eviltaxman Posted 28 December , 2005 Share Posted 28 December , 2005 During my digging around for info on some men on a memorial, one is listed as receiving the MM. I've checked CWGC & SDGW, but neither show the MM. I've looked at the LG (for what it's worth) and come up empty. Does anyone out there have a bible that lists the recipients of the MM or a SLI "factfile" that can confirm that he received it? His details are....... Pte William Way, 27046, 7th Btn Somerset LI - KIA 14/2/18 F&F. Prev 21068 Devon Reg. Cheers, Les. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
butler Posted 30 December , 2005 Share Posted 30 December , 2005 At the NA I found there were 3 entries for him in the MIC. One shows him awarded a BWM and Victory pair, roll no, C/2/103B19 page 2365. The second was a reference to being metioned in despatches with a London Gazette of 11.12.17 and a page no 1026 although the page no was obscure. The third card was in the MM series but has been entered as an enquiry. Past of the writing I could not read but it ended "he was however'mentioned'" and gave a London Gazette date of 18.12.17. The card was ruled through and was not filled out as if he had received the medal. I could not find a copy of his service record. Sorry that this may not be the answer you had hoped for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 30 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2005 Butler, Thanks for taking the time for the look up.... sounds like it was "fun" Bottom line, it sounds like he was put up for the MM, but never issued it. He died in February 1918 (LG Dec 1917), so it is feasible that the MM was postumous, but again, never formally issued. Thanks again, Les. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 30 December , 2005 Share Posted 30 December , 2005 Les, I'll check my 1917 list (amended for corrections in the Gazettes to 31-12-1918) to see if the Gazette casts any light on it, but I do not have access to it at the moment. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 31 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2005 OK, cheers Steve. Les. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 2 January , 2006 Share Posted 2 January , 2006 No trace of a W. Way Someset Light Infantry through the 1916 and 1917 Gazettes. And definitely nothing in the 18-12-1917 Gazette. In fact there were only a few SLI MMs in the issue: 7012 Cpl. W. H. Jordan, Som. L.I (Penycraig). 15573 Pte. G. Denman, Som. L.I (Stoke-under-Ham). 29957 Cpl. F. E. Percival, Som. L.I (Bournemouth) 3/6849 Sjt. G. Watts, Som. L.I (Bedminster). 3289 Sjt. W. Morris, Som. L.I (Winchester). 27598 L/C. T. B. Prior, Som. L.I (Walthamstow). I would think that your thoughts on the MM are likely to be close to the truth.. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatspywar Posted 3 January , 2006 Share Posted 3 January , 2006 Hello Les, I have no info for you on the MM-quest, but whilst reading the topic I saw that you have a relative killed in Belgium. (In memory of Private Henry George BLATCHFORD, 40730, 6th Btn KOYLI. KIA 22/8/1917 age 40. Born in Devon, lived in Bristol, Died in Belgium. ) Do you have any additional info on him? A photograph perhaps? Kind regards, Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 3 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2006 Jan, Unfortunately I don't have a photo. It's one thing I wish I did have Henry Blatchford was my G-G-Grandfather..... my mums dad's dad's dad Henry was born to Eli - he (Eli) ran a pub here in Bristol but it's long since gone. The only thing I do have is a photo of his name on the memorial.... but that isn't to clear together with a shot of the panels on the wall. I suppose you've got anything? Les. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 3 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2006 Steve, Bit of a swine this one really. My guess is that he was put up for it, but it was never issued, especially as you've not been able to find it in the LG. I've been in touch with the local vicar - his church looks after the memorial from what I can tell - he may know if the family are still in the area and if so, might be able to put me in touch with them. But I'd feel really bad if it turned out that he wasn't due the MM after all these years. Best keep quiet I think. Thanks again, Les. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greatspywar Posted 3 January , 2006 Share Posted 3 January , 2006 Jan, Unfortunately I don't have a photo. It's one thing I wish I did have Henry Blatchford was my G-G-Grandfather..... my mums dad's dad's dad Henry was born to Eli - he (Eli) ran a pub here in Bristol but it's long since gone. The only thing I do have is a photo of his name on the memorial.... but that isn't to clear together with a shot of the panels on the wall. I suppose you've got anything? Les. Hello Les, I will look into this matter as soon as I can. Tomorrow morning hopefully! Kind regards, Jan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 3 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 3 January , 2006 Jan, Thanks. I doubt for moment you've got anything particular to him, but if you do, I would be very interested. Cheers, Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombowcock Posted 4 January , 2006 Share Posted 4 January , 2006 Jan, Thanks. I doubt for moment you've got anything particular to him, but if you do, I would be very interested. Cheers, Les Hi Les, The official history of the SLI during the 14-18 conflict has an appendix which gives the manes of those who were given various awards. Whilst it does show Pte W Way as having been mentioned in despatches, it makes no mention of a MM award. I'm not sure how definitive that list is but I would assume fairly accurate. Interestingly enough he isn't mentioned in my hard copy of SDGW for the 7th Bn SLI ? Not much help, but it seems to supports the theory that he was never "officially" awarded the MM. Cheers James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombowcock Posted 4 January , 2006 Share Posted 4 January , 2006 Sorry he was under the 7th Bn. As he was born in Dawlish and enlisted in torquay a search of the local papers in the local library may be a possibility. I could try looking in the Somerset papers next time I'm in Taunton, but I'm not sure that it would say much about a Devon man :-) Cheers James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 4 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2006 James, Thanks. what you've said backs up my suspicions.... he was put up for it, but it was never issued. I've got no chance of checking the local papers, as I'm in Bristol.... so 160 mile round trip is out of the question. Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John84 Posted 4 January , 2006 Share Posted 4 January , 2006 During my digging around for info on some men on a memorial, one is listed as receiving the MM. I've checked CWGC & SDGW, but neither show the MM. I've looked at the LG (for what it's worth) and come up empty. Does anyone out there have a bible that lists the recipients of the MM or a SLI "factfile" that can confirm that he received it? His details are....... Pte William Way, 27046, 7th Btn Somerset LI - KIA 14/2/18 F&F. Prev 21068 Devon Reg. Cheers, Les. Les, it seems Pte William Way was Mentioned in Dispatches, so perhaps this is the mix-up, probably put forward for the MM but was mentioned in dispatches instead. http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/archiveVi...&selHonourType= Sir Douglas Haig's Despatch of 7th November, submitting names deserving special intention, published in a Supplement to the London Gazette of Friday, 14th December, 1917: John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 4 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2006 John, Thanks for the confirmation. This is a mystery.... Below is a pic of his name on the memorial. Notice that the details as raised rather than etched...... maybe they'd consider filing down the "(MM)"? I still tempted to keep my mouth shut when it comes to letting the vicar (and family if they are still around) know. Les. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j.r.f Posted 4 January , 2006 Share Posted 4 January , 2006 LES Do yoy know that the Bristol Reference Library has copies of the london gazzete for the ww1 years.To make it easier they also have the indexes.If you wish to look at the actual cazzetes for the war years then make sure that you wear your hernia belt.The volumes are in exess of 4 inches thick. Good searching john. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 4 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2006 John, Thanks. I rang them a while ago asked if they had any LG records.... the answer was "Any of what?"... so I assumed they didn't. Now I know they do, I'll have to pop in a rifle through a few wedges! Cheers. Les. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMoorhouse Posted 4 January , 2006 Share Posted 4 January , 2006 Les, Having researched the battalion in some detail, I did not find any record of William Way being awarded the MM. He was killed by TM fire (battalion diary). The 7th Somersets were not a battalion that gave out a lot of medals - but in Feb 18 they had been rebuilt substantially after the German counter attack at Cambrai in Nov 17 and many recruits had come in from other Regiments. My research re the 7th Somersets will probably not be of that much help IF he was awarded the MM elsewhere. Brendon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 4 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2006 I decided to bite the bullet (so to speak) and downloaded the 3 entries he has at the NA. One is his MIC - nothing there out of the ordinary, one "MIC" that has Military Medal written at th etop and a few words wich I'm unsure about and another, that resembles the slips they used for MM, MID etc..... The "Military Medal" MIC is below..... Any ideas? Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 4 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2006 And here's the "MM" MIC.... if you know what I mean?!? Les. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tombowcock Posted 4 January , 2006 Share Posted 4 January , 2006 And here's the "MM" MIC.... if you know what I mean?!? Les. Hi Les, Looking through the London Gazette. According too the MM MIC it appeared in the LG for 11/12/1917 on page 13022. I've looked and can not find an LG page of 13022..get close but no cigar. I did However find an entry as follows:- Awarded Military Medal page 20434 - 11/12/1917 510433 - Spr W Way RE Interesting ? Cheers James Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 4 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2006 James, Very interesting! His MIC (below) only shows the Somersets. The surname Way isn't too unusual, but W Way MM ?!?!? What's even stranger, is that checking the online MICs for 510433, you get 3 hits - none of 'em called Way. Out of the 3, Sapper Henry B Winstone is number 510433 with the RE. Les. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eviltaxman Posted 4 January , 2006 Author Share Posted 4 January , 2006 (edited) I've "blown up" the MM MIC so you can see the details a little better...... I thought it read 13722 or 1322. Les. Edited 4 January , 2006 by eviltaxman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John84 Posted 4 January , 2006 Share Posted 4 January , 2006 James, Very interesting! His MIC (below) only shows the Somersets. The surname Way isn't too unusual, but W Way MM ?!?!? What's even stranger, is that checking the online MICs for 510433, you get 3 hits - none of 'em called Way. Out of the 3, Sapper Henry B Winstone is number 510433 with the RE. Les. Here is 510433 - Spr W Way RE royal engineers MM aand MIC at the NA....its not William I'm afraid. John http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...1&resultcount=2 http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...1&resultcount=2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now