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    Michael Johnson

    Old Contemptible
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    Posts posted by Michael Johnson

    1. Perhaps the answer is to search the London Gazette from 1921 to 1923, only for "Order of the British Empire", "civil division" and "Supplement", then go through each hit looking for anything close to "Crouch".

       

      https://www.thegazette.co.uk/all-notices/London/notice?results-page-size=10&categorycode-all=all&numberOfLocationSearches=1&start-publish-date=1921-01-01&location-distance-1=1&text="Order+of+the+British+Empire"+"civil+division"+supplement&end-publish-date=1923-01-01

       

      I only get four hits, which doesn't seem right.

       

      Michael

    2. It is possible that the name is there, but the OCR scanning misread a letter or two "Orouch" perhaps.  I've had that happen with Second War era Imperial Service Medal gazettes.  Or it may be that, as is stated on the site that they are missing an issue.

       

      That being said, it is strange that it isn't in the 1921 Burke's Handbook to the Order of the British Empire.  But it could be after 1921.

       

      Michael

    3. Okay, a long shot, but could there have been a name change?

       

      I once owned an MBE, pair and IGS 1908, with the last three named to Lt./Capt. M. Goodall, 1/9th G.R. on the IGS, but his wartime service was with the Assam Military Police.  His 1919 MBE is gazetted under Malcolm Ostrehan.  One of those cases of "losing" a Germanic-sounding name.

       

      The only problem is that I can't find a LG entry for that either.

       

      Michael

    4. I've never owned or even handled a Sardinian-named Crimea Medal, but the medal itself looks like British ones I've owned.

       

      From this article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sardinian_expeditionary_corps_in_the_Crimean_War#Combat_Forces  it seems that the regiment is "2e Reggimento, Granatieri di Sargegna" (2nd Grenadier Regiment, Sardinian Grenadiers Brigade) which formed part of the 1st Provisional Regiment of the Reserve Brigade.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mechanized_Brigade_"Granatieri_di_Sardegna"#1831_to_1914

       

      Michael

    5. 4 hours ago, Marcon1 said:

      Hiya Michael,

       

      Did you know there are 2 versions of this medal for India !!

       

      INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION FOR SUPERVISION AND CONTROL SERVICE MEDAL (ICSC) -  Great Britain: Orders, Gallantry, Campaign Medals - Gentleman's Military  Interest Club

      With the red in the 2 flags.

       

      image.thumb.png.c0b8a7018eea25d1e83991daa3b7c79c.png

      Different suspender and no red in flags (and a few other differences).

       

      Regards, Marcon1.

       

      PS: Did a quick Google search for the Polish ones, but no luck.

      Marcon1, is the dark version named? Ed Haynes (who is the Indian medal guru) says he has never seen a dark-toned Indian issue.  Likewise, I have never seen a Canadian version that wasn't dark-toned.

       

      Michael

    6. Over on the SAGONGS site Ed Haynes and I are puzzling over what the ICSC medals issued to the Polish contingent look like.

       

      Indian issues are named, and have a bright finish with the Canadian and Polish flags picked out in red.

       

      Canadian issues are dark-finished and named.

       

      Were the Polish medals dark-finished and un-named?

       

      Thank you.

       

      Michael

    7. Hello Marnon1

      Not much can be found on modern Indian medals, however I did find that A-Maj. Seth was made a Substantive Brigadier December 29, 1989: https://archive.org/details/in.gazette.csl_weekly.1989-05-20.O-0593-1989-0020-25631/page/n20/mode/1up?q=Seth.

       

      This may be him: https://cgvidhansabha.gov.in/FrameSet/GovernFrameset-4.html 

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krishna_Mohan_Seth

       

      I think it highly likely that it is, and he had a very distinguished career.

       

      His number should read IC, not 1C

       

      Michael

       

    8. It really is hard to say, Flavio.

       

      The Wound Medal (Medaille des blesses) has a very twisted evolution.  It was at one point simply a red star to be placed on the ribbon of the applicable campaign medal.  Then it was a simple ribbon.  Not until relatively recently did the French government sanction the previously unofficial medal with the red star.

