RWF

Once again, many thanks for your assistance. My friend will be pleased to know what they are, and I am also grateful for the lesson in German awards. As they say, you learn something new every day. Regards Richard

Very many thanks. Now I know what they are, I find the above interesting in that this WWI veteran (If I understand correctly) would only have his Iron Cross 2nd Class to show for his service in the war? Unlike his British counterpart who would have a trio or pair of campaign medals? Was this the reason for the issue of the FKEK in 1934? Thanks again Richard

Whilst displaying some British medals at my local museum an old friend brought in a medal group and asked me two questions 1) What are these and 2) Are they worth anything? I could only answer half of question 1 ! Please could someone more knowledgeable advise? Thanks Richard

Cracking photos Alex Thanks for taking the time and effort to scan them in. I look forward to seeing any more you may have. Richard

4943 RSM Frank Jones 2/RWF Frank Jones was a postman in Wrexham before deciding to join the Army and see the world. Born in 1876 he was twenty years old when he enlisted into the 2nd Battalion RWF on the 21st march 1896.

Thought I would breath some life back into this thread as it is twelve months since any additions. Sgt Mjr R Johnson 2nd Bn 23rd Foot Richard Johnson enlisted into the 23rd Foot on 8th March 1799. Upon his discharge on 24th October 1814 after 15 years 231 days service he is described as being thirty eight years of age 5 feet 7 inches in height, brown hair, hazel eyes and a dark complexion. He was one the most senior NCO’s to be awarded the medal. (The other being Sgt Mjr John Jones) The 23rd are entitled to 64 Corunna bars and 28 Egypt bars. Only two men were awarded both bars (The other being Pte Harry Marsh – who was also entitled to the Badajoz bar, making this exact clasp combination unique to Regiment)

His number is certainly in the range that could be expected for an 8th Bn chap. And given the other facts, I too would concur he was an 8/RWF man.

A fantastic archive of have intact there. Many thanks for posting it. Dudley Davies Lambert was commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the London Gazette 12th July 1915. He was posted to the 6/RWF and served with the 3/6th. He was promoted Temp Lieutenant (LG 15/4/16) and Temporary Captain (11/7/16 to 20/7/17) He was later attached to the 4th Bn. Was later restored to the 6th Bn re-joining the battalion in Palestine where he saw action, was then employed on a Special Appointment.

Quite a few chaps from the 23rd Bn were transferred out to France to the Active Service Battalions in early 1918. Certainly the 4th, 13th & 14th received men from the 23rd Bn. Richard

Definately 2/RWF. Chak will be Chakrata. The 2/RWF were stationed in India for many years prior to the war. Nice photo !

Hi Leigh The medals are from my own collection (getting on for 20 years specialising in the RWF) I try and research the man behind the medal as best I can, and this is where the most enjoyment comes from in the hobby for me, obtaining a new medal is just the start of the journey. To remember long forgotton men who 'did their bit' is the main driver for me. I have a subscription to Ancestry as part of my tool kit. Many thanks for the kind offer though. My collection mostly focuses on men who were decorated for gallantry, but I have many RWF sub themes within my collection as a whole. I will post a few from my different sub themes as and when I get time. Great photo in your OTC post. My collection is 99% medals (otherwise the CO would have something to say ....) so I always appreciate seeing interesting things like this. Richard

It is the Dragon, Divisional Flash of the 38th Div. More clearly visible in the photo you posted of the SBs. Hopefully more people will add other interesting Royal Welch Fusilier items to this thread, as you can probably guess from my forum Id, it is my passion. I can bring more medals to the party if anyone is interested, or has a specific interest.

Having had a closer look through the Naval and Air Force casualties it looks like there is only one other candidate t WATT, PETER Rank: Boatswain (Bosun) Mercantile Marine S.S. "Harberton" (London) Age: 45 Date of Death: 29/03/1917 Additional information: Son of the late James and Agnes Watt; husband of Mary Jane Watt (nee Garrick) of New Westminster Cottage, Galberwick, Lerwick, Shetlands. Born at Sandness, Shetlands. So realistically it looks like the plaque you have is a toss up between the five soldiers and the Mercantile Marine man. As they all come from Scotland, your waters are a very muddied for attributing the correct person to this plaque.

