47 machine gun corps

[alacrity174]

Hi Guys I have a military medal to 46125 Pte James Thomas Smith 47/ M.G.C .

I have downloaded his MIC from the NA for his WW1 pair and MM which shows France and date of Gazette as 6.8.18 but I cannot find him on the London Gazette website via therir search engine am I doing something wrong?

As the medal is named 47 MGC is this the 47 Coy part of 47 Div? which I believe was a London Division or part of the Irish Brigade which what I was told when I accquired the medal. I suppose there is little chance of finding out any more about the circumstances for the award of the medal or even for what action awarded.

Any pointers or clues greatfully received

All the best

Yours in collecting

[Stebie9173]

You may well not be doing anything wrong.

The amount of blood, sweat and tears (and quite a few swear words)expended on the Gazette site is astounding.

It takes a pretty big stick to keep it behaving...

For a start it likes full stops between initials, and unless you're searching for a rare name (i.e. NOT Smith) you need to enter full initials (e.g. J. T. Smith, which gives 27 entries in this case)

London Gazette 6-8-1918 (Published 2-8-1918 - the LG search uses this date, not the 6th)

46125 L./C. J. T. Smith, M.G. Corps (Rotherhithe).

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...&selHonourType=

47 MGC was indeed attached to the 47th Division later in the War. Previously there would have been one MGC per Brigade of the Division, and before the MGC was formed in late 1915, MG units were part of Infantry Battalions)

An award around August 1918 would probably have referred t an action around April 1918 during the German Spring Offensive, though exceptions to "standard" delays from action to mention in the Gazette were not uncommon.

I have a pretty comprehensive list of LG entries for MMs for 1916 and 1917 to British units (approx. 48,000 entries) if you need to find any more.

Hope this helps,

Steve.

[alacrity174]

Thank you Steve I owe you a beer! Thanks for the tips about using the LG website and giving such a detaled reply.

As always this site provides the answer!

Kind regards to all