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Remembered Today:

SWB Missing From MIC


snminc

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Greetings to all,

I've recently downloaded my Grandfathers MIC, He's listed as being eligible for the Victory, British & 1915 Star medals but there's no mention of a Silver War Badge.

The Remarks box states Div: 392 (XVI) 1-1-18, which I believe means he was discharged from service on 1st of January 1918.

Any ideas why the SWB isn't mentioned?

Many thanks in advance

Scott

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Many Thanks for the swift replies.

My Grandfather's name is Francis Harrison, Durham Light Infantry (T) Pay No 1699, then Royal Engineers Pay No 148580.

How would I find his SWB record card?

Would I be right in assuming the DLI (T) would be a Teritorrial regiment?

Any ideas why he was given a new pay number when transferring to the RE?

Thanks again,

Scott

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Scott,

I've had a quick try at finding any other cards for this man, sometimes only an initial is used. No luck I'm afraid.

Yes, DLI(T) would indicate a Territorial battalion within the regiment. The MIC will point to specific medal roll pages, presumably in RE medal rolls. These, specifically the British War & Victory Medal roll should record a battalion number.

The reason his regimental number changed is quite simple, he changed regiment, whether compulsorily or by request is unknowable from his MIC and medal rolls.

His service papers, if they survive, may help answer that one.

This may be a dumb question, but do you know he had a Silver War Badge?

Regards

Farmer

PS

have a look on the parent site here for a start:-

http://www.1914-1918.net/dli.htm

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Greetings to all,

I've recently downloaded my Grandfathers MIC, He's listed as being eligible for the Victory, British & 1915 Star medals but there's no mention of a Silver War Badge.

The Remarks box states Div: 392 (XVI) 1-1-18, which I believe means he was discharged from service on 1st of January 1918.

Any ideas why the SWB isn't mentioned?

Many thanks in advance

Scott

Scott

The Silver War Badge had to be applied for and wasn't issued automatically, in this instance despite qualifying for one perhaps he simply didn't apply. No application, No SWB.

Steve

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Many thanks to all for their advice

I've tried to upload the record card in question, Can anyone decipher the medal roll numbers please?

Farmer,

I'm not sure if my grandfather every applied for a SWB but i have a copy of a certificate which reads "No 148580 Sapr Francis Harrison Royal Engineers Served with honour and was disabled in the Great War. Honourably discharged on 1st January 1918

George R J"

So I know he was invalided out of war. I'm assuming he must have been badly injured to be discharged as I thought the army we're running out of men by 1918.

My Grandfather was a miner before the war so I think he may have been transferred to the RE for tunneling duties. Which would have been a blow since he gave up mining after being trapped by a cave in.

Thanks again to all

post-16770-1163627710.jpg

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Scott,

The numbers refer to the specific page for each roll. Note the x with four dots tused to signify which details are to be impressed on the medals, 1699, DLI. These used as they refer to the unit he served with when first entering a theatre of war.

Farmer

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Thanks Farmer,

Does the roll column refer to which regiment of the RE my grandfather was serving with? It's not very clear on the scaned image. I think the Victory & British medal Roll column reads something like RE/101 ?81 whereas the 1915 star reads RE/6C

It must be confusing having a sapper on the Royal Engineers medal roll who has his medals engraved as the DLI.

Thanks again,

Scott

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It must be confusing having a sapper on the Royal Engineers medal roll who has his medals engraved as the DLI.

This happens all the time with almost every Regiment.

The medals are always named to the first Regiment the soldier saw service with. There are examples of men serving with 5 or 6 Regiments, they are on their last Regiments medal roll but their medals are named to their first Regiment.

Does that help at all?

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Scott,

Generally (how I hate using that word) the roll will confirm the battalion of an infantryman. The Corps rolls (RE, RFA etc) are less likely to identify a specific unit.

Of the 5 first line TF battalions of the DLI 1/5th landed in France on 18/4/15, 1/6th, 1/7th 1/8th and 1/9th landed in France about 17/4/15. So he could have been in any of these 5 battalions. The dates come from British Regiments 1914-1918 by EA James.

Regards

Farmer

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My thanks to all for their continued wisdom.

I'm endeavouring to have a burnt archieves search carried out and will post back if anything new is discovered.

Regards,

Scott

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Farmer,

When you wrote "1/6th, 1/7th 1/8th and 1/9th landed in France about 17/4/15" would I be right in thinking the 1/6th refers to the 6th Battalion and if so what does the 1/ signify?

I've recently learned the 6th Battalion were based in Bishop Auckland which is the nearest large town to where my grandfather was living in the 1901 census.

Thanks,

Scott

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Scott,

At the outbreak of war all TF battalions formed a second line battalion, and so the 6th (TF) Bn became 1/6th (TF) to signify first line, 2/6th signified second line. In time third line battalions were added as many second line went overseas.

See here on the parent site: -

http://www.1914-1918.net/dli.htm

Regards

Hugh

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Many thanks for your continued assistance Hugh,

I've managed to download the "Story of the 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry, France, April 1915 - November 1918" and it's been very informative.

Still waiting for a copy of Francis's service papers (If they exist)

Scott

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