, thank you!

 

Helpjpl - thank you, I hadn't realised that there was no specific incident that led to the MC in the NYH, so that helps greatly in knowing not to look further for something specific

[sadbrewer]

2 minutes ago, swethera said:

SadBrewer, that is fantastic, thank you!

 

Helpjpl - thank you, I hadn't realised that there was no specific incident that led to the MC in the NYH, so that helps greatly in knowing not to look further for something specific

 

The most understated line I've ever read is...

" he had the misfortune to get in front of a machine gun"

[swethera]

It is a wonderful line isn't it! And thanks to that piece, I was able to decipher more about his brother, Ernest Noel, who somehow joined the Gloucestershire Regiment as a private, then in 1917 became a commissioned officer in the Kings Liverpool.

For someone who managed to get wounded so much, he did amazingly well to stay alive through all the Grenadiers went through and their heavy losses

[clk]

Hi swethera,

 

I believe that reasonably recently the Grenadier Guards transferred the service files for men that served with them from the regimental archive to the MoD. There is a helpdesk/general inquiry phone number here. If that were to be the case, there is advice on how to get a copy here.

 

Regards

Chris

[swethera]

Thank you Chris, I'll give them a call and see if they can help