World War 1 - Page 11

cashman · 14-09-2010, 12:01

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon Booth

I'd no idea he was awarded the Military Medal, he never mentioned it but then he never mentioned the War. Perhaps the happy hours he spent in the trenches and trudging across No-Mans-Land explain why his behaviour was sometimes a little strange? PTS or shell shock?
Thanks for that info, Retlaw, I spent last night trying to find out more(unsuccessfully) but I'll keep looking.

think many never talked about it gordon, me grandad never did, nor me dad about WW2, found out many things about it when me nan died.

JCB · 14-09-2010, 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by cashman

think many never talked about it gordon, me grandad never did, nor me dad about WW2, found out many things about it when me nan died.

Same with my dad and other relatives in WW2 . I never learned much from them about the war .

accypete · 26-09-2010, 22:45

Charles Flynn Augusta Street Accrington I believed he joined the pals. He was gassed during the war and died in the early 1920's.
Does any one have any information on him ......Im still trying to get a photo no luck at the moment and still looking .

Retlaw · 27-09-2010, 12:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by accypete

Charles Flynn Augusta Street Accrington I believed he joined the pals. He was gassed during the war and died in the early 1920's.
Does any one have any information on him ......Im still trying to get a photo no luck at the moment and still looking .

Charles Flynn
Pte. 17855. 11th East Lancs.
Worked at Howard & Bulloughs.
Lived at 11 Napier St and also at 3 Augusta St.
Sacred Heart R-O-H.
Died of Pneumonia Dec 1925.

Retlaw.

spw · 08-11-2010, 19:51

Appropriate for this week. Attached is a postcard of the memorial at St Peters. Judging by the pile of soil under the window, I expect this was taken at the dedication ceremony.

Nicky L · 13-12-2010, 22:46

Hi Retlaw, While I'm on a roll on here with people being full of amazing historical knowledge my family research led me down another path. I was in Accrington Library looking up Green Haworth and I happened to remember my grandma taking me in there when I was little to show me a picture of my great grandad which was hanging on the stairs. His name was Joe Bradshaw (Sergeant Bradshaw of the Church Battery R.F.A (T.F) and he was the first person in that artillary to receive the D.C.M for 'great coolness and bravery' when they were under fire on JUne 10th & 11th 1915, South West of Krithia (Dardanelles). I have printed off the articles from the library but just wondered if anyoneelse may have come across anything.

He was shot in the back but survived. His parents lived at 17 Hartley Street, Oswaldtwistle at the time when he received the medal, although when the articles were written hes wasn't actually aware of the being awarded the honour but was his parents were notified by two other men who fought with him when they were writing to their parents. The names of the men were Quartermaster Sergeant W.Gastall to his father George Gastall of Fairfield Terrace and Gunner Wright sond of Mr.A.R Wright, school attendance officer, Oswaldwtistle.

Not sure if you will be able to make head nor tail of this but its worth a shot!
Thanks in advance.

Retlaw · 14-12-2010, 12:18

Do you mean the attached. The libray has a scrap book of over 2500 news articles I collected of WW1 episodes.
Its only available to genuine family researchers.

Retlaw.

Nicky L · 14-12-2010, 13:35

That is the very person. I have that and 3 other articles but kind of hit a wall after that. I was very pleased to have got the facts from the articles that I did but thought it was worth a shot asking on here if there was something I missed. There is only my great uncle that is still alive so he was suprised that I found what I did.

Retlaw · 14-12-2010, 15:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicky L

That is the very person. I have that and 3 other articles but kind of hit a wall after that. I was very pleased to have got the facts from the articles that I did but thought it was worth a shot asking on here if there was something I missed. There is only my great uncle that is still alive so he was suprised that I found what I did.

I've not been able to locate his service records, even his medal
card spells his name as John. His service number L/267 and the qualifying date for the 15 Star is correct, but he should have the 14/15 Star as well.
Retlaw

Nicky L · 14-12-2010, 16:10

Wow, I wondered why when I kept putting local searches in for the DCM that the name came up as John. Do you think this would be the same person? My grandma never said anything about him possibly being called John?

Thankyou so much for your help with this by the way, it really is fascinating what has turned up so far.

Retlaw · 14-12-2010, 16:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicky L

Wow, I wondered why when I kept putting local searches in for the DCM that the name came up as John. Do you think this would be the same person? My grandma never said anything about him possibly being called John?

Thankyou so much for your help with this by the way, it really is fascinating what has turned up so far.

Yes it is the same person he may have been called Joe, by every one who knew him, but on military rcords if a man makes an allotment against his pay, he has to provide proof, ie certificates.
Don't bother about his name being other than what you expected, there are 10 spelling errors 11 double entries & 83 names missing on Accrington's War Memorial alone.

Retlaw.

Nicky L · 14-12-2010, 21:02

Oh I see. I went to see my great uncle Joe tonight and he was adamant his dad was called Joe so that makes a lot of sense. Could I please ask what the 14/15 star is? I printed off the document you posted above but to me it doesn't really make that much sense to me. Seen as he was of the Church Battery, does that make him one of the Accrington Pals or is that different? Its a shame I won't be able to see his DCM, somebody within the family that nobody ever sees has it so I can only wonder!

Retlaw · 14-12-2010, 23:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nicky L

Oh I see. I went to see my great uncle Joe tonight and he was adamant his dad was called Joe so that makes a lot of sense. Could I please ask what the 14/15 star is? I printed off the document you posted above but to me it doesn't really make that much sense to me. Seen as he was of the Church Battery, does that make him one of the Accrington Pals or is that different? Its a shame I won't be able to see his DCM, somebody within the family that nobody ever sees has it so I can only wonder!

Joe or John, was in the Royal Field Artillery, the Accrington Pals was the 11th (service) Battalion East Lancs Regiment, an infantry battalion, completely different.
Only a few Accrington Pals got the 15 Star, they were part of an advance party sent to France, then the war office changed their minds and sent them to Egwipt, (Egypt)
What part of the medal card do you not understand, if you mean the numbers in the lower left quarter, it refers to the actuall medal rolls, which are large books each containing about 5000 entries, held at the Public Record Office Kew.

There are firms that can supply replica medals, but be carefull some firms take low value medal remove the numbers and remark them to increase ther value.
Have a look at this web site, you may find what you want without subscribing. http://1914-1i918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?

Retlaw.

RHFOY · 22-12-2010, 17:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Retlaw

As some of you may know I'm reseaching the lives of men from Greater Accrington, (now Hyndburn) who served in the first World War.
I now have the names of over 14000 men and photos of near 3000 of them.
What I can't understand is how so many men can have so few descendants on Accy Web. If any of you have any photo's, postcards, letters or diaries from that era
could you let me know.

Thanks
Retlaw.

what a very good idea, it is never ever to late to continue to find out who these very very brave men were, ive been watchiNG ww1 in colour on sky history channels, and would suggest to anyone (who forget so easily about these HEROES)... TO WATCH ALL PROGRAMNES ABOUT WW1/WW2

tod · 26-02-2011, 16:31

Hi Just stumbled across this great website !!. I'm interested in the Duckett family. My Grand uncle ? was James Francis Duckett who was killed at Ypres on 14th September 1917. He lived at Liina St. I would be very greatful to anyone with info. on anything Duckett related....Many Thanks....................... PS Retlaw I think you're doing a fantastic job