Military Medal for Cpl Albert Victor Tea - Essex Regiment

[NickL]

Hello,

I am tracing the life of a family member on the Ancestry website and found out that he had been awarded the Military Medal.  I am trying to find out what he may have been awarded it for and hoped that somebody here might be able to point me in the direction of where to look.

The details I have so far are 10th Bn Essex Regiment, number 33152.  From his service record he was in France from 30/11/1916 to 4/6/1917 and then returned home for a period of time but no date is given for when he returned to France.

He was wounded and the record says "G.S.W. Chest 23/8/1918" - I wonder if this is related in any way to the award of his medal?  In the unit war diary for that day it records an action where 3 officers were killed and 3 were injured.  There were also 25 other ranks killed, 145 injured and 35 missing.

In his service records it says:-

L.G. d/13-3-19  Mily Medal [the date may be 13-2-19, the month is faded]

There is also a record for him at the National Archives WO 372/23/174159 which, instead of a date it says "Date of Gazette - No 59".  The other information contained there is "Registered Paper 68/121/772" and "Schedule Number 211412"

 

Would anyone here be able to point me in the direction of where I might find out exactly when and why he received the medal?

[mancpal]

Hello Nick,

probably your best bet would be local newspapers which might contain a mention of either his award or injury. I understand that MM citations were long since disposed of.

The war diary may give an indication  but obviously only if you can narrow down dates hence local papers . If you do strike lucky be aware that the article could have taken some time to reach publication.

Simon

[jay dubaya]

Sadly most of the MM citations are long gone and the WDs are the best place to look.

Here's the entry from the LG - 

 

and the 10th Essex WD entry at the end of October 1918 which may suggest the action which won the MM was during the previous month of September.

[NickL]

Thank you both.  This has been really useful.

[Allan1892]

3 hours ago, NickL said:

Would anyone here be able to point me in the direction of where I might find out exactly when and why he received the medal?

I hope that the attached assists. (image courtesy of Find My Past)

[jay dubaya]

Nice find Allan1882… Can’t ask for better than that 

[NickL]

1 hour ago, Allan1892 said:

I hope that the attached assists. (image courtesy of Find My Past)

Allan,

Thank you so much for this, I really do appreciate it.  I've been using Ancestry to look for my ancestors but I think I'll definitely be getting a FindMyPast subscription as well.

Thanks

Nick

[Ivor Anderson]

Great find Allan, especially considering how many MMs were awarded to 10th Bn. in that gazette for the same time period/action.

[Allan1892]

Happy to help, one of those finds that make searches worth while.

[Gunner 87]

Hi Nick. I was unable to find reference to Albert receiving the Military Medal in the press but this article in the 'Lynn Advertiser' 13th March 1931 maybe of interest to your research.  I will send over the full page by pm for your records.

Gunner  

[NickL]

Hi Gunner,

Thank you very much for this and your PM, that is really interesting.  In the 1939 Register he was recorded as a Postman Driver so they obviously gave him a van to drive at some point rather than keeping him on a bicycle.

Regards

Nick