Albert Medal Citation and The Sir Charles Wakefield Medal

[The Holyboy]

Can anyone post the Albert Medal citation for CPO James Hendry RNAS (Action in November 1914) please?

Second question....is there a roll for the Sir Charles Wakefield Medal awarded to the AA gun crews for shooting down Zeppelin L.15 in 1916 ??

Any help appreciated.

[Mervyn Mitton]

The Albert Medal became the George Cross and members of the Order were asked to exchange medals. Perhaps there will be

some reports in the papers for 1914 ? Are you lucky enough to own these medals , or is it for research ? Mervyn

[Chris Boonzaier]

I dont know if this helps... but there are some nice pics of the medal to a Cpl Brown...

http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa/document/8920

[Chris Boonzaier]

http://www.oucs.ox.ac.uk/ww1lit/gwa/document/8920/3504

[The Holyboy]

Thanks Mervyn and Chris. I don't have the Albert Medal but I do have a Wakefield Medal in box of issue. The research carries on!

[gavinmedals]

Hi, I would suggest that you try and source the book; "Heroes of the Albert Medal" by Allan Stanistreet. Apparently it gives the full account of each Albert Medal awarded to both men and women of the armed services who did not survive to exchange their medals for the George Cross in 1971. Unfortunately I do not have a copy to help you out however it is available through the Medal News website.

Cheers

Gavin

[The Holyboy]

Thanks Gavin - A very helpful tip - will do!

[paul wood]

Apparently Gazette notice is missing for Hendry but here is his citation

James Claude Scott Hendry, P.O. Mechanic RNAS, Albert Medal, bronze

"Gallantry displayed by him on the occasion of an accident to aeroplane 58 on 19th November 1914. Saved the life of the Pilot of No. 58 (who had been stunned by the premature explosion of a bomb) by extricating him from the sinking wreckage of the machine after both had fallen some 150 feet into the sea."

Not bad citation, hope it helps.

All the best,

Paul

[DavidParker]

If anyone is completing a log for the Sir Charles Wakefield Medal I can volunteer the following information from the medal in my possession.

Sappr. J. F. Parker

[Simpleton]

Dear Holyboy and David Parker,

I purchased Sir Charles Wakefield Gold Medal many years ago and spent many years researching this difficult subject.

I have now completed an 80 page booklet on the subject which is about to go to the printers.

But I did not have the names Parker or Hendry. I would like to get in touch with you about this.

My email is berniegreen@live.co.uk

[Simpleton]

L15 Zeppelin & The Wakefield Gold Medal

Narrative non-fiction, educational.

The title is L15 & The Wakefield Gold Medal by Bernard. A. N. Green

It tells the story about Sir Charles Cheers Wakefield, Lord Mayor of London 1915-1916 and the beautiful gold medal that he produced. This was for gunners that shot down the very first Zeppelin, to be brought down over London. He had offered £500 to the gun crew that shot down the first Zeppelin, but the War Office was opposed to this cash prize, so Lord Wakefield offered a gold medal.

The war Office ended up making him give a medal to every gunner and searchlight operator, a total of 353 medals. The lord Mayor was told it was to be called a medallion and the War office ensured that there was no record of this medal or the recipients. The irony of the situation is that later when the 2^nd Zeppelin was shot down by Lt Leefe Robinson of the RFC, he received a cash prize of £3,500 and the Victoria Cross.

 

The Appendix records the names of 241 men with the Corps or Regiment of those that received the Lord Wakefield Gold Medal. It is quite likely that many medals were sold for their gold value as the families were unable to find any information related to the medal’s history. Unfortunately, there is no known personal account by Sir Charles Wakefield concerning the events surrounding the shooting down of the L15 or the award of the Wakefield Medals.

This book is available on Ebay.