Military Cross citation

[peter monahan]

I have been trying to locate the MC citation / London Gazette for Lieut. Ralph Lincoln Weaver, born in the US of Canadian parents who was serving with the 24th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force on his death in October 2nd, 1918.  I began the evening with the naive belief that I could navigate the search functions on the LG site and ended it with some very unkind thoughts about both the Gazette and, quite unfairly, my computer.

Any assistance would be appreciated!

Peter 

[Pylon1357]

Peter, Where did you get idea this man was awarded the Military Cross? I am not trying to be a smart arse, just I looked in the Canadian Gazette and found nothing, also the Honours and awards search through LAC showed no return, nor do I see mention of a Military Cross on the CVWM site for this man. 

I found a photo of his headstone and it makes no reference to the Military Cross either.

 

Edited June 11, 2016 by Pylon1357

[QSAMIKE]

He is not listed in the Riddle book of all Canadian MC winners......

Mike

 

[dante]

Well he is noted as MC here

But not here

[QSAMIKE]

I hate to say but I think that it was wishful thinking.....

Mike

 

[dante]

It's not beyond the bounds that he was put in for it but due to the end of the war it got either rejected or mislaid, needs to be investigated, clearly someone thought he got it or should have, what are the circumstances of his death, is there a regimental history?

[peter monahan]

That was my source as well.  It also lists his having enlisted with the 34th Bttn - which would fit his hometown but dying with the 24th Bttn, and I did initially wonder if that was an error.  It may well be a mistake, then.  I didn't find any reference to his 'MC' but put it down to my search skills.

There were only two 'Ralph Weaver's in the CEF and only one Lt. R.L. Weaver, so the two references in the Gazette which do appear are probably him: seconded to the War Department in October 17 [Nov. LG] and back to unit in March '18.  The notice says 'Quebec Regiment' which I suspect is WD shorthand for the Victoria Rifles, with whom he was serving at his death.  He was a bookkeeper in 1911 but on enlistment in '15 gives his trade as 'C.E.' so maybe seconded to tunnelling or ordnance training in the UK?

Tentatively I have decided that, as he had 4 years experience as a Liet. in the pre-war militia, he was taken into the 34th in that rank.  It went to the UK in late '15 and was broken up for drafts, eventually becoming a 'Boys Battalion' for underage soldiers.  I believe he went straight from the 34th to the 24th and, after his secondment, served with them until killed in early October, 1918.

The difgitization of the CEf ecords has reached the H's and God knows how long it will take to finish, so I will be finishing the research on the 70 men from my area who died 1915-19 with very bare bones info. in many cases: local paper's obits, attestation papers, CWG and Ancestry.com but not the full military service records, which generally include pay records, a summary of transfers and travel and any medical info.  It is both sad and surprising how little record exists of many of these men from an agrarian and only semi-literate era.

 

Thanks, gents, for the assistance.