Michael Johnson

There's quite a story with this group. Five medals, bought from four different sources. I bought the Star, then was told that a shop had "maybe an M.S.M." Then after a time I found the N.G.S. on Gene Ursual's list. Then I kicked myself for getting deeper into a broken group. One evening I was at a friend's and he mentioned s dealer was trying to get hold of me, and was I interested in a pair to an Asistant Surgeon?

Assistant Surgeon Asquith, Indian Medical Department. He was on R.I.M.S. Minto for the Persian Gulf. He was still there during the first part of the war, sometimes ashore at telegraph stations in the Gulf. Then France and Belgium to mid 1915. Mesopotamia and Egypt. No sign of an I.G.S. or G.S.M. in his war services (no G.S.M. on his Medal card). On reason I am also sure he doesn't have an I.G.S. is the replacement suspender on his L.S.G.C. At the time he was awarded it, the medal had a non-swivel scroll suspender, and that would have been very difficult to break. My guess is that he wanted it to match his Naval G.S. and B.W.M.

The Naval G.S. is renamed, and the rank has been corrected (or perhaps "adjusted" is more correct. to 2nd Cl Asst. Sgn. which he didn't make until the 1920s. Those and the Star are all impressed in the same

I was just googling the other day, and what turned up? More on Asquith.

He was born in Lahore, where his father was also born (in 1864). Educated Bishop Cotton School Simla (the Indian Eton). He was recalled in the Second War, being promoted Lieutenant (Senior Assistant Surgeon), Captain and Major.

In 1940 he is shown as British Military Hospital Belgaum

Released 1946.

So I have to mount two more medals. ;)

Silver definitely rules out anything but Militia and Volunteers. If I still had my copy of Kipling and King it would be an easy matter.

That I don't remember. I am thinking maybe Armenian since he was christain. Maybe Kurdish. He spoke good English, Arabic, Farsi, and German. It was a long time ago, but I am still tryin to find the story in my files. The story says it all.

Assyrian is a possibility, as many of them are Christians. When the Iraqis tried to take R.A.F. Station Habbiniyah in 1941, it was in part due to the heroism of the Assyrian Levies that the British were able to hold out.

Michael

Very interesting, Bernhard.

I wonder how many of us had relatives at Verdun? My great uncle Capitaine Marcel Verzieux was wounded there June 14, 1916 with the 2/13eme Compagnie, 3eme Régiment de Génie.

Michael

Chris,

If you post the name/number for the first war medals you never know what relationship might appear between the two men.

Fortunately there is no D. Charles on the 6 SWB roll for the GSM bar S.E. Asia 1945-46.

Michael

His number indicates that he first enlisted into the South Wales Borderers. The 6th Battalion of the SWB served in Burma with 72nd Bde. 36th Division. Later 71 Infantry Brigade, 26^th Division).

http://www.burmastar...uk/sthwales.htm

Since that was pre-digital, I will have to scan the photos.

Interestingly enough, Stormont was purchased by Aristotle Onassis and converted to a luxury yacht. After his death the Royal Hellenic Navy took it over as H.H.M.S. Achilles. Gib had a phot of it sent to him by the Greek Captain.

^{Years ago I had the privilege of mounting the medals of my late father's partner, then Mr. Justice Wesley Gibson Gray, late R.C.N.V.R. (served H.M.C.S. Stormont) He had the 1939-45, France and Germany Star with Atlantic bar, C.V.S.M. and clasp, War Medal - and the Soviet 40th Anniversary Medal. I took some pictures, but I'm not sure whether I have a reverse shot of the last.}

I have a couple of BWMs to Canadians who were with the Canadian War Graves Detachment. Looking at the War Diary, it is amazing how much time they spent in sports, usually working in the mornings and then having the afternoons for matches. I wonder if this was deliberate to keep them from thinking too much about their work.

http://data2.collectionscanada.ca/e/e063/e001550678.jpg

It could also be dangerous work.

He was awarded the Second Afghan Medal and forfeited it for some unknown reason. The medal roll doesn't have any additional information. There don't appear to be any service records.

And a detail shot.

This is one I gave my wife, whose father was from Newfoundland.

A very well made lady's compact, with powder dispenser, and slots for coins.

Hopefully her man was one of those who returned. I've been to Beaumont-Hamel.

Michael

I am unaware of any account, written or oral, stating the C.D. could physically replace previously awarded LSGC awards, by that I mean the Efficiency Medal would be physically removed from the rack and replaced by a CD with bar(s).

