WW1 Medal Query

[qt]

Hi
My G Grandfather was Herbert Edward Laws. He was born in Bolton on 15 Sep 1892 and died in Eastleigh on 19 Jan 1971. He was awarded two medals in he war and always said it was because he ran the fastest!!
My Grandmother is desperate to find out the real reason but I have looked everywhere on the net and even went to the national archives with no luck
Please can someone help me or guide me with this
Thanks
qt.sam

[ShaunJ]

Do you know what regiment he was in QT? There are medal cards at NA and on A......y for Herbert E Laws of the RASC and a namesake in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

There are also a fair few Herbert Laws without a middle initial.

Do you have the medals?

[ShaunJ]

..and do you know his rank?

[ShaunJ]

Is this him ? M2/119926 Pte. H. E. Laws, A.S.C. (Bolton) - I found him in the Gazette - an MM for bravery in the field if I'm reading this right - would someone please check this? Supplement to London Gazette 26 August 1918 Issue number 30873 Page 10126. http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/home.aspx?GeoType=London

There is a medal card for him which I will post for help with interpretation.

[ShaunJ]

Here is the medal card image - for help with interpretation

Moderator comment: image cropped - in order not to breach copyright, only small portions of these cards may be posted

[neil1821]

My G Grandfather was Herbert Edward Laws. He was born in Bolton on 15 Sep 1892 and died in Eastleigh on 19 Jan 1971. He was awarded two medals in he war and always said it was because he ran the fastest!!
My Grandmother is desperate to find out the real reason but I have looked everywhere on the net and even went to the national archives with no luck
Please can someone help me or guide me with this

There are a few key questions to ask you here, qt.
- how certain are you of the fact that it was 2 medals? If definitely 2, then we can make certain deductions.
- you don't mention if he was army, royal navy or merchant navy. Any idea which?
- do you or anyone else in the family still have the medals?

I can only think of 2 different ww1 combinations of 2 medals:
British War Medal/Victory Medal pair (Army or Royal Navy)
British War Medal/Mercantile Marine War Medal (Merchant Navy)
Basically both combinations are campaign medals for service abroad (or on the high seas) in a war zone.

[qt]

Oh my gosh
I have looked everywhere for that card!!!
I have been looking for two medals but a quick call to my Dad has confirmed what is on the card and newspaper he did infact earn 4 medals and my Dad has them. They are the Military Medal, the Allied Victory Medal 1914-19, the 1914/5 Star and the British War Medal 1914/18. He was Army, his Regiment No was M2/119/926 and his Soldier Service was NT,RASC
How can I read the article? What did he do brave? I expect it was more than just running fast
Sam

[neil1821]

I have been looking for two medals but a quick call to my Dad has confirmed what is on the card and newspaper he did infact earn 4 medals and my Dad has them. They are the Military Medal, the Allied Victory Medal 1914-19, the 1914/5 Star and the British War Medal 1914/18. He was Army, his Regiment No was M2/119/926 and his Soldier Service was NT,RASC

Glad that's sorted.
The lesson though - establish what you can from family sources to begin with.
Makes later searches so much quicker and easier!
 

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/ViewPDF.aspx?pdf=30873&geotype=London&gpn=10126&type=ArchivedSupplementPage&all=&exact=laws&atleast=&similar=

[qt]

Hi, Thanks for all that
I wasnt sure what info was going to be needed and to be very honest thought it would take alot more digging than that!!!(I am impressed)
I have a copy of that supplement but have never understood what it meant.
How do I move on now to find out what he did for each medal? I know that the medal rolls are at the NA only so another trip is on the cards but what else can I do
Sam xx