Italian Bronze Al Valore Militare 7061 Sgt Marston S. R. 4 Sqdn 1st Wing RFC

[Clive ex RAF plumber]

Hi All, I recently purchased the above medal from a renowned auction house:

1. The medal was engraved as stated above, this I believe would have been done privately as they were issued unnamed is my assumption correct?

2. When checking the Gazette Entry for September 1918 I noted Sgt S R Marston was listed as being in the RFC and not the RAF as he would have been in September 1918.  Is this because at the time of the action for which he was awarded the medal the unit he was in was actually still the RFC and not RAF?

3. Anybody any ideas as to where I should start searching for the citation for the award and for what period it is likely to have been awarded I know 4 Squadron were heavily involved at Messines, 3rd Ypres and the March retreat.  By the way Sgt. S R Marston's trade was Wireless Operator.

Many thanks in advance.

Regards

Clive                       

[Gunner 87]

2 hours ago, Clive ex RAF plumber said:

Hi All, I recently purchased the above medal from a renowned auction house:

1. The medal was engraved as stated above, this I believe would have been done privately as they were issued unnamed is my assumption correct?

2. When checking the Gazette Entry for September 1918 I noted Sgt S R Marston was listed as being in the RFC and not the RAF as he would have been in September 1918.  Is this because at the time of the action for which he was awarded the medal the unit he was in was actually still the RFC and not RAF?

3. Anybody any ideas as to where I should start searching for the citation for the award and for what period it is likely to have been awarded I know 4 Squadron were heavily involved at Messines, 3rd Ypres and the March retreat.  By the way Sgt. S R Marston's trade was Wireless Operator.

Many thanks in advance.

Regards

Clive                       

Hello Clive.

This article was in 'The Liverpool Echo', Monday May 13, 1918. Doesn't take you a great deal further but maybe of some interest.

Gunner

Courtesy of Find My Past Newspapers. 

[Clive ex RAF plumber]

6 minutes ago, Gunner 87 said:

Hello Clive.

This article was in 'The Liverpool Echo', Monday May 13, 1918. Doesn't take you a great deal further but maybe of some interest.

Gunner

Courtesy of Find My Past Newspapers. 

Thanks Gunner I now know where he was employed before the war and that his award was in the newspapers well before September 1918.  Thanks once again Clive 

[charlie962]

I wonder if he was in the air or on the ground?

4 Squadron may have been doing artillery observation. He could have been doing the liaison at a Brigade HQ or higher unit.

Edited 1 February by charlie962

[Clive ex RAF plumber]

3 minutes ago, charlie962 said:

I wonder if he was in the air or on the ground?

He was a Sergeant Mechanic , his trade was Wireless Operator and unit 4 Squadron which was an RE8 squadron, I would assume he was on the ground and possibly working with a gun battery. Regards Clive

[Gunner 87]

I'm sure you are aware but as it's not immediately obvious on his RFC / RAF record Sidney was in the Royal Engineers prior to transferring to the Air Force.

Attached Medal Index Card and 1914-1915 Star Roll.

Gunner 

Images courtesy of Ancestry. 

[Clive ex RAF plumber]

1 minute ago, Gunner 87 said:

I'm sure you are aware but as it's not immediately obvious on his RFC / RAF record Sidney was in the Royal Engineers prior to transferring to the Air Force.

Attached Medal Index Card and 1914-1915 Star Roll.

Gunner 

Images courtesy of Ancestry. 

Yes, I found a copy of his MIC on Forces War Records it was just a pity his 1914/15 trio wasn't for sale with his Al Valore Militare, the auction house had his miniatures but no mention of his full size medals,  Regards Clive

[michaelpi]

Looking at this list of other Bronze Medal receipients at this time, they seem to be awards for general good work. And no specific citations.

https://miles.forumcommunity.net/?t=50171480

 

[Clive ex RAF plumber]

12 minutes ago, michaelpi said:

Looking at this list of other Bronze Medal receipients at this time, they seem to be awards for general good work. And no specific citations.

https://miles.forumcommunity.net/?t=50171480

 

Thanks Michael the site quotes 'talian Honours for R.P.C.
It was announced in a Supplement to the London Gazette of September 12th
that the following decorations have been conferred by the King of Italy for distinguished services rendered in the course of the campaign'.  What do you think they mean by 'rendered in the course of the campaign' probably a bad translation and means in the course of the war but as you say it was awarded for good work and therefore no citation, recipients being determined by the various wings and squadrons.  Many thanks for the above Clive

[Keith_history_buff]

Here's the London Gazette
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30895/supplement/10743

[Keith_history_buff]

There's a fair few people on that listing

 

[Clive ex RAF plumber]

22 minutes ago, Keith_history_buff said:

There's a fair few people on that listing

 

Keith,  I would love to know how it was organised between the different countries my belief is they just gave batches of medals to each other, with the recipient country determining who they awarded them to, some have citations others not but where the citations are actually held I've no idea.  Regards Clive