Help on medal card From William James Fry

[Monnaux]

Could someone please help me understand some of the inscription on the medal card attached.

This medal card is from my grandfather William James Fry who served with the 1st batalion East Surrey before and at the outbreak of WWI. He arrived in France on 11.9.1914

As the medal card shows, he was transfered to the Border Regiment.

My questions are the following:

In the "Remark" area, there are two inscriptions which I am not sure how to read : Tran 9.11.15 and blast (?) 103MM.

Does the inscription "Tran 9.11.15 give the date of his transfer to the Border Regiment?

What does the inscription blast 103mm mean?

I have seen my Grandfathers medals and the rims all carry the name of the East Surrey Regiment and his number therein. How was the choice of the name of the regiment to inscribe on the medal made? Would he have had a choice in the matter?

According to the Border Regiment Museum, My Grandfather was serving and wounded with the 1st Border regiment on the Somme and yet his Medal card mentiothe 3rd batalion othe Border regiment. WOuld a transfer from batalions within the Border regiment not be noted on the Medal Card?

Why was his remimental number in the East Surrey preceded by a L/ => L/10105?

What does the mention SUblist..... mean?

At the top of the card there is a x (footnote?) followed by the letters cpi or cpl. This x is repeted at two different places on the medal card, first next to the 1st East Surrey, then next to the number of the roll for his Victory medal. I know he was a Lance corporal during part of the war.

His Mons star mentions he was a private. The two other medals (British and Victory) mention he was a corporal.

Do the letters cpi cpl mean Corporal and if yes, why does it only refer to the East Surrey regiment and the Victory medal? Why not to the British War medal?

Finally, He was wounded a last time late in the war and discharged. I can't see any reference to his discharge on the card and I can't see any reference to the Silver War badge. Do you know a reason why this may be?

Thank you in advance for your help,

Gerald

Medal_Card_Grandad.doc

[Monnaux]

Grandad__s_medal_card.docI'm sorry I put the wrong attacment with my questions. Attached the actual medal card.

Gerald

[Stebie9173]

The SUb List reference is actually SWB = Silver War Badge. The reference next to it is to the SWB Roll which will give date enlisted, date discharged and unit discharged from.

The 1914 Star will have on it rank and unit when the soldier first set foot in France.

The VM/BWM have the highest substantive rank (i.e. Corporal, which is the cpi reference) attained and the FIRST unit served with overseas even if the soldier did not achieve the highest rank with that unit.

The x's tell the engraver which bits of the MIC to use on his medals. i.e. Cpl and 1st East Surrey and then his name on the VM & BWM.

With the 3rd Border Regiment being on the card that may be the unit he was discharged from.

I'm told the L/ prefix denotes Home Counties Regulars.

Hope this helps,

Steve.

P.S. Can't read the 2nd attachments, so can't give an opinion on the rest!

[Monnaux]

The SUb List reference is actually SWB = Silver War Badge. The reference next to it is to the SWB Roll which will give date enlisted, date discharged and unit discharged from.

The 1914 Star will have on it rank and unit when the soldier first set foot in France.

The VM/BWM have the highest substantive rank (i.e. Corporal, which is the cpi reference) attained and the FIRST unit served with overseas even if the soldier did not achieve the highest rank with that unit.

The x's tell the engraver which bits of the MIC to use on his medals. i.e. Cpl and 1st East Surrey and then his name on the VM & BWM.

With the 3rd Border Regiment being on the card that may be the unit he was discharged from.

I'm told the L/ prefix denotes Home Counties Regulars.

Hope this helps,

Steve.

P.S. Can't read the 2nd attachments, so can't give an opinion on the rest!

[Monnaux]

Grandad__s_medal_card.docI'm sorry I put the wrong attacment with my questions. Attached the actual medal card.

Gerald

Thank you very much for these usefull informations.

There is still the mention "'blast 103 MM" or "YY"(?) which I don't understand. I'm probably not reading it properly, though.

Thanks again,

Gerald

[Monnaux]

Thank you very much for these usefull informations.

There is still the mention "'blast 103 MM" or "YY"(?) which I don't understand. I'm probably not reading it properly, though.

Thanks again,

Gerald

I think I am not using this forum properly. If I'm not mistaken, the copy of the medal card has not been attached properly or can't be accessed. I will try again: