Inchmeaders Posted 6 December , 2023 Share Posted 6 December , 2023 My grandfathers service record shows that he had a ‘gallantry medal’ - does anyone know how I can find out what it was for? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 6 December , 2023 Admin Share Posted 6 December , 2023 It really helps if we have a name to work with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RNCVR Posted 6 December , 2023 Share Posted 6 December , 2023 @Inchmeaders If you post his service record & his name, number, Regiment etc that would be quite helpful in assisting you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchmeaders Posted 6 December , 2023 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2023 Douglas Cordingley Service Number 18674 Rank Driver Regt Royal Field Artillery Attached to 280th Brigade, 56th London Territorial Division In Arras & Cambrai areas from late 1917- Jan 1919 Ended war as a Don.R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 6 December , 2023 Admin Share Posted 6 December , 2023 His medal index card shows entitlement to War and Victory medals. (What is a Don. R?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchmeaders Posted 6 December , 2023 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2023 Thanks. I see where I’ve gone wrong - I was looking at the Category in which the medal index cards are found. A Don.R was an army term for a Despatch Rider. I’m learning as I go along….. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin Michelle Young Posted 6 December , 2023 Admin Share Posted 6 December , 2023 MIC (courtesy of Ancestry) attached Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchmeaders Posted 6 December , 2023 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2023 Thank you very much, greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 6 December , 2023 Share Posted 6 December , 2023 2 hours ago, Inchmeaders said: Douglas Cordingley Service Number 18674 Rank Driver Regt Royal Field Artillery Just so it shows up on future searches - his number appears to have been 186746 M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchmeaders Posted 6 December , 2023 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2023 Oops. Yes it was. Must have missed it off thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 6 December , 2023 Share Posted 6 December , 2023 3 hours ago, Inchmeaders said: My grandfathers service record shows that he had a ‘gallantry medal’ Are you sure he had a gallantry award? What do you think he might have been awarded? Nothing showing up at TNA or at London Gazette under CORDINGLEY, 186746 [though the LG is notoriously challenging to navigate] ??? M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchmeaders Posted 6 December , 2023 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2023 No - with the help of Michelle Young (see above) I realised I’d been mistaken. Thank you for looking for me though. Do you know if each soldier had a personal record of his service detailing actions, wounds etc? Sorry if I’m asking obvious questions but I’m very new to this. I find TNA very laborious never mind the London Gazette. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 6 December , 2023 Share Posted 6 December , 2023 (edited) 27 minutes ago, Inchmeaders said: Do you know if each soldier had a personal record of his service detailing actions, wounds etc? Originally they did [though not listing actions] but during WW2 the storage warehouse was bombed and the majority of men's Service Records were burnt and only a small proportion were recovered even though fire/smoke/water damaged. Those few that survived are now typically available through Ancestry and Mind my Past [TNA Records WO 363 I believe] M Edit: For a number of men who survived the war, but who claimed disability pensions, copy parts of their Army SR were held elsewhere at the Ministry of Pensions and from these MoP elements partial records of service were reconstructed/are still available - at Ancestry these are indexed as 'Pension Records' [WO 364 at TNA I believe] For a small proportion of soldiers who continued their service after the war the MoD retained their SR, incl GW service - these are now being transferred to TNA but are available on request. The LLT have a good guide to researching a soldier https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier Edited 6 December , 2023 by Matlock1418 edit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 6 December , 2023 Admin Share Posted 6 December , 2023 It is not ‘ Don 3 hours ago, Inchmeaders said: Thanks. I see where I’ve gone wrong - I was looking at the Category in which the medal index cards are found. A Don.R was an army term for a Despatch Rider. I’m learning as I go along….. It’s not ‘Don.R but ‘Dvr’ I.e. Driver This earlier thread has an image of Drivers in the RFA We always recommend if new to researching soldiers of the Great War that you look at the Long Long Trail website link top right. 40 minutes ago, Inchmeaders said: No - with the help of Michelle Young (see above) I realised I’d been mistaken. Thank you for looking for me though. Do you know if each soldier had a personal record of his service detailing actions, wounds etc? Sorry if I’m asking obvious questions but I’m very new to this. I find TNA very laborious never mind the London Gazette. The service records of soldiers of the Great War were stored in a Warehouse at Arnside Street which was bombed in the Blitz it is estimated less than two fifths, the burnt records survive. A set of records were at the Ministry of Pensions, these are referred to as the pension records. https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/the-1940-fire-at-arnside-street/ You are very fortunate in that his service record has survived. Acommercial traveller he attested under the Derby or Group Scheme on the 11th December 1915. The day the Scheme initially closed. He was mobilised on the 7th January 1917. He was posted to the BEF in September 1917 joining a Battery in the Field on the 23 rd September unfortunately the Battery (280?) is indistinct. He was wounded and admitted to Hospital at Etaples on 30.9.1918. There was a Court of Enquiry as it seems he was injured by a buried German hand grenade. His record is Here on Find My Past if you subscribe, also on Ancestry. A very interesting record as it has details of his injury and earlier his appeal at the Local Tribunal and his sought for exemption from military service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Inchmeaders Posted 6 December , 2023 Author Share Posted 6 December , 2023 Thanks for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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