Philip Hughes Posted 22 November , 2020 Share Posted 22 November , 2020 Trying to find out why Sgt J Houston 7/7574Royal Irish Rifles was awarded the bar to MM. Sgt Houston was my great uncle and can any member of the forum advise me on how to find his relatives. Thanks for all your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 23 November , 2020 Share Posted 23 November , 2020 (edited) Hi Philip, Welcome to the GWF! Let's start from the dates of the listings of his MM & Bar. His MM Index Card off TNA (Ref. WO-372-23-122603 - FREE at present) gives the dates of the London Gazette entries and the unique schedule numbers for each award: 1st MM in LG 19 November 1917, schedule no. 112167. Awards for 3rd Ypres, Passchendaele (Bate & Williamson). 2nd MM in LG 11 February 1919, schedule no. 207157. Awards largely for Battle of Amiens, 8 August- 3 September 1918. Edited 23 November , 2020 by Ivor Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 23 November , 2020 Share Posted 23 November , 2020 (edited) His War & Victory medal roll (off Ancestry) show that he served with several battalions of the RIR during WW1. The MM index Card shows that he was with the 7th Bn. when he won his first MM, but he was with the 2nd Bn. when he was awarded the second. You will need to search the war diary of the 7th Bn. for Aug.-Oct. 1917: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7352872 and that of the 2nd Bn. from August-October 1918: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7354021 Edited 23 November , 2020 by Ivor Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 23 November , 2020 Share Posted 23 November , 2020 (edited) The 7th Battalion WD for 29 September 1917 records that the battalion was awarded 19 MMs for bravery during operations at Ypres in August 1917: (TNA ref. WO-95-1975-2). Some of the others were Sjt. H. Connolly 10659, schedule no. 112170; Cpl. F. T. Drowyn 494, schedule no. 112179; Edward Boothway 41809, schedule no. 112182; Pte. Harry Freeman 41894, schedule no. 112184; Pte. James Freeney 1124, schedule no. 112185; and Pte. E. P. Giffard 4231, schedule no. 112187. The WD records a major action on 16 August 1917 - 5 officers killed, 5 wounded, 7 missing. 30 ORs killed, 269 wounded or missing. The 19-11-1917 London Gazette is here: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30389/data.pdf N.B. The 7th RIR was amalgamated with the 2nd RIR on 14 November 1917. Edited 23 November , 2020 by Ivor Anderson Additional information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 4 December , 2020 Share Posted 4 December , 2020 (edited) As mentioned above, he was serving with the 2nd Battalion when he was awarded the bar to his MM. He does not appear in the battalion history's list of medals awarded, so he may only have been posted to it for a short time. 2nd RIR WD 1917-1919: https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C7354021 Edited 4 December , 2020 by Ivor Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Hughes Posted 4 December , 2020 Author Share Posted 4 December , 2020 Many thanks for the xtra information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 4 December , 2020 Share Posted 4 December , 2020 (edited) The 2nd Battalion were in action on 6th September 1918 and suffered significant casualties. The WD for 24 Sept. records a medal ribbon presentation by the 36th Division GOC: Edited 4 December , 2020 by Ivor Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Hughes Posted 4 December , 2020 Author Share Posted 4 December , 2020 Again many thanks for all your assistance in this matter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Hughes Posted 27 January , 2021 Author Share Posted 27 January , 2021 Hi anyone able to tell me why L/Sergeant Frederick William Burke 10th battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers was mentioned in dispatches. He was born 1889 died 28/04/1916 after being shot during the Easter Rising. Any help will be appreciated Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 27 January , 2021 Share Posted 27 January , 2021 (edited) His MiD is in the LG of 25th January 1917. The fact that it says (killed) beside his entry makes it likely it was for around the time he was killed in late April 1916. That LG states that 'the undermentioned were brought to the attention of the Secretary of State for War for distinguished services rendered in connection with the War'. There is no war diary to consult as the 10th Battalion were still in training in Ireland and did not go to France until August 1916. He seems to be the only soldier from the 10th RDF to die that day: http://www.irishmedals.ie/British-Soldiers-Killed.php Perhaps the circumstances of his death will provide a clue re his MiD? His father was a highly decorated officer who seems to have risen from the ranks, going by his DCM. FWR Burke previously served with other regiments from 1914 and left 'to obtain a commission' in Nov. 1915: https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?dbid=1114&h=144798&indiv=try&o_vc=Record:OtherRecord&rhSource=2352 Born: Quetta, India 11th December 1894. Edited 27 January , 2021 by Ivor Anderson Additional information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivor Anderson Posted 27 January , 2021 Share Posted 27 January , 2021 (edited) FWR Burke's father John served as a Major with the 2nd RDF and won his DCM as a RSM in the Boer War. His MC was listed in LG 29886 on 1 January 1917. Father's MIC: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1262/images/30850_A000252-02192?treeid=&personid=&hintid=&queryId=bac1bb0ae1b97a7b2596b28d3e020034&usePUB=true&_phsrc=AHE8496&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true&pId=3069389 Edited 27 January , 2021 by Ivor Anderson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Hughes Posted 27 January , 2021 Author Share Posted 27 January , 2021 Many thanks for all your assistance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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