World War 1 FORUM
World War 1 Expert Needed. Help Please!
deanodude
hi all,
i am very interested in world war 2 history and i have my granddads records with his account of the war plus my own research information. However, recently my granddad told me how he wished he had the chance to talk about his own fathers experiences from world war 1. Anyway i have found a medal war document on the national archives but i know very little about what it means. i would REALLY like to have some details to pass on to my own granddad about his father.
So:- his records states:
>Corps/RE (Royal Engineers)
>3 medals received, victory medal, British medal and 15 start medal. however, it also states he first served in France from 4/11/1015, so shouldn’t he have received the 1914 star medal for service in france/flanders????
>Medal Remarks - "Z".A.R, ???
>his medals also state that he was a Sjt (Sergeant) and his document states Pioneer. What does that mean in terms of importance, responsibility and rank etc
>lastly, if he went to serve in France on 4/11/1915 where would he have been most likely situated and what conflict would it have related to??
any advice or information would be really be appreciated and i genuinely mean it. i look forward to any type of response,
dean
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RESPONSES
| rad |
1
Hi Dean,
Can't tell you much about the heraldry of the British Army in WW1, but pioneers (and I am surprised the Brits called them that) where basically Combat Engineers. They got the wonderful tasks of putting up the defenses (i.e. trenches, bunkers, barbed wire, emplacements). One of the other tasks they were given in War1 was tunneling. A lot of ex-miners were employed there. So they were specialists in their own rights and a Sgt. would have had command of a platoon sized unit, or activity of equal responsibility. The Brits were definitely less flexible in this structure, so likely a Sgt. would have responsibility of a unit the size of a platoon. And in war time this varied, depending on the number of officers available, so it could have varied up to company size. They didn't usually have to charge no man's land, but that does not mean their jobs were any less dangerous.
Sorry I can't answer the medal/service questions, but that I would have to research.
Rob.
Posted: 03-Oct-2009 05:03
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| shalligettoblighty? |
2
Hi
My great uncle Harold George Macklon served as a Private in WW1. Afterwards he wrote a fasciinating memoir of his experiences. When I was researching his history I found that his regiment, the East Surrey Regiment were very helpful providing any information that they had. Many regiments are going to a lot of effort putting war diaries (Info detailed during the war of battles, times and places) and these may help you clarify some details.
There are a few businesses which will help (some at a cost, others not) find information. Check out the 'interesting websites' section under 'website extras' on my website www.shalligettoblighty.co.uk as there are a few there which may help. If thats no good, feel free to e mail me at mail@shalligettoblighty.co.uk. I'm certainly no expert, but I may be able to make some suggestions of sites which can help. Good luck with your search.
Mandy
Posted: 10-Oct-2009 10:49
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| Suedanes |
3
Try www.1914-1918.net/eastsurrey.htm
It tells you all about the record and about the medals .
sue
Posted: 04-Nov-2009 14:02
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