MM awards...what for?

[markinbelfast]

I've a couple of bits and pieces to soldiers who have awarded WW1 MM's..Whats the chance other than in newpapers could I find out what they were awarded for?

Sorry if this is a bit old hat!

Mark

[John_Hartley]

Mark

You may well find something in the relevent War Diary. However, in my experience, the local newspaper is probably best bet for MM info, followed by "official" Battalion histories.

John

[Ken Lees]

Mark,

Why not post the soldiers' details here. You just never know, someone on the list might know something that will unlock the mysteries.

Good luck,

Ken

[Yorts]

MM citations for certain units survive in full (e.g. Tank Corps) or for certain nationalities (e.g. the CEF). If you have any MM winners to either of these units then post here and we'll see what we can do. Other individuals may be able to provide citations for other units, or at least give abetter indication of where the award was won (I can do this for RM).

Rgds,

Alex.

[Staffsyeoman]

Very much a shot in the dark for British soldiers as citations weren't preserved, and references in war diaries are erratic. Likewise, don't build up too many expectations for newspapers - using MGC men from my corner of SE London, as the lists lengthened later in the war, the references tended to tail off to reiteration of lists with occasional photographs of recipients.

Would that we had done what the Australians did - preserved ALL recommendations, successful or not.

It would be interesting to poll the forum to see which (British) units did subsequently preserve and/or publish MM citations. The Tank Corps had a whole book of Honours and Awards, which simplifies the task.