Hi Christer There are at least five soldiers with this exact name : S/40216 Pte 11th Bn Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders, KIA 9/4/1917 2652 Pte 7th Bn Gordon Highlanders KIA 12/11/1916 S/3180 Pte 8th Bn Black Watch KIA 27/9/1915 1477 L/Cpl 5th Bn K.O.S.B Died 16/1/1917 281596 Pte 7th Bn Highland Light Infantry Have not checked for Naval or Air Force etc. The above names come form a published source called "Soldiers Died in the Great War" Richard

2342 Pte J Lavin 5/RWF James Lavin enlisted into the 5th (Flintshire) Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers T.F. on the 6th October 1914. He left with the Battalion for Gallipoli on the 8th August 1915. Unfortunately his service papers look to have been lost. Living in Goldings, Hertford at the outbreak of war he was to win the DCM at the age of thirty. The citation states Citation For conspicuous gallantry on 9th November, 1915, at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli Peninsular. Returning from patrol before dawn by a disused sap he heard footsteps and remained behind. Seeing a Turk entering the sap he sprang on him and overpowered him. The Turk was carrying two bombs and had a loaded rifle with bayonet fixed However further details of this story can be picked up in Volume II of Deeds that Thrilled the Empire : ?At the beginning of November 1915, the 1/5th RWF were occupying a section of our front line trenches at Suvla Bay, Gallipoli. One trench which lay in a valley, was separated from those of the Turks by about one hundred yards, and from it a disused sap ran out to within sixty yards of the enemy. At the end of the sap was an open field, half way across which stood a large tree. It was the duty of our patrols to proceed as far as this tree, and the Turkish snipers, aware of this, had had the distances from the sap to the tree set and kept up a steady fire, with the result that scarcely a night passed without some of our men getting hit. Sometimes, one or more Turks would conceal themselves behind the tree and fire of the patrol as it emerged from the sap, and since our men, when they left our trench, never knew whether there were snipers behind the tree or not, patrol duty in such circumstances was not exactly a popular one. The enemy, moreover, had contracted the disagreeable habit of creeping up the sap and throwing bombs into our trench until, what with the snipers and the bombs, life of it?s occupants was becoming a little too eventful to be pleasant. A daring fusilier, Private James Lavin, who had been wounded in the fierce fighting the previous August and had only recently returned to duty, determined to try and do something to mitigate the nuisance, and one dark night when out on patrol, he allowed his comrades to return without him and hid himself behind the tree. Presently some half a dozen Turks, who had seen the patrol going in, came creeping up behind them, with the intention of throwing bombs into our trench so soon as the coast was clear. One Turk entered the sap, whilst the others lay down about twenty yards from it, ready to cover his retreat. Perceiving this, Lavin crawled out from behind the tree, and made a detour which brought him between the prostrate Turks and the sap. He could hear the man who entered the sap clicking his rifle, but the night was too dark to make him out. Lavin knew that we had a sentry on guard at the trench end of the sap, and that if he fired up the sap he might hit his own comrade ; besides his orders were not to fire except in the case of most extre,e emergency, but to use the bayonet only. On the other hand, if the sentry heard a man coming along the sap, he would think it was Lavin returning, since the patrol would certainly have told him that one of them had remained behind. However it was necessary to act once, for at any moment the Turk might throw a bomb and kill the sentry, and then rush past him and throw more bombs into the trench itself. Accordingly, he made his way up the sap as quickly and noiselessly as he could, but had only proceeded a few yards when, as ill luck would have it, he kicked against an empty tin which someone had flung down there. The Turk turned around instantly, and the two men could now see each other quite plainly. Before Lavin could recover from his surprise at his misadventure with the tin, the Turk levelled his rifle and fired point blank at him. Happily, he missed, and the fusilier dropping his own rifle, sprang forward and grappled with him. The struggle, though fierce, was short, and Lavin, having succeeded in wrenching the rifle out of his opponent?s hand, drove him at the point of the bayonet towards the British Trench. Meantime a number of comrades, alarmed by the shot, came running for the sap, but Lavin called out to them not to fire, as it was he with a prisoner. When searched the captured Turk was found to be carrying two bombs so that Lavin?s fortunate intervention, probably saved the lives of several of our men. It appears too, to have served as a salutary lesson to the Turks, for after this incident the Welsh Fusiliers had no more trouble with bomb throwers. Three weeks later they were withdrawn from the Peninsular.? Lavin was discharged from the Army on the 20th December 1916 under King?s Regulations Paragraph 329 XVI (ie due to sickness) He is additionally entitled to a 1914-15 star trio.