my new military medal!

[paddywhack]

FINALLY got myself a military medal!been wanting one of these ever since i started collecting(even when i was collecting german medals!!) after seeing a broken erased one in an auction!!! nothing mad special just to a Royal Field Artillery guy!got it in late 18 so not much detail on how he got it!on the rim is

116509 GNR-L.BMBR:-A.CROSS A.315/A BDE:R.F.A

might not be to a famous reg but i love it!!has a bit of research on the guy but im going to get a better copy of his MIC card to see what else he got!i think its been cleaned but not dipped! i dont mind that to much either!!!any way here she is and she will be going right next to my military cross!!! :beer:

Edited June 2, 2010 by paddywhack

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi Paddywhack,

Very nice medal, I hope you will be sure post more information on the recipient when it is available.

Regards

Brian

[Michael Johnson]

FINALLY got myself a military medal!been wanting one of these ever since i started collecting(even when i was collecting german medals!!) after seeing a broken erased one in an auction!!! nothing mad special just to a Royal Field Artillery guy!got it in late 18 so not much detail on how he got it!on the rim is

116509 GNR-L.BMBR:-A.CROSS A.315/A BDE:R.F.A

might not be to a famous reg but i love it!!has a bit of research on the guy but im going to get a better copy of his MIC card to see what else he got!i think its been cleaned but not dipped! i dont mind that to much either!!!any way here she is and she will be going right next to my military cross!!!

A lovely one. I've got one only, to the 58th Bn. C.E.F., fortunately with a citation and a mention in the War Diary. I regret parting with one to a Tunnelling Company R.E.

Ackrier Cross was born June Quarter 1893 in Kirkland Lancashire.

Edited June 2, 2010 by Michael Johnson

[paddywhack]

The only info i have for him is that he was a horse handler before the war!going to find out about his regiment!what made you part with a tunneling group???

Edited June 2, 2010 by paddywhack

[Michael Johnson]

The only info i have for him is that he was a horse handler before the war!going to find out about his regiment!what made you part with a tunneling group???

Well, it was 25 years ago, when research was almost impossible. And it wasn't a group, just a single. And I was collecting Indian at the time. And I wasn't working.

[paddywhack]

Well, it was 25 years ago, when research was almost impossible. And it wasn't a group, just a single. And I was collecting Indian at the time. And I wasn't working.

Ah the folly of youth and being skint!!! Just wondering whats the chances of getting a orignal length of ribbion for it?

[Michael Johnson]

Ah the folly of youth

I'd already turned 30. :blush:

[paddywhack]

I'd already turned 30.

aaahh thats still young in my book!!!(and me turning 30 next year has NOTHING to do with that!!!!! )

Edited June 2, 2010 by paddywhack

[Mervyn Mitton]

Hi - paddywhack - nice clean example. Rank is put in a way I haven't seen before - Gnr - L.bmdr. Even if he was only an acting L/b not a common way to put it down (at least to me.) I have thought for a long time that the MM is grossly underpriced - there may have been a lot given in WW1 - however, they are still a high award. By the time you are Michael's age - I think you will find it has gone up much higher, so, in my 'book' they are a good investment.

[paddywhack]

yeah i was thinking the same thing myself! this is a very high gallantry award that be researched!ALOT of other such gallantry awards cant be research so the history is lost from them!!!this is why iv also started to like British stuff as the research being them can be fascinating!! the lads of in war found out his final rank was as a corporal!the ONLY pity is that i cant find out how he was awarded it sadly!!(being awarded to late he was only put dwn in the gazette that he was awarded it!)

[leigh kitchen]

Unit War Diary, a post war history of the unit or local nespaper may mention him & / or the reason he was reccommended for or awarded the medal.

His actual rank on the MIC is Bombardier Merv, rather than the Gunner - Lance Bombardier (Gunner - Acting Lance Bombardier?) on the medal.

If Michael's got the right Ackrier Cross (looks like two were born in Lancashire in 1893, one at Kirkland, one at Garstang, unless we're talking about the same man), it looks like he was in a TF battalion of the KORR prior to RFA? (standing, 2nd from the right).

Edited June 6, 2010 by leigh kitchen

[Mervyn Mitton]

Great for Paddywhack that you have actually found his picture. How young they all look - trying to be older with 'taches. I wonder how many survived - at least in the Artillery they stood a slightly better chance.

[paddywhack]

yup i have the same info hes the one from Garstang,i have his census from 1911 and hes a horse handler that was living in Garstang in 1911!is that the same person?if so thats simply AMAZING that you got a pic of him!!!if theres anything i can do just let me know!!!this forum just gets better each day!!! :cheers:

Edited June 6, 2010 by paddywhack

[leigh kitchen]

Ne problema - I'm sure Michael's found the photo & the rest of this info as well:

We are talking about the same man -

Kirktown is a township within the parish of Garstang in Lancashre,

Birth index records Ackrier Cross born in June 1893 at Garstang.

