Information of Soldier wanted

[Ben]

Hello everyone and thank you for allowing me to join your forum.

I have recently come across a 1914-1919 Allied Victory medal. It was recently found by my friends father here in Antrim, Northern Ireland. We are both interested in getting this medal back to any family members who are still around but also to find out about the man himself who is named on the edge of the medal. I have taken a few pictures and have attached them to this message. I would love any information about this gentleman and also a photograph too. But also of course our main aim is to get this back to the family.

The info on the side are

4753 Pte H Giddens MANCH R

I assume the MANCH R means the Manchester Regiment and I'm hoping the numbers are a service number too. Any help or pointers on where to go and do  next would be amazing.

Thank you for taking the time to read my post. If anyone needs more info from myself please do not hesitate to contact me

Many Thanks
Ben Lyttle

[rafboy]

Your photos are not there, if you notice they all show their size as 0kb.
Cliff

[charlie]

Hello Ben and welcome to the forum.
Harry Giddens attested into the Army on 10.12.1915, so a volunteer under the Derby Scheme. He was mobilized on 15.02.1916 and posted to France from the 3/10th Battalion Manchester Regt. At the Infantry Base Depot in France he was transferred to the 1/4th Battalion Loyal North Lancashire Regt, service number 202772.  In November 1917 he suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen and was returned to the UK.

He was discharged from the Army as no longer fit to serve on 24.10.1918 and awarded the Silver War Badge number B32759. He was discharged from 23rd Battalion Royal Welsh Fusiliers, his RWF number was 96794.

On 16.06.1919 he re-enlisted into the 2nd Bn Manchester Regt and allocated the number 89969. On 06.08.1919 he was posted to the 1st Bn and on 11.10.1919 he was again discharged as no longer fit to serve. Interestingly he was issued another Silver War Badge B316721 after his discharge from the 1st Bn.

His address in 1919 was 27 Heap St Oldham, the houses are no longer there, they were demolished during the slum clearances of the late 60s - early 70s.

I am not 100% sure but I think he married Margaret Taylorson in the 3rd Quarter 1923. In 1939 he was living with Margaret at 194 Chief St, if I remember correctly the terraced houses on Chief St have also been demolished.

He was born on 02.01.1892 and died aged 64 in 1956.

The best place for medals is the British medal forum http://www.britishmedalforum.com there is a list of people looking to reunite medals.

Charlie

[Ben]

Sorry Cliff I'm not very tech savvy lol. Is there another way to post them on this forum or am I doing something wrong?

Charlie, wow that information is fantastic thank you very much for all that. Very very interesting to hear all that. Would it be too much to ask if there is any photos of Harry anywhere? Or even point me in the right direction of one. I'm very much enjoying learning about all this and how to go about it.

What are the 4753 before his name and rank all about? And also the bigger mystery to me is how did the medal end up away over here in Northern Ireland? I originally thought it may have been through being posted over here at the start of the Irish Civil War or maybe even through finding a lovely woman who he then married but you answered that for me. I am very much hoping it's not a case of having to sell the medal just to be able to feed the family as we hear so much about even now a days.

Wow there is still so many questions and things I'd love to know but wee steps at a time I think lol. Thank you so much for your help so far.

[charlie]

Ben,
I guessing the photos you wanted to upload exceed the max what is allowed per post. Only up to 4 photos with a total not exceeding 1mb are allowed. If this is the case either resize them or post them in seperate posts.

The number in front of his name and rank is his regimental number, the number identifies the soldier as an individual - a bit like your national insurance number.

Your guess as to how the medal ended up in Antrim is as good as mine Many were sold to make the ends meet, some were sold as part of a house clearance after the death of the owner, the possibilities are endless

Charlie

[Ben]

I hope these pics upload now lol

[Ben]

It's very battered and a bit dirty. Am going to get it cleaned up a bit shortly

[rafboy]

Your photos are there now Ben.
Cliff

[Ben]

i eventually got my head around it lol. cheers Cliff.

[charlie]

Ben,
Your best bet for a photo is the archive of the local paper. The archive of the Oldham Chronicle is held at  Oldham local studies and archive.
https://www.oldham.gov.uk/info/200276/local_history/1855/contact_local_studies_and_archives/1

Charlie