    9. Thanks, Hendrik.  That was my view as  well.

       

      Given that he LdH was the only medal Marcel seems to have kept, I suspect he wasn't much into medals.  He was a bit of an eccentric, spending his retirement reading English detective novels, and I believe doing crossword puzzles.  I suspect that his experiences at Verdun left a permanent mark.  That is one reason I have chosen to add the wound star rather than the ribbon or the medal.

       

      barrette.JPG

    10. There are some interesting stories, if you can get the service records.

       

      RCAF CDs are regarded as notoriously difficult.  I have had some success, the latest being a Christmas present from my son - a QEII version to Cpl. P.M.H. Beaulac.  Arnie Kay got me his file, which arrived today.

       

      Born in 1921, Beaulac enlisted during the war in the RCAF Special Reserve, serving in Canada, and then in 1945 overseas, qualifying for the CVSM and clasp.  Interestingly, he was attached to 30 Corps HQ, but this was after the cut-off for the France and Germany Star.  After the War he enlisted in 438 Squadron, a Reserve unit in Montreal.  From there he enlisted in the Regular Force. (My uncle Bill Hamilton started in the Auxiliary  RCAF, then went Active, and then went Regular).

       

      Beaulac was a clerk by trade, and served at St. Hubert, an Air Defence Command Station, which also hosted 438 Squadron.  He also did two years at SHAPE (Supreme Headquarters of the Allied Powers in Europe).  That would have qualified him for the Special Service Medal with NATO clasp, but there is no indication that he applied for it before he died.

       

      Michael

    11. I'm trying to understand whether or not my great-uncle Marcel Verzieux was entitled to the above medal to go with his Legion d'Honneur, Croix de Guerre, and First War medals. His service record confirms Legion d'Honneur, Croix de Guerre, Commemorative Medal 1914-18, and Victory.  Given the privileges that came with the Combatant's Card, I would assume he would have applied, and so have the Croix du Combatant.  As he was wounded, he would have been entitled to the red star to be worn on the Commemorative Medal.

       

      He had retired in 1935, but was recalled to the Reserve in 1938, if I recall correctly.  He reported to the 4e RG on September 1st, 1939, but was released on medical grounds September 9th.

       

      Would he have qualified for the Second War medal with either FRANCE or 1939 clasp?

       

      Michael

       

       

      Marcel  war services.JPG

      Photo 005[1].jpg

    12. They are even better when they come with one of these!

       

      Soldat Jean Marie Danielo, 348e RI. disappeared 8 June 1916, Douaumont. Verdun.  Less than a week later my great uncle Marcel was wounded at Fleury-devant-Douaumont, and awarded his Croix de Guerre on June 23rd.  The 348e appears several times in the JMO of the 2/13e company of the 3e RG, which he commanded.

       

      Michael

      french 001.jpg

      french 002.jpg

    13. His medal is dated 1943, which I will assume is the date it was awarded.  Since my cousin Alexandre Verzieux's CdG was not awarded until 1943 although he was killed the same month as Nebinger, I'm fairly sure that this is the same man.  Nebinger isn't a common name. 

      On 31/10/2006 at 10:50, Hendrik said:

       

      Hello Michael,

       

      I quite agree that recipients of the 2nd type would have seen service in wartime but ignore whether posthumous awards would have been made ... interesting point ! Somehow, I doubt it and feel a deportation or resistance medal would have been more likely to have been sent to the next-of-kin. Still, it needs to be confirmed.

       

      Cheers,

       

      Hendrik

       

       

       

    14. According to his matricule, my cousin Alexandre Verzieux was awarded this medal posthumously in 1943 (killed May 1940).

       

      Which reverse would be most likely: 1939, 1939-1940, or 1939-1945?  Would it have been issued by the Vichy government (Lyon was in Unoccupied France)?  If it was issued by Vichy, I'm assuming it would have the Vichy ribbon, which was forbidden after the Liberation.  I'm assuming that it would have been replaced by the standard ribbon, but would the cross have been replaced?

       

      Thank you,

      Michael

       

       

    15. On 01/12/2011 at 10:35, peter monahan said:

      Lovely weapon! First rifle I ever owned was a 'Tini - the long lever Mark 4 - and I still love them.

