RMLI Antwerp

[LneryRHA]

PO 17373 Cpl. Benjamin William Chinnery RMLI Portsmouth Division enlisted 8 August 1914; born Islington 1894

I was given the medals by a typist in the 1970's rather than the dust bin!! I was told he was at Antwerp in 1914, could he have been a PoW?  but I am not a Navy person. His brother was an ARP Warden WW2 so I would think he was in the Home Guard. 

1914 Star & cl., BWM, Victory Medal, Defence, War Medals and Navy LS&GC (GVR) (issued in Gosport) Also includes shooting medals,  collar dogs, buttons, brass name plate, shako badge etc.

[horatio2]

With Portsmouth Battalion RND as Private at Antwerp, where he was taken prisoner on 9 October 1914. POW in Germany for the duration. Served 21 years to pension in 1935 and then recalled to RM service for six years in WW2 (NOT Home Guard).

His ADM 159 record  -   https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7853950  His Attestation Pack is (attestation, discharge and conduct papers, et al) is held in the archive of the Fleet Air Arm Museum (National Museum of the Royal Navy). They now offer a record copying service.

Edited 12 June , 2023 by horatio2

[horatio2]

The ICRC POW records indicate that he was a POW at CHEMNITZ and CZERSK.

https://grandeguerre.icrc.org/en/List/1882249/698/19869/

However, in a POW list published in  'The Times' on 21 December 1914 he was listed among the 888 RND men "officially notified as POWs at Gefangenlager DOEBERITZ".

Edited 12 June , 2023 by horatio2

[Niko]

That might put him at Moerbeke train station on 9 October 1914.

[horatio2]

5 hours ago, Niko said:

That might put him at Moerbeke train station on 9 October 1914.

Almost certainly. The Moerbeke action of Portsmouth Battalion is recorded on this link   -

 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89100004282&view=1up&seq=163&skin=2021     Chapter 10, pages 122-124

[LneryRHA]

Hi Guys

Thank you very much with data on Chinnery, I will apply for his attestation pack. You have backed what the typist told me back in the 1970's she was clearing out her aunt's house and remembered my interest in medals. In those days you noted what the family said, but with a pinch of salt. I was aware that some of RMLI crossed into Holland from Antwerp. Now I know he was a PoW and after the war remained with the RMLI and then recalled during WW2.  It is nice that I have his brother's Defence Medal which named.  I very grateful to you for the background information and a matter of interest these are the shooting medals: 

Royal Marines Rifle Association they are 1925 bar Duke of Edinburgh's, 1926 bar Duke of Edinburgh's (both silver), 1927 bar Aegean Cup small bronze, medal Royal Marines (PO) named Company Cup 'E' Company, 1927 as before Company Cup, bronze medal RTSMOU United Service Rifle meeting, bronze bar Tipnor 1927 Portsmouth Times ad bronze medal NRA Rifle club. They are named to PO17373 Cpl. B. W. Chinnery RM;