Couple of queries - Artillery ranks and Gazette dates

[cliffkinch]

Hi all and a happy festive season to you all

Only recently did I find my great-uncle was awarded the Military Medal in WW1 and I have started to search for the citation

Ive found the Gazette entry (7653) for him, 291388 Corporal FES Kinch 128 Heavy Battery (Oxford) but my queries are

In the artillery I thought the rank was a Bombardier rather than a Corporal
The Gazette date is 17 June 1919, although I dont have any details as to what action took place to merit the award I suspect it is much earlier as he ended the war as an acting sergeant

Any clues to either?

Many thanks in advance

[jim1]

A Bombardier is (was) a rank below a Cpl.

[cliffkinch]

Thanks Jim - for years I thought it was the equivalent !

[jim1]

I believe the rank of Cpl. was discarded sometime during 1919 so a Bdr. effectively was a Cpl.

[MaxD]

1920.  At the same time, the one stripe became the appointment of Lance Bombardier.

The list in which his award is published is about 3500 names long and is effectively catching up with recommendations made in the latter stages of the war.  The award was often recommended for sustained brave conduct during a period of action and is not always the result of one specific act. There is no central digest of MM awards. There is sadly almost no chance that his conduct may be mentioned in a war diary.  However, like other heavy (and siege) batteries, from early 1916 they spent their lives subordinated to one or other Heavy Artillery Group/Brigade and did not keep individual diaries.  128 Hy Bty was in 9 Heavy Artillery Group from January 1918.   Haven't been able to identify a diary for that group though.

MaxD

MaxD

[cliffkinch]

Oops previous message didnt appear

The NA has only one diary of the 128th Hvy (WO-95-466-4) that I have found, covering 1st August to 30th November 1917 and describing a lot of action at "Spoilbank"

The diary is 13mb so I cant upload. Although I havent been through it all as yet I do see a lot of soldiers mentioned as casualties (vast majority wounded, including gassing) with their ranks and service numbers. When a get a quiet hour or so I will compile and post in case anyone is looking for the battery or these serving soldiers

If anyone wants a copy of the diary please let me know

Thanks