London Gazette

[Toms girl]

Good day all,

T have traced Ch.Yeo.Sig. Thomas Wallace in L.Gaz. Supplement

June 1918, and that he was was mentioned in despatches, but no trace

of why or what for, any ideas of how I can trace what was said?

Thank you 'Oh Wise Ones'

Regards

Margarette (aka Toms girl)

[Coldstreamer]

you may get a reason for the mention (other than say the standard bravery , devotion to duty etc) in his local paper

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Margarette

Researching naval awards is far more rewarding than their army equivalents! There tends to be a file giving the circumstances behind each award and those files were preserved by the historical department. Apart from that usually at the start of a naval Gazette entry there is a hint as to what the awards are for, if it follows gallantry medals it is often linked to those awards.

The original Admiralty correspondence (including recommendations for awards) was indexed by the Admiralty secretariat. The index of the 'in letters' is now ADM 12, at Kew. A recipient for an award will have an entry indexed under his surname. Sometimes an officer or rating appeared in a document that was digested (summarized) and that digest is also in ADM 12 (the digest reference will also be in the index).

For more details of the process see Spencer, William, Medals The Researcher's Companion (ISBN: 1903365635) and the research leaflet http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalog...?sLeafletID=380

He might have appeared in other correspondence too, but that would mean several years searching. Be warned these index volumes are HUGE.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Btw do you have a copy of his service register and have you checked whether there are any records for him at the Fleet Air Arm Museum? Horotio2 usually chips in to say whether there are. MIDs are usually noted on the register.