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Remembered Today:

Victor Nissim Levi - where did he earn 1914-1915 Star


michaeldr

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This MiC shows that Victor Nissim Levy gained the 1914-15 Star, however it does not indicate a Theatre of War.

His officers file [https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C1083330] may well give that information, but alas it is not available on line

Is there any other way to determine where he served to gain the 14/15 Star?

 

Thanks in advance for any assistance here

Michael

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His Medal Roll entry for the Star notes overseas 23rd September 1915 (2b) - Gallipoli.

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Michael,

 

I found this quote, in the book "The Hebrew Republic: Israel's Return to History":

 

"... former Londoner Victor Nissim Levi.... Mr. Levi has served in the British Forces in the First World War, while Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Sperling had seen action in the Jewish Legion in Palestine"

 

So, from that we can assume that Levi was in one of the London Fusiliers battalions. Further more, he later became a civil servant during the British Mandate and was killed in the bombing of the King David Hotel. I guess his Mandate Service file can be found, if his Military File is missing.  

 

Hope this helps,

 

Eran

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It looks as though he went to Gallipoli in 1915 with one of the battalions of the Lancashire Fusiliers. In 1916 he transferred to the Royal Fusiliers and later to the 39th RF.

He left the army in 1921 with the rank of Captain. 

I have details of his work for the Mandate administration from the 1946 newspapers.

Thanks for your interest

 

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Just closing off one possible line of enquiry.

 

September 1915 Monthly Army List (Column 967)

 

14th Reserve Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Temporary Commission. 2nd Lieutenant with seniority from the 26th February 1915.

https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/123011601

 

October 1915 Monthly Army List (Column 966e)

 

14th Reserve Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Temporary Commission. 2nd Lieutenant with seniority from the 26th February 1915.

https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/119932098

 

November 1915 Monthly Army List (Column 966e)

 

14th Reserve Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Temporary Commission. 2nd Lieutenant with seniority from the 26th February 1915.

https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/122711179

 

December 1915 Monthly Army List (Column 966e)

 

14th Reserve Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Temporary Commission. 2nd Lieutenant with seniority from the 26th February 1915.

https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/103906424

 

January 1916 Monthly Army List (Column 966d)

 

14th Reserve Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. Temporary Commission. 2nd Lieutenant with seniority from the 26th February 1915.

https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/122404760

 

So no help there with the unit of the Lancashire Fusiliers he was attached to, but hopefully at least it will save someone else the effort of looking.

 

Cheers,

Peter

 

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17 hours ago, michaeldr said:

It looks as though he went to Gallipoli in 1915 with one of the battalions of the Lancashire Fusiliers. In 1916 he transferred to the Royal Fusiliers and later to the 39th RF.

He left the army in 1921 with the rank of Captain. 

Everything found in the London Gazette (there are at least twelve entries contained within that record) suggests a commission in the Royal Fusiliers in February 1915 and any service with the Lancashire Fusiliers was as an attachment.  Haven't found anything definitive in the Gazette for the Gallipoli era to link him with the Lancashire Fusiliers but there is one possible clue a number of years later... 

 

London Gazette #31177, 13 February 1919, Page 2242.  Link.. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31177/supplement/2242
2nd Lt. (actg. Lt.) V. N. Levi, 6th Lan. Fus., T.F., to be temp. Capt. whilst empld. as Co. Comdr at a depot. 20th Sept. 1918,

 

Steve

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Could this be him?

From The Rochdale Observer February 26th, 1916.

Courtesy of the British Newspaper Archive.

1729124579_Snap2021-05-13at01_02_14.png.455027ad51406b5ceeba7772d70b8cf0.png

 

 

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Hi Michael,

 

The index of long numbers appears to have him as 14/Royal Fusiliers, attached 5/Lancashire Fusiliers. I didn't see him recorded as 'arriving' in their Gallipoli diary (September 1915 onwards) though.

image.png.a3471f2e5fe9064cc81d287877daa76b.png

 

Image sourced from the National Archives

 

Regards

Chris

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33 minutes ago, clk said:

The index of long numbers appears to have him as 14/Royal Fusiliers, attached 5/Lancashire Fusiliers.

 

Chris,

 

LO rather than LF - is that the normal abbreviation for the Lancashire Fusiliers in this source?

(Or am I missing something :))

 

Cheers,

Peter

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Just now, PRC said:

 

Chris,

 

LO rather than LF - is that the normal abbreviation for the Lancashire Fusiliers in this source?

(Or am I missing something :))

 

Cheers,

Peter

Peter

 

Missing Something ;)

 

It's 5/20 not 5/LO.... The long numbers series refer to the old pre-1881 numbering system so 20th Regiment of Foot = Lancashire Fusiliers and 5/20 relates to the 5th Battalion.  Likewise his other entry is 14/7 so 14th Battalion of the 7th Regiment of Foot, otherwise known as the Royal Fusiliers.

 

Regards

 

Steve

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The British Jewry Book of Honour 1914 - 1918 (page 307) shows Captain Levi V.N. as serving with the 1/6th Battalion, Lancashire Fusiliers.

