Croix De Guerre

[collin]

John Thomas Seaton was awarded the Belgian Croix Dr Guerre 1st class on 15/4/18.He was in Royal Garrison Artillery. Is there anywhere to find out what he actually did to get the award?  Thanks

[MaxD]

He was in 153 Siege Battery RGA for the latter half of the war.  The war diary is at the National Archives, download for £3.50 at:
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/22e63edf645d42028230bdcad309b526  you may find something there.

However, if you are looking for one single act of bravery, don't be surprised if you don't find it.  The majority of awards by the allied nations were to recognise men carrying out their normal duties over a sustained period in an above the normal manner in a context which related to the allied nation concerned.

The introduction to the list of allied awards in the London Gazette in which his appears is:
The following are among the Decorations and medals awarded by the Allied Powers at various dates to the British Forces for distinguished services rendered during the course of the campaign:— and results from the British authorities, at the invitation of, in his case, the Belgian government, submitting names of men whose services were thought worthy of the recognition the award brings.  You'll note the list of Belgian awards is some 23 pages long comprising some 1500 plus names.

He served his country from 1907, all the way through the war, ending as a Sergeant (although he had been a Battery Quartermaster Sergeant and acting Battery Sergeant Major at one stage) so he would seem to have been a prime candidate for such recognition.

MaxD

[collin]

Thank you for all this information,  I will pass  this on to his granddaughter
Best wishes Glyn

[collin]

Hello. This is an old post but a document has surfaced which says John Thomas was awarded the 1914 star then
Belgian Croix Dr Guerre. London Gazette 30631.  15/4/18
Specialist military qualification. Stretcher Bearer.
Would this make it easier to find further information?
Many thanks

[MaxD]

Did you download the war diary - downloads are currently free if you register with the National Archives.
That said, the award was one of many (each one certainly well deserved), there are no individual citations and, as said, the only faint chance is that the war diary mentions him.

His 1914 Star was one of the three service medals he qualified for:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_srt=3&_aq=battalion+1+muster&_ep=artillery&_cr=WO&_dss=range&_ro=any&_p=1700%7C1800&_st=adv.

His stretcher bearer qualification was gained n 1909 2 years after he joined the army.   By the time he came to be awarded the Croix it was 9 years later, he has risen up the ranks and was now in a senior position in his battery, long since having given up stretcher bearing.

The basic answer is no unfortunately.

 His service record is on Findmypast at:

https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f007273404%2f01336&parentid=gbm%2fwo363-4%2f7273404%2f109%2f1335

MaxD

[collin]

Thank you Max for your expert knowledge
I didn't download the war diary but have copied his service record from Findmypast.
We shall have to be content with that