L. Corporal Hugh Reid, Royal Engineers

[Weedo]

Good afternoon

This is my first time of using the forum so apologise if this is not the right place to post my query

My grandad L. Corporal Hugh Reid, Royal Engineers, from Fife, Scotland was awarded the Military medal for gallantry in the field, but I don't know why. Would anyone on the forum know why or advise me on how to find out please? Many thanks

 

 

 

 

[Mark1959]

Welcome to the forum.

I can only find one MM for a Hugh Reid. 

HL Reid 121848 Royal Engineers. Award announced in London Gazette 2/4/1918. The unit is given as 256 Tunnelling Company

The official citations for the MM were destroyed many  years ago. So one has to try and find details from other sources. Looking around if this man is indeed the one you are looking for.

He first went to France on 10/10/1915 according to his medal index card. That also states discharged 14/12/1918. Lance Corporal

Edited 11 July , 2021 by Mark1959

[PRC]

Hi @Weedoand welcome to the forum.

Do you have a service number for him - I'm not currently finding a Military Medal award to a Hugh Reid or H.Reid serving with the Royal Engineers in the National Archive catalogue - edit I see Mark has had better luck. for a possible candidate.

Just to let you know that the citations themselves haven't survived, so more often than not if anything is to be found then it's through documentation in sources like unit war diaries, official histories or details furnished by relatives to local newspapers.

There is at least one men of the forum @Ivor Anderson who takes a keen interest but would probably need the service number number.

I'm told the British Medals Forum has a long running thread where members post details of M.M. citations as they come across them.

Cheers
Peter

[david murdoch]

That's the same man I'm looking at. Hugh L. Reid 121848  Best bet is to look for the unit war diary in the months prior to the Gazette date. Also local newspaper article may help. What part of Fife was he from? Dundee Courier often covers a good bit of Fife as well.

[Mark1959]

The 256th Tunnelling Company had a unit war diary

This can be downloaded free if you register @

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/1f4656d337a34a8791f9fd59069f7e1f

I can tell you the above man is mentioned in the entry for 7/2/1918 as being awarded MM for "gallantry and devotion to duty in action". A quick look does not reveal another entry to give a specific action for the award.

edit

He appears on a War Office casualty list on 19/6/1918 and show 121848 has a NoK address of Kirkcaldy.

Edited 11 July , 2021 by Mark1959

[Ivor Anderson]

London Gazette 2/4/1918 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30606/supplement/4020

Mark informs us his MM is mentioned in the war diary entry for 7/2/1918 as being awarded the MM for "gallantry and devotion to duty in action". Howard Williamson states that this was the last main gazette for Cambrai & Ypres in late 1917. The war diary entries for Oct-Dec 1917 may reveal a possible action.

His MM Index Card image (TNA) https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6211651 

Edited 11 July , 2021 by Ivor Anderson

[Ivor Anderson]

His MM appears to have been awarded for an individual act of gallantry as it is listed alone in the WD and was recorded as having been personally sanctioned by the Corps Commander. His MM does not appear to be mentioned on the British Medal Forum site.

A previous MM to L/Cpl. J. L. Evans 158188 was mentioned in the WD on 20 Nov. 1917 & listed in the LG 25 Jan. 1918: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30498/supplement/1385

The unit had moved to Woesten (NW of Ypres) in early December 1917: https://maps.nls.uk/view/101464903 The war diary mainly records the comings and going of personnel, but it shows that the unit was under gas attack (5&15 Nov.) and shell fire (Oct. & 10th Dec.) at times in late 1917.

Edited 11 July , 2021 by Ivor Anderson
Additional information

[Weedo]

Thank you to everyone for your answers. My Grandad did get gassed in the war and he did live in Kirkcaldy. I  really appreciate your help. Xx

 

And he was a tunneler and a miner.

[Weedo]

1 hour ago, david murdoch said:

That's the same man I'm looking at. Hugh L. Reid 121848  Best bet is to look for the unit war diary in the months prior to the Gazette date. Also local newspaper article may help. What part of Fife was he from? Dundee Courier often covers a good bit of Fife as well.

Hi David, are you related to Hugh Reid?

[Mark1959]

There are refs in the war diary to men being gassed during May 1918. Given his presence on the War Office list in June 1918 it might suggest he was one of these men.

14 were gassed at Langueau on 11/5/18 and a further 1 at Beaucourt sur L'Hallue on 20/5/18. These places are on the Somme near Amiens

Edited 12 July , 2021 by Mark1959

[Ivor Anderson]

Yes, Possibly. The 11 May is more likely: https://digital.nls.uk/british-military-lists/archive/194159327 Named in r.h. column:

[david murdoch]

5 hours ago, Weedo said:

Hi David, are you related to Hugh Reid?

No not at all - just interested. Looking on Scotland's people  there was a Hugh Reid living in Dysart aged 19 at the 1911 Census 

[George Rayner]

Courtesy of FMP

In the Military Medal section

Dundee Courier 04 April 1918

George

[Alisonmallen62]

Whilst the army number isn’t so close I read this with interest. My step great grandfather was a Welsh miner 121966 T Lloyd.  Whilst I have never been able to find much about i know he was a tunneller - just wondered if he was also in this area but we will probably never know.  They were all incredibly brave. 

[brianmorris547]

Alison

The WD of 256 TC names other ranks, including attached infantry, on a monthly basis. I did check 1917/18 for Tom Lloyd but no trace unfortunately.

Brian

[Alisonmallen62]

Yes many thanks again Brian he is as elusive as your grandfather - one day though …!

[charlie962]

On 11/07/2021 at 15:34, Weedo said:

s awarded the Military medal for gallantry

 

Another snippet from FindmyPast Newspapers, although it does nor answer your original question. His mother seems to have lost 3 brothers,

 

Charlie