Grenadier Guards / Blackburn / How I spent Sunday!

[Max (UK)]

Hello everyone

A couple of weeks ago, thanks to help from wonderful people, I confirmed that my Great Grandad won a Military Medal :-

The London Gazette entry for 16th July 1918 is as follows :-

26621 Pte. D. McEvoy, G.Gds (Blackburn)

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So, I drove up to Blackburn on Sunday - I was SO excited. I'd actually been dreaming about finding the article in one of the papers. How great it would be to find what he did to win the medal and even better if there was a photo.

Arrived at 10am sharp - doing well considering that was a 3.5 hour journey from Reading, Berkshire.

So I spent Remembrance Sunday looking through April to September of the 1918 Blackburn Times, Blackburn Evening News and Northern Times papers.

I think of all the learning I've done of World War I, it was the most educational and interesting day I have had yet.

Putting aside the "quest" - I was fascinated by reading the papers of that time. The adverts for remedies, rationing, clothing, politics - life at that time - fascinating stuff.

But more so, the sheer volume of death announcements. Most of the papers were weekly.....and I was shocked by how a relatively small town like Blackburn had so many local boys killed. I knew that the cost of WWI was very high, but seeing all those faces and reading about them.....boy, that was terrible.

I thought to myself that I couldn't have spent Remembrance Sunday in a more decent way, than looking at each picture and reading each name of those lost.

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Anyway, I also saw the Military Medal awards notices. Most (about 90%) did seem to have a photograph of the soldier, along with a bit of text.

Unfortunately, I found nothing about my Great Grandad.

So, I have some questions if someone can help, please :-

1. Were all Military Medal awards published in the local papers?

Is it possible that it could have been missed?

Or might it not have been printed until much later?

2. I noticed whilst looking through the papers that there was a distinct lack of reports pertaining to Grenadier Guards. I read that their records were stored separately to other service records........I wondered if medal awards may have been published in a different way? Is there something different about Guards regiments? ( only asking because of the separate storage of the service records )

3. Does anyone know if the Regimental HQ at Birdcage Walk would hold info about how the Military Medal was won ?

Thanks for your help.

Even though I didn't find what I was looking for, it was great to see the town where my family came from ( I really liked it ) and looking at those newspapers was certainly educational and an eye-opener.

[cockney tone]

Max,

just to let you know that a friend of mine researched his Great Uncle and last year the Museum in Birdcage Walk was very helpful to him and had a copy of the Great Uncles 'papers' which they provided photocopies off. (My friend was a Police Officer at Buck House which may have helped of course)

On the subject of newspapers another friend of mine uses the Newspaper Library in Colindale, North London for researching his local village from Wales, might be worth a visit there for info.

Good luck with your quest,

regards,

Scottie.

[Max (UK)]

just to let you know that a friend of mine researched his Great Uncle and last year the Museum in Birdcage Walk was very helpful to him and had a copy of the Great Uncles 'papers' which they provided photocopies off. (My friend was a Police Officer at Buck House which may have helped of course)

Thanks Scottie - I will write to them this week then.

On the subject of newspapers another friend of mine uses the Newspaper Library in Colindale, North London for researching his local village from Wales, might be worth a visit there for info.

I've never even heard of the Newspaper Library - wow - that is great, thanks for the reference. I'll look them up today and see if I can go there.

Good luck with your quest,

regards,

Scottie.

Thanks Scottie.