Christening records show baptised on 11/6/1893 at Garstang.

The 1901 Census shows an Ackrier Cross born about 1893 at Kirkland, residing at 82, Station Cottage, in the Civil parish of Pilling,

Ecclesiastical parish of St John the Baptist, Lancashire in 1901, the family being:

Thomas Cross 31, born Preesall, a railway labourer

Ellen Cross 28 born Pilling

William Cross 8 born Kirkland

Ackrier Cross 8 born Kirkland

James Cross 6 born Winmarleigh

Robert Cross 4 born Winmarleigh

Thomas Cross 2 born Claughton

Alice Cross 7 months born Pilling

Preesall, Pilling, Kirkland, Winmarleigh & Claughton are all villages & civil parishes in Lancashire, (there is a Claughton (pronounced "Clawton") in Lancaster & a Claughton ("Claffton") in Birkenhead).

In 1911 Ackrier Cross was living at Nateby, Garstang, & was a horseman on a farm

He married a Mary Wilkinson at Garstang during the first quarter of 1922.

Death index shows born 10/3/1893 died at Garstang durng the second quarter of 1971.

If he was working with horses pre-war then that could fit with subsequent service in The Royal Field Artillery, which although distinct from The Royal Horse Artillery, was horsed.

The photo shows clearly that he is a member of a Territorial Force Battalion of The King's Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment), he's wearing the regiment's cap badge & his shoulder title bears "T/4/" or "T/5".

Possibilty that he was a pre-war member of the TF who then joined The RFA.

The 4th Battalion was based at Ulverston:

"A" Company at Ulverston with a detachment at Grange,

"B" at Ulverston, with detachments at Greenodd, Haverthwaite & Lakeside,

"C", "D", "E" & "F" Companies at Barrow-in-Furness,

"G" at Dalton-in-Furness with a detachment at Askam,

"H" at Milliom with detachments at Broughton-on Furness, Coniston & Hawkshead.

The 5th Battalion was based at Lancaster:

"A" Company in Lancster with a detachment at Galgate,

"B", "C" & "D" Companies Lancaster,

"E" at Morecombe,

"F" at Carnforth, with detachments at Arnside, Silverdale & Caton,

"G" at Fleetwood, with detachments at Poulton, Garstang & Blackpool,

"H" at Fleetwood, with detachements at Preesall & Thornton.

I'm guessing that he was a member of "G" Company, 5th Battalion.

During the war both the 4th & 5th Battalions formed 2nd & 3rd Line Battalions, so there were 1st/4th Bn, 2nd/4th Bn, 3rd/4th & 1st/5th Bn, 2nd/5th Bn & 3rd/5th Bn, but service in the King's Own isn't recorded on the MIC.

Edited June 7, 2010 by leigh kitchen

[paddywhack]

thats pretty fantastic info!!!im going to look into try and getting info on why the MM was awarded!!! :beer:

[paddywhack]

so i went to the national archives and re-downloaded his MIC and i also got some more info!whats interesting on the bottom left hand corner looks like he was caught with something but cant make out what it was??? can any one see what it was??

Edited June 18, 2010 by paddywhack

[paddywhack]

and his mm card!!

[leigh kitchen]

His SWB found in the possesson of an abscondee & returned to him?

[paddywhack]

His SWB found in the possesson of an abscondee & returned to him?

if get a better pic of it! whats a SWB???(cant for the life of me think what that is!!!!!)

[Michael Johnson]

Silver War Badge. Given to discharged soldiers to show they weren't slackers and "white feather bait"

[paddywhack]

Silver War Badge. Given to discharged soldiers to show they weren't slackers and "white feather bait"

aahhh i know them!! my great uncle had one of them as we was also wounded in the ww1!!!

heres a closer look at the note!!

Edited June 19, 2010 by paddywhack

[Graham Stewart]

For what it's worth this man isn't a Territorial, his number clearly indicates he's a regular, which would include New Army batteries - they were numbered from 1-600,000. At the time of the award he's simply serving with 'A' Battery, 315th Artillery Bde, R.F.A.(T.F.), which was serving with one of the T.F.Divisions. I've none of my books with me, so can't give the exact Division.

The numbering system for the T.F. Artillery was similar to the T.F.Infantry and on enlistment you received a four figure number. In 1917 a new system was introduced for T.F. artillerymen, which was six figure, but in a seperate number series from those of the regular/new army artillery. When looking at MIC's to the T.F.Artillery you usually find both four figure and six figure numbers on the card.