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Albert was said to have won The Military Medal for action in WW1, can anyone verify this or tell me where is the best place to find out ?

Thank You.

Ancestry has Service & Pension Records and medal cards for WW1

But 70% were destroyed during WW2

With such a common name you are going to have to have more info such as where born or any middle names etc

Albert Smith, b. 27th July 1884, Preston Lancashire married to Ann Arkinstall, 18th April 1908.
Enlisted at Coventry on 4 Aug 1915.21 .
Deployed to France on 28th August.

do you know the regiment he was in

I think the names of Military Medal recipients were published in 'The Gazette'.

I am sure there is also a list somewhere - I will see if I can find it.

Dea x

Do you know which regiment he served in please?

Did he survive the war?

Do you know his home address during the war period?

Dea x

I think there may be a list on Ancestry but I can't weem to get on the site at the moment :-S

Is anyone else having problems with Ancestry this morning?

Dea x

This is the family on 1911 for reference:

1911 census transcription details for: 22 Priory St Preston Lancashire
Print Close

National Archive Reference:

RG14PN25312 RG78PN1448 RD476 SD4 ED9 SN253
Reg. District: Preston
Sub District: West Preston
Parish: Preston
Enum. District: 9
Address: 22 Priory St Preston Lancashire
County: Lancashire
Name Relation Condition/
Yrs married Sex Age Birth Year Occupation Where Born
SMITH, Albert Head Married M 26 1885 Power Weaver Overlooker Preston Lancs
SMITH, Annie Wife Married
2 years F 25 1886 Weaver Preston Lancs
SMITH, Elsie Daughter F 1 1910 Preston Lancs


Elsie's birth:

Lancashire Birth indexes for the years: 1910

SMITH Elsie West Preston Preston ARKINSTALL WP/11/54


His address and occupation may be useful in the search.

Dea x

For reference re his regiment :


British Army WWI Service Records, 1914-1920 about Albert Smith
Name: Albert Smith
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1884
Age at enlistment: 31
Residence: 48 Priory St, Preston
Document Year: 1915
Regimental Number: 2074
Regiment Name: MMGS (HS)
Number of images: 3

There is very little in them and certainly nothing to suggest that he might have been awarded the MM.

I can't find him on the few listings I have found for these medals and there is nothing about him in the National Roll.

Dea x

I wonder if he is being confused with 'this' A. Smith who 'did' earn the Military Medal???

Taken from the 'National Roll of Honour of the Great War":

SMITH, A. (M>M>) Sergt., 2nd Manchester Regiment.
He was called up from the Reserve in August 1914, and quickly
drafted to the Western Front, where he played a distinguished
part in the fighting at Mons, Ypres and the Somme, and was
wounded in action in 1916. He was awarded the Military
Medal for conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in the
Field. After recovering from his wound he returned to his
unit and was unfortunately killed in action at Vimy Ridge
on December 29th, 1917. He was entitled to the Mons Star,
and the General Service and Victory Medals.
"Great deeds cannot die:
They with the sun and moon renew their light for ever."
35 River Street, Hulme, Manchester. Z7415B


This would be him on CWGC site:

SMITH, A

Rank:
Serjeant
Service No:
1422
Date of Death:
28/12/1917
Regiment/Service:
Manchester Regiment

2nd Bn.
Awards:
M M
Grave Reference
II. H. 8.
Cemetery
ST. JULIEN DRESSING STATION CEMETERY


Unfortunately their is no further info on him e.g. family etc so it would need further recearch.

Will try to come back to it later but I cannot see that this could be the same one as 'yours'.

Dea x

Actually, Dea, if you page backwards through the images, the next page shows an Albert Smith who was awarded the MM. The Regimental No is different (200770) but the date of enlistment is the same (4th Aug 1915). Paging back, there is one page with this No plus the 47 Priory Rd address.

Mary, have you actually seen this service record? From the info you have posted, it looks as if you have. On the page that mentions the MM, it also mentions the London Gazette

Albert's medal card just shows him getting the Victory and British Medals but I don't think these cards usually show other medals awarded.

Well spotted Potty - I never thought to read his records backwards ;-) :-D :-D

Looks like he did get the Military Medal then !!

It gives a date of 9th December 1916 for this so I will go and have another look at the Gazette.

Dea x

It's something I have noticed before with the Service and Pension records. I have tried to search the Gazette but haven't had much luck. Hope you have better!

Well Potty - I do always have trouble searching for things in the Gazette - It is not easy !!

I spent about 45 minutes and found nothing so gave up and went to do some shopping.

I now have to pick up grandchildren from school so if it has not been found, I will try again later. :-(

Dea Xxx

Dea, Thank you, i received info about Albert ( my Mums Uncle) from someone else, but wanted to check it was true (!!!) only realised after i asked that there was a Military section now,

Potty, Thank You for your help, i havent seen anyof Alberts records, it was just the info i was given by a 3rd party, but have learned from these boards to double check :-D

My grandfather was awarded the MM...

This from my tree

An interesting point about the medal card is that it records that his British Medal and Victory Medal were returned to the issuing office probably because they had been wrongly engraved. Another interesting item missing from the medal cards is that Charles was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry. His award was announced in the London Gazette in 1916 but unfortunately the citation was not printed.
The award meant that Charles was entitled to use the letters MM after his name.
SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 18 JUNE, 1917.
His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to award the Military Medal for bravery in the field to the under mentioned Non-commissioned Officers and Men:
……….. 32198 Gnr. C. A. Cording, R.F.A………

So Dea is correct in that it IS the place to search....I admit I "scabbed" this info and didn't find it myself....

Mary, Albert's service record is on Ancestry. If you don't have a sub you could take out a free trial - just remember to cancel it before the free period is up. Or, possibly Ancestry will make the records available free in November, around Remembrance Day.

Hi Potty, i don;t have a sub, thanks for the tips x

Mary, this thread is about regimental War Diaries and gives a link to the National Archives. You might find something there.

http://www.genesreunited.co.uk/boards/board/military_chat/thread/1332400

You will need his Regiment and I am finding that a bit difficult to work out! On one page is says HSMC and on a coupl of others, Tank Corps, 4th battalion Tanks