Military Medal and Bar to Thomas Scambler II Cpl Royal Engineers Q Company

[nyflint]

I've had some of his papers for perhaps 50 years. He's not a relative but once worked on the farm where I grew up and where I found these papers.

The papers relate to a) his War Record and b) to the award of a Bar to his existing Military Medal.
Q Company was a Gas team.
I've often wondered how he won the 2 awards.
Eventually I hope to perhaps trace living relatives and pass on these papers.
Our old brave soldiers should be remembered.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[mmm45]

Citations for MM were destroyed in the blitz of WW2 if Q Coy had a war diary (it would be a national archives ) he may be mentioned.... local papers are great asset for MM awards also
He will have a mention in the London Gazette
If you post his name and number there may be other info to help you.

As you say he was in one of the RE Special Companies

Ady

[nyflint]

Releasing gas was a hazardous and terrible occupation. They could only release it when the wind was in the right direction and as we know wind can change direction in a moment. Gas could be blown back onto their own lines.

Information from his papers
Thomas Scambler
Regimantal Number 192816 (though I think there is a second record with 192814)
Royal Engineers - Unit "Q" Special Coy RE
6/8/15 - 17/2/16 Driver
17/7/16 - 18/2/17 Pioneer
18/2/17 - 7/18 L Cpl
7/8 - 6/2/19 IICpl
Former occupation - Farmer
Section 4 overleaf Military Medal ? Bar or MM & Bar. Not sure which.

Second document

Enclosed Bar to MM ref London Gazette 11/2/19
His address at 11/9/19 Oundle House, Rickwell, Nr Oakham

My thanks

[mmm45]

Unit PRO Reference Covering Dates
Special Brigade Depot Royal Engineers WO 95/120 July 1915 - Oct 1919
Special Section Royal Engineers WO 95/122 June 1916 - Feb 1917
'A' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/241 Mar 1917 - July 1919
'B' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/241 Mar 1917 - July 1919
'C' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/549 Mar 1917 - June 1919
'D' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/486 Mar 1917 - July 1919
'E' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/242 Mar 1917 - June 1919
'F' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/242 Mar 1917 - July 1919
'G' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/242 Mar 1917 - Aug 1919
'H' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/334 Mar 1917 - July 1919
'M' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/549 Mar 1917 - May 1919
'O' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/242 Mar 1917 - May 1919
'P' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/334 Mar 1917 - May 1919
'Q' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/402 Mar 1917 - May 1919
'J' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/401 Mar 1917 - July 1919
'L' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/334 Mar 1917 - May 1919
'K' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/401 Mar 1917 - May 1919
'N' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/402 Mar 1917 - May 1919
'Z' Special Company Royal Engineers WO 95/486 Mar 1917 - July 1919
Headquarters Special Companies Royal Eng WO 95/332 Mar 1917 - Mar 1919

Special Coy War Diaries at kew....some may be online

Ady

[helen maguire]

My Father, Thomas Scambler, was born in 1896 and was sent to work on his Uncle's farm in Settle.
He was awarded the Military Medal and Bar during the First World War. I would be very grateful for information you may have.

[nyflint]

Oooo Wonderful
I'll add some scanned images as soon as I locate them.
I have a full set of deeds for the farm where he worked. They start in 1622 and end when my parents bought the place in 1959.
Checking FreeBMD a while back I believe he lived in Settle in the 1920's and married. The family then appears to have moved to Lancashire I think. Mind you with that newspaper in the trunk dated September 1st 1939 He must still have been there then??
I believe the full award is a MM and "2bars" received at different times. Quite rare but not uncommon. Do you still have his medals?
Do you know what he did to receive the awards? I'd love to know.
Jon

[nyflint]

This is the farm, taken circa 1966/7
Note the linking building at a right-angle to the house (formerly a smithy workshop, coach house) with the single window facing. I believe this room was his lodgings as it is where the chest was found.

[helen maguire]

Good morning. Thank you so much, I know very little about my Father's time in the war as he never talked about it. All I know is that he was awarded the MM due to a gas attack. He was in the RAF during the 2ndWW and married my mother in 1941. After the war they moved to Churchtown near Garstang.
I do not have the MM but I do have the dress medal (I think it's called) with 1 bar. I would love to track down the medal. Thank you for the photograph, I did take my Father on a sentimental journey and have always regretted not knocking on the door.

[nyflint]

Here are the document scans.
As regards locating his MM you'd be very lucky to find that. Many were sold and went to collectors but sadly a huge number went to scrap as silver bullion.

Do you have his other medals?
I did look into his medal record WW1 (regret I can't find the downloaded file) and apparently he had the War & Victory medals. I did think perhaps he should have had the 14/15 Star as well but obviously he didn't see active service till 1916 in order to qualify for that one.
 
The Military Medal was awarded to other ranks of the British Army and Commonwealth Forces. It was an award for gallantry and devotion to duty when under fire in battle on land.
5796 1st Bars were awarded out of 115,600 total MM's were awarded.

I don't think you can ask for replacement WW1 medals now from official sources but I believe you can still get those for WW2. You just need a kinship form from the Medal Records Office.

As regards his WW1 War Record. You might be able to get these if they exist. Many were destroyed in a fire during the WW2 air raids. Some survive, some are singed at the edges.

Have you used FreeBMD? If you type in Scambler you should find a few references for the Settle area and other families associated.
Jon