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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Lieut L.M . Maxwell RFC


thedawnpatrol

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Evening, pulled out a couple of medal groups today from the collection that need further research, firstly this group to L M Maxwell, the star is stamped RE (not RFC, as the previous collector noted on the card) but the pair are not stamped with any regiment?
why would this be… any further information on this office would be greatly appreciated 

thank you.

 

13899260-263E-4776-81C0-83CFD1E32264.jpeg

EB1A01C7-31FE-4E6F-8F2A-0E66EAA34C77.jpeg

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Army Officer's pairs not impressed with their Regiment.

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Get the magnifying glass out to check tdp but there is a 70345 (not 70645) L.M. (Leon Morrill) Maxwell (Cpl RE/commissioned 2Lt. Essex R. in March 1916) which sounds like your man.  No mention of MiD emblems on MIC or LG as far as I can see.  The detail of his movements from commissioning can be tracked on LG using 'M.L. Maxwell' including his temp transfer RFC on General List ........ I read the notes on the group label as "Obs.(erver) RFC"

Edited by TullochArd
........ I read the notes on the group label as "Obs.(erver) RFC"
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22 minutes ago, CorporalPunishment said:

Wrong war I know but the 1939-1945 Star is missing.      Pete.

Oh yes, your right Pete…..i had not noticed……

i think they have been mounted fairly recently as it looks like the 1914/15 star ribbon is a replacement…….

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58 minutes ago, CorporalPunishment said:

Wrong war I know but the 1939-1945 Star is missing.      Pete.

 

Not necessarily, F&G star could be awarded without '39-45 star, if in the last 6 months of the war.

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23 minutes ago, RNCVR said:

 

Not necessarily, F&G star could be awarded without '39-45 star, if in the last 6 months of the war.

Good point. Assuming that he served right through he must have served at home for the first five and a half years which would be unusual, that was my take on it.      Pete.

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His RE TF and then RE Regular service records have survived and are on FindmyPast 

Here's an extract of his Regular bit.

chrome_screenshot_1668379746817.png.b4634234604f000d323ed7f0e0096bcb.png

Edited by charlie962
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In the 1939 Register he is General Manager Printing Ink Manufacturer. (This was business of his father). Added in the right hand column is ARP warden at business address. Lt 11th Essex and RFC 14-18 .

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6 hours ago, charlie962 said:

In the 1939 Register he is General Manager Printing Ink Manufacturer. (This was business of his father). Added in the right hand column is ARP warden at business address. Lt 11th Essex and RFC 14-18 .

Nice find Charlie.  I like "Student" and "born USA" and father's business as it brings a bit of colour to the post.  "Light Duties" as "Corps Observer" is also telling.

The LG has a late 1920's entry regarding his father's death and quotes the family home "Maxwellton" (akin to Annie Laurie fame) which also appears on his MIC.  I have yet to pin down the MiD but the RFC attachment seems a better start point.   

Drifting off (dangerously) into the WW2 group my reading of the 39-45 Star is that this medal "usually" required 180 days qualifying service which he may not have had (39-45 War Medal 28 days and F&G Star "entry into Theatre").  Regardless of that it is a credible WW2 group as it stands and confirms there will be a WW2 Record available for tdp to acquire. 

What do you reckon "MC Cpl" RE is then ....... Motorcycle?

Edited by TullochArd
....... Motorcycle?
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Dear All, and Pete,

I have the group and miniatures 1066323991_FltOffrPepperRNAS1918.jpg.7798716a9768ebccb86a232556c98be0.jpg790522181_W.A.R.PepperP-ORAFVRca_1941.jpg.1c19a3929b5db658167512a128d4d187.jpg1590367736_FramedPepperMBEgroup.JPG.605175d8219b17aced5ac7e9c20f1f50.JPG1900385204_Sqn-LdrPepperminiatures.jpg.c8df94123355fc8003bb34eb7175433b.jpgto Pepper, a RNAS, RFC, RAF DH9 Pilot, who had the MBE (Mil) for WWII.

He obviously got across the Channel to qualify for his F&G Star, but did not have the required time and qualification for the 1939-45 Star.

Kindest regards,

Kim.

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6 hours ago, charlie962 said:

I wondered the same thing.

I'm now pretty sure that is the case.  RE MC Section soldiers were attached to Div Sig Companies and had on qualification, or more likely on proof of prior experience at this time, been promoted to Corporal and designated "MC Cpls"........ Despatch Riders.  

Edited by TullochArd
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34 minutes ago, TullochArd said:

tdp.  Have you tracked down the MiD?  I've drawn a blank. 

no, i haven't would not know where to start..............

on his service record that Charlie posted, what is the word below 'No 8 Sqd.'..........i cant make it out ? 

and below the mystery word is that 'CFS' Central Flying School' ?  i also note that he 'ceased to belong to  the RFC 29/8/17 '

i guess a trawl through 8 squadron records would help............

thank you all

 

Julian.

 

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Got the pox

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According to the Casualty Form he was with 8 Sq from 5 August 1916 till 25 May 1917, at which point you would expect him to be sent home for a break.  Instead he was sent to 52 Squadron, and a week later left for hospital with, ahem, a "Social Disease".  In hospital for about 4 weeks, then discharged, presumably back to 52, from which he was kicked out back to the infantry after a week (I think the HAC, despite the "Artillery" in their name, also had an infantry element, and I read it as "Bn").  And then back to his regiment.

The AIR 76 introduces the confusion of whether or not he was in fact posted to "CFS" (presumably the Central Flying School at Gosport) in February 1917 before being posted back to the Expeditionary Force and 52 Squadron, and the significance of "light duty".  Normally you would expect his being sent out of theatre and back to show up on the Casualty Form, so I have reservations about the AIR 76 which would have been compiled in 1918 by the RAF, preferring the contemporaneous Casualty Form, but that's not to say that mightn't have been wrong instead.

It is easy to make light of situations but it could be that he was sent back, not because of his social disease, but because he was suffering from too much time flying as an observer.

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