My Dads Medals

[george.theshed197]

Charlie,
Query your statement "... that your father would also be entitled to The Defence Medal..... ?
Wasn't that only for The UK - 1080 days - and certain other Overseas areas such as South Africa - 360 days operational and non-operational 180 days.
Therefore the lads  in  Burma and POW  with the Japs would not receive it  - surely.
George

[NUMPTYLAD]

George, I was 3 or 4 during the time in Berlin. My Brother in OZ will be spoken to at length this weekend. He has more knowledge than me, so will get back to you as soon as I get more details.

[george.theshed197]

Sorry for that but no problem, it happened occasionally when we are flying blind, am looking forward to hearing some of his comments, maybe he will have additional information.
George.

[rafboy]

George. He would have the Defence Medal.  These are the ones my father had and he went from the West Indies to the Middle East via a six hour stop in Southampton:
General Service Medal 1918-62 with clasps �Palestine�, �Malaya�; 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; 1939-45 Defence Medal; 1939-45 War Medal; Long Service and Good Conduct Medal
Cliff

[charlie]

Charlie,
Query your statement "... that your father would also be entitled to The Defence Medal..... ?
Wasn't that only for The UK - 1080 days - and certain other Overseas areas such as South Africa - 360 days operational and non-operational 180 days.
Therefore the lads  in  Burma and POW  with the Japs would not receive it  - surely.
George

George
I agree with you regarding the qualification times etc for the Defence medal. I can find no documentary evidence regarding time as a PoW and the Defence medal. However the Regimental museum medal collection contains several groups to 1st Bn soldiers taken at Singapore that contain the 39/45 Star, Pacific Star, Defence and War medals.

The qualification time for the 39/45 Star and Pacific star was altered - in the case of Singapore - to entry into theatre between 8.12.1941 and 15.2.1942 which was not normally the case. Was there some similar alteration to the general rules as regards POWs and the Defence medal?

The only explanation I can give as to the entitlement to the Defence medal is that Malaya - and I presume that it included Singapore - was classed as a Non-operational area closely threatened by air attack from 3.9.1939 to 7.12.1941 therefore allowing the soldiers to qualify for the Defence medal with 6 months service there prior to the invasion.

Perhaps one of our medal experts could provide clarification.

Charlie

[george.theshed197]

Charlie,
Yes, I agree - it is another one of these debatable issues of WW2 details issues. I have asking around here ( Portsmouth - fatal) all matelots  God Bless Them with similar mixed reports.
Hey ho - let it stay I reckon, they serve it.
George.

[Wendi]

NumptyLad

Have you read this?  https://www.gov.uk/the-ministry-of-defence-medal-office - the section "Replacement Medals" ?

Wendi

[NUMPTYLAD]

Hi Wendi,

The medals were stolen a long time ago and all had lost interest in them. I have my own medals, then big Bro in Oz said he wanted to try to get Dads medals. I have sourced copies of most, am chasing a GSM GVI with Palestine & Malaya bars, but am working on them.

[NUMPTYLAD]

George, Have had an email from Oz, Big Bro. He said that Dads best mate was someone called "Nippy Gannon". He aslo mentioned that they were the men who lowered the Flags at Ladysmith Barracks on the day that the Pay Corps took over. He is looking for some photos as are the other family members based locally.

[george.theshed197]

By God lad,
You could'nt have given and mentioned a more well known  name than Nippy Gannon; Nippy was the Officers Mess Silverman  of the Battalion for something like twenty years  and like all members of the unit I and everyone of us regarded Nippy as a great bloke.
I cannot make any comments regarding the information about  "..lowering the Flags at Ladysmith Barracks" because the Pay Corps were never based in the Barracks other than possibly that  maybe your brother could be confusing the fact that the Pay Corps were based further up from the Barracks right across the road.

Here's hoping that you brother can find the relevant photographs. I will have to rethink my mind now - if he was a mate of Nippy many more should have also known him. I will relook the Forum because some time back there was quite a lot of correspondence re Nippy's retirement party in Berlin.
George.

PS. Now I am embarrassed in the fact that I cannot remember your Dad because I was in the battalion whilst he was serving and yet cannot remember him !!!

[artyhughes]

Hi Folks
I vaguely remember a Cpl Woods,who was in the QMs dept,and in the pioneer section,this was during our time in Malaya,Cpl Woods was stationed at Butterworth,when the regiment went to Berlin in 54 Cpl Woods was employed in the QM's dept,when the regiment moved to Minden I recollect Cpl Woods being the rations storeman and his preparation of the 3 Ton ration truck(loading area being painting white)I left the Bn then on posting to the Army Mechanical Transport School at Borden Hampshire.I think I can remember Cpl Woods when I rejoined the regiment 2 years later.I think the RAPC did takeover Ladysmith Bks,I can never remember them in the Hero's of Waterloo,nice to see Nippy's name coming up again

[george.theshed197]

Thanks again Roy,
That is the first time I have seen information that the RAPC had been stationed in Ladysmith Barracks. I remember than first at Pownall's on Stockport Road during WW2 and also seeing them billeted with my Auntie Nell and Uncle George on Plymouth Grove, Longsight ; primarily when I was  first being introduced to them on my PYTHON leave on coming home from East Africa ,when uncle George H said that this is a proper Soldier  and referred to them  as "Pownall's Commando's" just to stir and anger the Sgt that was with them. 
So theoretically I should have known him - as I was also on the QM's staff with Major Joe Flynn 1954  after coming back from Malaya.
George.

[NUMPTYLAD]

Have a photo of my Dad, from the dress this may have been taken in Singapore prior to the war.

He has a GSM at this stage, Palestine it would seem.

Hope I have attached this correctly.

[Robert Bonner]

There is a photograph in the regimental archives of  'The flag being lowered at Ladysmith  Barracks'.  It shows Lt-Colonel (Retd) GL (Bill) Usher & RSM Benson outside the officers mess whilst an unidentified soldier can be seen lowering the flag.  The photograph can be seen by going to the archive website and opening Image Archive.  Its reference is MRO3080. In case of difficulty just enter the word flag.

I think that it is more than possible that the soldier lowering the flag was Corporal Woods.  By that time dear old 'Nippy' Gannon was certainly with the new battalion at Formby.

Extract from Ladysmith Barracks 1845 -1958: In the short term the barracks were handed over to the Army Pay Office (Officer's Accounts) pending the completion of their new headquarters on the old sports field.

[Robert Bonner]

 The photograph of your father was most certainly taken in Singapore.