Gallantry Medals?

[bigjarofwasps]

Hi,

I was just reading this months medal news, the article in question was about an Officer who`d served in various campaigns and won several gallantry medals, the story went something like this....

So and so served in the Royal irish Rifles in palestine in 1938, winning the MC and bar, in 1944 he recieved an immidiate award of the DSO, then won it again at some later point, finally winning it again in Cyprus in 1957 as CO of the Paras.

Anyway I`ve heard of these immidiate awards before, but can`t understand the difference between an immidiate award and a normal one, can anyone shine some light on this for me?

I assume that an immidaite award is where some General or other, awards the medal there an then, and a normal award goes via the London Gazette, am I on the right track, or barking up the wrong tree entirely??

Hope someone can answer my question?

BJOW.

[Geoff Reeves]

Hi, I've only just joined the forum, and realize that I'm coming late to this conversation, but this answer might prove useful to someone. Both the immediate and non-immediate awards of gallantry medals were gazetted in the LG. The difference between the two, however is that the immediate award was for a specific action and the non-immediate award was for performance above and beyond the call of duty over time. As an example, let's take the DSO. Lt. Col. Bloggins, the battalion commander, takes his troops over the top during the Somme campaign. While leading his troops towards their objective, Bloggins, by way of frontal assault, takes out a machine gun nest holding up the advance - he accounts for many of the enemy single-handedly and saves many of his own men's lives. The powers that be decide that this isn't quite VC material but grant him an immediate award of the DSO for gallant conduct.

Lt. Col Muggins commands a different battalion of the same regiment. Over the course of 3 months his battalion is the most successful in the line - it consistantly achieves objectives, harrasses the enemy, brings in prisoners and it's all due to the outstanding leadership shown by Muggins. The powers that be want to reward their very able battalion commander and so award him a non-immediate DSO.

Hope this helps!

Regards,

Geoff

[bigjarofwasps]

Cheers Geoff, I think that answers my question perfectly, many thanks indeed.

You might be interested in a research project i did a few years back about Capt John Martin MC Gordon Highlanders, he won his MC for a trench raid he organised, on the Somme, but later at Arras he took out a machine gun out post, off his own back that was stopping his company advance, he was killed, and got no award for it?

Its on the WW1 thread, under..A few soldiers that I`ve researched....., Might be of interest to someone......

I`d very much like to hear you views on this case.

Gordon.

[Geoff Reeves]

Hi Gordon, sorry for the delay in replying.

I read your thread on those men you researched - well done, indeed - some fascinating stories (which is why I collect medals...for the research possibilities and the stories behind them).

As for Martin - had he survived, or died, say, several days later from his wounds, I think he would have likely been awarded a bar to his MC. However, as he was killed in the action the only options availabe to him were the VC or a Mention in Despatches - those being the only 2 awards, at the time, that could be awarded posthumously. In your research did you check to see if he was MiD? It would not have surprised me if he was.

all the best,

Geoff