#21
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I understood the medals were forfeited because he didn't serve abroad and I'm fairly certain that came from someone who should know, but will have to ask OH when he gets home. All the letters JH wrote to his fiancée in 1917 and 1918 were written from army hospitals (bronchitis again) or garrisons in the UK.
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Merry "Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010 |
#22
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Merry "Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010 |
#23
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He did serve overseas!
Here is the record for his Silver War Badge: http://search.ancestry.co.uk/iexec?h...src=&pid=25705 56967 Gunner Hamilton, John 6B Res Bde Enlisted: 26 Dec 1914 Discharged: 3 Dec 1917 Reason for discharge: sickness Age: 23 Whether served overseas: Yes |
#24
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Most of the references on the 1914-18 forum to medal forfeiture relate to desertion, but I thought this was interesting:
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#25
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Merry "Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010 |
#26
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That's what I was thinking, Mary.
If the John Hamilton who was given 12 months hard labour for stealing Mr Harryman's car is Merry's OH's mysterious John Claude Hamilton, then that would explain why the medals were forfeited. Initially, John Hamilton was a driver with the RFA - that may refer to horses, but could mean he drove a motorised vehicle. The 'gang' would have needed a driver in order to make off with Mr Harryman's car. |
#27
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OH says the person who told us the reason for the retraction of the medals was a professional researcher working at TNA who we employed to find (try and find!) JH's army service papers about ten years ago. The army papers did not survive.
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Merry "Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010 |
#28
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I didn't realise they could retract the medals years after they were earned!
The criminal is definitely our JH!! When he was involved I stealing the rolls of fabric in Bristol (mentioned in the papers re stealing Mr Harryman's car) the newspaper reporter stated he was from Cork and was know to the police in Southampton and was a ships fireman, which fit our man exactly. My poor mother-in-law was born a week into his second prison term
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Merry "Something has been filled in that I didn't know was blank" Matthew Broderick WDYTYA? March 2010 |
#29
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Quote:
18 Aug 1920 Reference to the BW and VM (British War Medal and Victory Medal). 20 Nov 1921 Officer in command Royal Horse and Royal Field Artillery receives enquiries re forfeiture of medals. 22 Dec 1921 BW and VM returned without letter. 3 Feb 1922 The CR under this date ref has been puzzling me. Could it mean 'criminal record'? There is no mention of the 1915 Star of Silver War Medal being returned. |
#30
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Could it be Clasp and Roses?
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