East Lancs Regiment - MIC

[Guest TinaB]

Help appreciated with following text - I think two medals were awarded, which would appear to have been returned, but can anyone tell me what the (1743 KR 1912) 8149/Adt might mean?

Many thanks in advance.

[PPCLI]

Hi Tina,

The following is taken from replies (credit due to GavinH and Papineau) to a similar query a few weeks ago:

KR 1743: "Medals which, at the end of 10 years, still remain unclaimed, will be sent to the India Office (if granted for Indian Service), or to the deputy director of ordnance stores, Royal Dockyard (Medal Branch), Woolwich (if granted for other service) to be broken up."

It normally relates to an issue of medals to an address that was no longer current, and so the medals were returned as 'undeliverable' and kept in stock until claimed. Many never were. You used to be able to claim them if you were next of kin, but that is no longer possible.

Hope this helps,

Stuart

[Guest TinaB]

Hi Tina,

The following is taken from replies (credit due to GavinH and Papineau) to a similar query a few weeks ago:

KR 1743: "Medals which, at the end of 10 years, still remain unclaimed, will be sent to the India Office (if granted for Indian Service), or to the deputy director of ordnance stores, Royal Dockyard (Medal Branch), Woolwich (if granted for other service) to be broken up."

It normally relates to an issue of medals to an address that was no longer current, and so the medals were returned as 'undeliverable' and kept in stock until claimed. Many never were. You used to be able to claim them if you were next of kin, but that is no longer possible.

Hope this helps,

Stuart

Stuart, thanks for taking the time to reply, this helps in clearing up another piece of the puzzle. Not sure if I'll ever discover which battalion he served with or where he was held POW and for how long - if anyone can help I would be very grateful.

Tina

[CROONAERT]

Not sure if I'll ever discover which battalion he served with or where he was held POW and for how long - if anyone can help I would be very grateful.

Give us a clue then Tina!

Who was he and what was his number?

Dave.

[Guest TinaB]

Hope this helps. Wesley Mylchreest was my Great Uncle, Private in East Lancs No 235299. Manx resident, not sure where/when he enlisted or where posted. We know he was PoW, but he never spoke of it, so we don't know where or for how long he was held. Any help given appreciated.

His youngest brother, Herbert, was killed at Battle of Pilkem Ridge in Ypres on 31 July 1917 aged 22, serving with The Kings Liverpool Regiment, 18th Bn (2nd Liverpool Pals), commemorated on Menin Gate.

Thanks

Tina.

[CROONAERT]

Tina.

Just for starters, judging by his number, and the fact that he didn't serve overseas prior to January 1916, I'd hazard a (very educated ) guess at him being part of the 4th Bn East Lancs and being a 1917 enlistment in them (unless another MIC also exists for him?). Their main area of recruitment (until about mid 1915) was the Blackburn and district area, but after this, recruits came from almost anywhere and could enlist locally to themselves.

dave.

[Guest TinaB]

Dave

Thanks for the very prompt reply - when you say you reckon he didn't serve overseas prior to Jan 1916, is this due to the type of medal he was awarded?

T.

[CROONAERT]

Dave

Thanks for the very prompt reply - when you say you reckon he didn't serve overseas prior to Jan 1916, is this due to the type of medal he was awarded?

T.

Yes. If he'd have served overseas prior to 1st January 1916, he would also have been awarded the 1914-15 Star along with his BWM and Victory medal. In addition, due to the fact that he only has a post March 1917 TF number , I'd say he didn't serve prior to 1917 (if he had served before 1917, he'd also have had a 4 digit number in evidence on his MIC).

In other words, the earliest that he could have served, judging by his number and medal allocation, is 1st March 1917 (assuming, of course, that I am correct with my battalion "diagnosis"!)

Dave.

[Guest TinaB]

Thanks for that Dave. Am I right in thinking the next port of call for info and to confirm his battalion, etc would be the NA, armed with his roll/page number?

It is interesting that if he enrolled in 1917 he would have been aged 24 and his younger brother was KIA in that year.

Also, is there any way of tracing where he would have been held POW?

Many thanks

T.

[CROONAERT]

Am I right in thinking the next port of call for info and to confirm his battalion, etc would be the NA, armed with his roll/page number?

...or Fulwood barracks in preston, whichever is nearest - they also hold a copy of the medal rolls for the East lancs. You are almost certain to get confirmation of the battalion from this.

Dave.

[Guest TinaB]

Dave, many thanks for info on Fulwood barracks. I have been in touch with them, they are sending me a form for completion to enable to progress further. Will keep you posted as/when I get any more.

Best regards

Tina