       

      Kipling wrote a great story, with his characters the 'Soldiers Three'. Private Mulvaney has a talk with the armourer sergeant about how the lads are b*****ing up the weapons by putting twigs into the action to ease the trigger pull, which was notoriously hard, especially after the Snider Enfields. Later in the story Mulvaney hears some other Irishmen in the regiment planning to use his rifle to shoot an unpopular officer, so he'll get the blame, so he pulls out the pin which holds the breechblock in, with predictable and ugly results when the would be murderer pulls the trigger. Sorry, can't recall the name of the tale.

      "Black Jack", Peter.  In Soldiers Three.  I have a copy that was used in a German POW camp.

      IMGP2707 (1).JPG

    16. My understanding is that awards for Northern Ireland were often not gazetted as a security measure.

       

      In 1997-8 he was Recce Platoon 1st Battalion: http://royalanglianmuseum.org.uk/RamCollection/Collection/documents/Castle Serial 60 June 1997.pdf

      http://royalanglianmuseum.org.uk/RamCollection/Collection/documents/Castle Serial 62 June 1998.pdf

      1999 D Company, Company HQ: http://royalanglianmuseum.org.uk/RamCollection/Collection/documents/Castle Serial 64 June 1999.pdf

       

      The Royal Anglian Museum might be able to help: http://royalanglianmuseum.org.uk/contact-us/

       

      His number would indicate a 1993-94 enlistment.

       

      Here are the NI tours for the 1st Battalion:

      1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment 29-Dec-93 27 Jun 94 Dungannon
      1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment Nov-96 Mar-97 Belfast
      1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment May-99 11 May 01 Londonderry
      1st Battalion The Royal Anglian Regiment 12 May 99 11 May 01 Ebrington Resident Battalion.

       

      Michael

    17. These are my uncle's medals.  He died in 1957, and his medals are as worn, apart from the Special Service Medal (NATO), which I had my aunt apply for.

      interestingly, his service record show the award of the Efficiency Medal in 1934, while he was with the Auxiliary Air Force, in what became 110 Squadron (later 400 Squadron).  My aunt remembered a green ribbon, but it doesn't look like it was ever awarded, as it wasn't posted in an AFRO.  They seem to have dated his CD from his going active in 1939.

      IMGP0067 (1).JPG

      IMGP0070 (1).JPG

    18. Brigadier-chef Alexandre Verzieux was my 1st cousin twice removed, born in 1897.  He served in the First War, was wounded, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre.  He volunteered in 1939, and was killed in May 1940, and awarded the Croix de Guerre and Medaille Militaire.

       

      I'm thinking of trying to re-assemble his group, to join those of Marcel Verzieux and his nephew Antonin Gautier.

       

      Obviously there is no way of knowing what medals he actually received, but I'm looking for thoughts on his entitlement.

       

      First War:

      Croix de Guerre, probably 1916, with silver star

      Victory Medal

      Commemorative medal

      Wound medal

      Croix de combattant

       

      Second War

      Medaille Militaire - gazetted 1947, so Fourth Republic version - one star replacing 1870

      Croix de Guerre (awarded 1943 according to his matricule)

      Croix de combattant volontaire with Guerre 1939-45 clasp (although he wasn't around to claim this).

      Commemorative medal, clasp France.

       

      Any others?  and what would the wearing order be?

       

      Thank you

      archives_FRAD075RM_D4R1_1980_1087_D.jpg

      archives_FRAD075RM_D4R1_1980_1092_D.jpg

      Alexandre Verzieux bar.JPG

    19. I'd love to have my great-uncle Marcel's, which was awarded for Verdun.  Sadly, it wasn't there after he died, although I did get his LdH, awarded on his retirement.

       

      His first Cousin, Brigadier-Chef Alexandre Verzieux was decorated with the CDG in both World Wars, serving with the Cuirasseurs.  He was killed in May 1940, and posthumously awarded the Medaille Militaire in 1947.

       

      Michael

      IMG_0001marcel (2).jpg

    20. As more and more documents come online, I've discovered Alexandre's story:

      He was the son of Barthelemy Louis Verzieux, brother of my great-grandfather Barthelemy Claude Verzieux.  He served in the 11th Cuirasseurs in the First War, was wounded, and awarded the Croix de Guerre.  Although over 40, he served in the Second War with the 4th Cuirasseurs, eqipped with Somua and Hotchkisss tanks, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre 1939, being killed May 18, 1940.  In 1947 he was posthumously awarded the Medaille Militaire.

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