Michael Johnson

No 'arm in asking...

North Midland Divisional Train Army Service Corps Divisional Trains and Supply Columns were different units (my grandfather was in the 3rd Canadian Divisional Train 1916).

Peter, as you may know a number of Oakville men ended up with the Rileys and some were lost at Dieppe. I have some copies of Oakville Record Star articles dealing with the raid and circumstances of death of at least one (you already know the effect it had on Brantford).

I think this might be what you're looking for: http://mapage.noos.fr/lasabretache/joyeux.htm

A cigarette butt - Canadian Army WO (a bit rushed going on parade?)

Not all of it was, Ed. I know that my notes on the S.E. Asia clasp to the G.S.M. seemed to have been incorporated entirely, plus notes on several other clasps to both the G.S.M. and I.G.S. medals.

From the description: That's a helluva way to refer to His Majesty King George VI.

I just landed an India General Service Medal 1936, with the NWF 1936-37 clasp to the 3-1 Punjab Regt. It was shown as named to 11708 SEPOY KARAM DAD KHAN 3-1 PUNJAB R Now as is my custom, I ran him with CWGC, and was returned "no records". Fortunately I thought back to my 9th Cavalry group to L/Dfr. Ghulam Rasoul Khan, and the naming of the later medals. I ran "KARAM DAD", and bingo, there he was, still a Sepoy, still with the 3-1 Punjab, November 30, 1941, aged 27. A casualty of the Battle of the Libyan Omar. And next-of-kin in Pakistan, so I have no qualms adding the WWII medals. And I've got my Africa Star group that I needed to complete my set. Khan is an honorific, and may not show on a search.

And unfortunately, I've found IGS 1895s "upgraded" the same way.

There is an excellent history of 426th Squadron post-war: http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/books/item/b...r+Peace+-+Books It's about 3 inches thick. Well worth ordering.

Radar Operators School - Clinton turned out the personnel who (wo)manned the Pinetree Line of radar stations. http://www.pinetreeline.org/articles/resartf.html

Not from government sources - there is a 120-year limitation on personal information. My mother's cousin was killed in 1918, and his file won't be open until 2015! His uncle's only came open in 2004.

The letter has it correctly: Air Crew Europe Star and France and Germany clasp. However, the medal issue slip makes it clear that the order picker misread his/her instructions and grabbed a France and Germany Star instead. Fortunately this is recorded on the slip. So it's perfectly pukka, if not regulation. And since they're not going to be worn on parade, who cares about the regulations?

Larry, what's his Korea service? Most R.C.A.F. types didn't qualify for the Queen's Korea (didn't get past Japan). Exchange pilots with the U.S.A.F. got it, maybe some serving as Army Co-op. He might have been 426 Transport Squadron. I'll have to check at home.

Here's the answer: http://swansongrp.com/ara_cards.html Doesn't help identifying the ship, though.

Hendrik, I used those terms to distinguish between the Second and First classes. It would probably be more precise to use "silver-gilt" and "gilt" for the two classes.

The second issue was awarded 12 ao?t 1939 - 5 juin 1953, so only 14 years, and only two classses (Or was created March 28, 1977). So I would guess that every recipient, practically speaking, would have had wartime service. I wonder if the cheminots who were shot by the Germans, or died in Germany after deportation were awarded the medal after Liberation. Unfortunately I have yet to find a complete roll of SNCF war dead. http://www.memorial-genweb.org/html/fr/index.php3 does have some SNCF memorials, but not for all regions yet. I have found names that match a couple of my medals on other memorials, but have no way of knowing if they are the same men or not.

I wonder if the Department had run out of France and Germany bars, and so issued the medal instead. Or whether the clerk was unaware that the A.C.E. and France and Germany Stars can't be worn together.

I vaguely remember an officer's memoirs, where after witnessing a conspicuous act of gallantry on the part of one of his men, he told the man "I'm putting you in for a D.C.M.!" only to have the shocked soldier protest "But Sir! I didn't do anything wrong!" There have always been more District Court Martials than Distinguished Conduct Medals.

Perhaps by analogy to the M?daille d'Honneur du Travail, it is an addition to the M?daille d'Or. The website doesn't mention a palme, but it is there in the photo of the classe d'or: http://france-phaleristique.com/chemfer4tar.htm I think maybe it is to help distinguish between the vermeil (gilt) and or (gold) classes.

The Class C was also given for service in Canada. My grandfather received it after being invalided in 1916.

Yes, it is. 5.8 cm (about 2.5") and quite heavy. As you can see, they were issued named. Yes, that is the English translation of "Defense Passive".

And the reverse: [attachmentid=58550] When you consider that over 800,000 French civilians were killed in the war, these people were very busy.

Many thanks to Djedj for facilitating this one for me. I love this art deco medal. The Commemorative Medal, bar Defense Passive wasn't authorized until 1949. [attachmentid=58549]

Well, here's what a 104th grenade looks like (copy or no) http://cgi.ebay.ca/BENGAL-FUSILIERS-104TH-...1QQcmdZViewItem And here's the Northumberland Fusiliers http://www.arbeia.demon.co.uk/srs/collect/...s/nmbr/nmbr.htm I'd go with the 104th, as the flames seem lower, plus the badge does not appear to be voided. The location of the units in that period might decide the issue.