This my tie into a family mystery. My uncle was Queen's Rangers, then joined 400 Squadron when it was formed in the mid-1930s. He joined the Active R.C.A.F. in 1939, and went Permanent Force in 1945. His medals, as given me by my aunt as mounted are: CVSM, War Medal, 1953 Coronation, CD (first type). Thus I was amazed to find in his service record that he was awarded the Efficiency Medal in 1934. My aunt vaguely remembered him wearing a green ribbon on his uniform.

His record of service is confusing as his Army service is variously reported, including Cadet service. I'm not sure he had enough service for an Efficiency in 1934, but there is no annotation of the award being cancelled. There was anothe William Hamilton who served in 400 Sqn. but he was Permanent Force, so would not qualify for the Efficiency. It looks like they reckoned his service from 1939, and so awarded him a CD in 1951. He was killed in an accident in 1957, just prior to retirement, so no clasp.

Ancestry shows a Sub-Lt. Robert D.S. Crosse entitled to a First War Trio, sent to HMS Comus.

His confidential reports and service record are available from National Archives here: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=first_name%3drobert%7clast_name%3dcrosse&catid=33&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=*

According to Ancestry he married twice, and died in 1967. He retired as a Commander and was latterly a company director.

OBE Jan 1, 1945 http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36866/supplements/8

Make of this what you will: http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/38366/pages/4318

1. The flag with the hand above was issued to those who served in Algeria in the 1950s and early 60s. And a very nasty war that one was.

2. 45th Engineers (lent to the French Air Force, hence the wings) 1955-1980, 1993-96

3. UNIFIL French contingent

There is something to be said about recognition for the "scope dopes" who worked the Pinetree, Mid-Canada, and DEW Lines. While the R.C.A.F. did its best to create little communities, most bases were miles from anywhere.

"Church of England, fall out right. Roman Catholics, fall out left. Dissenters, report for fatigues!"

That about sums it up, with certain modifications for Scottish regiments. For the R.C.s it probably depended on whether they had their own Chaplain, or whether (as in France 1914-18) there was a church nearby.

Many were earned by Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders and Indians for service overseas, or in areas threatened by the enemy. This meant among others, the U.K., the Middle East (Egypt, Iraq, Persia, Syria).

I have a Discharge certificate to a man who earned it for serving in his home country - Newfoundland. How? He joined the Canadian Army. Before 1949 Newfoundland was a British Colony, and therefore "overseas service".

I don't think it can be Army colour VC next to Navy DSC. Does it should be blue in this case?

Was there one another British order on the same colour ribbon.... I just can't find the picture where I have seen it.

These kind a interesting bars drive me nuts and same time I LOVE them!

The Order of the Bath, perhaps?

If it were a Danish ship that was rescued?

Three Singhos were awarded the Mercantile Marine Medal; http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/search-results.asp?searchtype=browserefine&query=last_name%3dsingho&catid=45&pagenumber=1&querytype=1&mediaarray=* Possibly one one of these also served in the I.W.T.

Michael - it just shows how a little research can be worthwhile. You've turned-up a most interesting history.

It also shows that sometimes playing a hunch pays off.

Very Cool. Odd that you'd be thought a "frgnnr" being from Toronto...

Not really. Newfoundland only joined Canada in 1949, in a very close (and some allege rigged) plebiscite. Even to other Maritimers Torontonians are regarded as "westerners".

Joey Smallwood expropriated my wife's family's farm to build the Confederation Buildings. :violent:

I recently bought a Canadian Army Second War discharge certificate, showing entitlement to a 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, and C.V.S.M. and clasp, to F577 Corporal Peter Power, a Nova Scotia enlistment into the R.C.A.M.C. According to the vendor, he was from Newfoundland. He was discharged in 1946, aged 52, and under "Marks and Scars" was noted: Scar left side of head. Scar right shoulder blade. It had the sound of someone with Great War service, and if I was lucky, with the Newfoundland Regiment. In any case, an Army Atlantic Star was rare enough to justify the purchase.

Sure enough there was a Corporal Peter Power from Conception Bay who served with the Royal Newfoundland R. He got frostbite at Gallipoli, and was wounded July 1st at Beaumont Hamel (a battlefield my son and I crossed on a tour in 2010). He was invalided.

My researcher got the Second War file, and the two are the same man. I'm looking forward to getting the file to see which Hospital Ships he served on 1941-45.

I'll never be able to afford medals to a Beaumont Hamel casualty. But I have a discharge to one of them.

NOTE: the vendor stated that he had taken flak for "selling Newfoundland's history" to foreigners, and that he would never sell medals to "the Regiment" except to Newfoundland or Newfoundland ex-pats. He can be reassured. My wife's father was from St. John's.

A man I greatly admire. I wrote him, and he sent three autographed postcard-sized photos for me and my sons. Mine is tucked inside my copy of "Shake Hands with the Devil".