Sepoy

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Palls All,

 

I am very impressed and deeply grateful for the generous in-put here and the amount of time it all must have involved.

It looks as if the MiC seen in my opening post, misled me to suppose that the Lancs Fus were his primary regiment, when in fact it was the Royal Fus. It also seems that my post No.5 has also followed a false trail.

 

What we have up to now looks like this:-

 

Seniority Date per Monthly Army List: 26/02/1915

 

His Medal Roll entry for the '14/'15 Star notes overseas 23rd September 1915 (2b) - Gallipoli.

 

The Rochdale Observer February 26th, 1916 reports a rugby football match “somewhere on The Suez” between officers & men of 1/6th (Rochdale) Bn., Lancashire Fusiliers in which a Second Lieutenant Levi took part

 

Sup to LG 20 OCTOBER 1916. (10091)

War Office, 20th October 1916. REGULAR FORCES. INFANTRY. The undermentioned temp. 2nd Lts., from. Res. Bns., to be temp. 2nd Lts. (attached), retaining their Army seniority: —

R. Fus.— V. N. Levi.

 

Sup to LG 21 MARCH 1917 (2836)

Lancashire Fus.

The undermentioned 2nd Lts., Royal Fus., to be temp. Lts. whilst attached: —

V. N. Levi. 26th Aug. 1916.

 

Sup to LG 18 NOVEMBER 1919. (14009)

War Office, 18th November 1919.

REGULAR FORCES. INFANTRY. Service Battalions.

R. Fus. - The undermentioned temp. 2nd Lts. to be temp. Lts. : — V. N. Levi. 1 July 1917

 

Sup to LG 13 SEPTEMBER 1917 (9453)

Lancashire Fus.—The undermentioned to be actg. Capts. whilst comdg. Cos.

Temp. 2nd Lt. (temp. Lt.) V. N. Levi (Royal Fus.). 1st Aug. 1917

 

Sup to LG 23 MARCH 1918 (3704)

Lancashire Fus.— Temp. 2nd Lt. (actg. Capt.) V. N. Levi, R. Fus., reverts to the temp, rank of Lt. on ceasing to command a Co. 5th Feb. 1918.

 

War Office Casualty List – 7 May 1918 (No.5559)

Wounded – Levi, V. N., Royal Fus, attd. Lan. Fus

[I understand that the actual wounding would have taken place some 3 or 4 weeks previously (?) ]

 

Sup to LG 13 FEBRUARY 1919 (2242)

The undermentioned temp. Lts. to be temp. Capts.

2nd Lt. (actg. Lt.) V. N. Levi, 6th Lan. Fus., T.F., to be temp. Capt. whilst empld. as Co. Comdr at a depot. 20th Sept. 1918

 

Sup to LG 23 JANUARY 1920. (1061)

The undermentioned relinquish, the temp, rank of Capt.: —

Temp. Lt. V. N. Levi, Serv. Bn., R. Fus., on ceasing to be empld. as Co. Comdr. at a .Depot. 26th Nov. 1918. (Substituted for the notification in the Gazette of 20th Aug. 1919)

 

Sup to LG 10 JUNE 1920 (6446)

R. Fus., - 40th Bn, - Temp. Lt. V. N. Levi (R. Fus. (Serv. Bns.)) to be actg. Capt. while comdg. a Co., 14 Aug. 1919 to 11 Dec. 1919

 

Sup to LG 20 April 1920 (4667)

War Office, 20th April, 1920.

ARMIES OF OCCUPATION.

REGULAR FORCES.

INFANTRY.

Service Battalions.

R. Fus. - 38th Bn. - Temp. Lt. V. N. Levi (R. Fus. (Serv. . Bns.)) to be actg. Capt. while comdg. a. Co. 11 Dec. 1919.

 

Sup to LG 24 MAY 1921 (4163)

War Office,

24th May, 1921.

REGULAR, FORCES.

INFANTRY.

Service Battalions.

R. Fus.,

Temp. Lt. (actg. Capt.) V. N. Levi relinquishes his commission on completion of service,

1 Apr. 1921, and is granted the rank of Capt.

 

-------------------------------------------------------

British Jewry Book of Honour – page 307 – Lancashire Fusiliers – Officers

Capt. Levi, V. N., 1/6th Bn.

-------------------------------------------------------

 

There are still gaps in the above and still plenty of questions unanswered here. I will check with the NA and see how much they want for a copy of his file, as in the end, this may be the only way to solve this one

 

Many thanks again to everyone for the help provided here.

Michael

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1 hour ago, michaeldr said:

There are still gaps in the above and still plenty of questions unanswered here.

One gap to fill....  His Commission as Second Lieutenant.  Link.. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29080/page/1838

 

LG 23 FEBRUARY 1915. (1838)

INFANTRY. The undermentioned to be temporary Second Lieutenants: — Dated 26th February, 1915.

Victor Nissim Levi.

 

Regards

 

Steve

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