WW1 Medals/Awards Help- Great Grandfather

[HercPower32]

Hey everyone!

 

I'm a newbie here, sorry if this is the wrong section for this.

 

I'm in the process of deciphering my great grandfathers military records (some through family & online archives). During the process of trying to figure out his awards/medals

We discovered his  "Army Form Z 21" form. On the form it looks like received x1 wounded golden stripe, x4 Blue Chevrons, the 1914-1915 Star, The British War Medal, & WWI Victory Medal.

 

Then I think it say "NYC Medal"...I guess I never heard of this & not sure why he would receive it? Considering he was from London. Any help? I listed below his units during the war as well. Please correct me if there's more or missing any?

 

He service on the British side of WWI

2nd Battalion Duke Cornwall Light Infantry

1st Battalion Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry

12th Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

 

Transferred to Reserves for Demobilization “Class Z” on February 19, 1919

3rd Battalion Gloucestershire Regiment

 

Theater of war first served: France

Date of entry of theater: June 29, 1915

 

 

Thank you for any suggestions & help!

[Sumserbrown]

Hi, and welcome to the site. There is a lot of expert knowledge here to tap in to.

I am English, living in France and have a lot of WWI British medals in my collection, many of which I have researched.

It would be useful to have a look at few more of the possible documents that are now available on-line to get a bit more information on your great-grandfather. I can have a quick look for you if you can give me his full name, date of birth and the service numbers for the DCLI and Gloucestershire Regts if you have them. If we can use military records, census etc we can normally build up a decent picture of the man.

Given his background I would have thought that 'NYC medal' is unlikely, but the writing is not very clear. It possibly says mgc which is normally machine gun corps, but again, having more information about his service might help work out what this line says.

best wishes

Rob

 

Wound Stripe

(from longlongtrail.co.uk)

The stripe was first authorised under Army Order 204 of 6 July 1916:

“The following distinctions in dress will be worn on the service dress jacket by all officers and soldiers who have been wounded in any of the campaigns since 4th August, 1914:-

Strips of gold Russia braid, No.1, two inches in length, sewn perpendicularly on the left sleeve of the jacket to mark each occasion on which wounded. In the case of officers, the lower end of the first strip of gold braid will be immediately above the upper point of the flap on cuff. Warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men will wear the gold braid on the left sleeve, the lower edge of the braid to be three inches from the bottom of the sleeve. The additional strips of gold braid, marking each subsequent occasion on which wounded, will be placed on either side of the original one at half-inch interval. Gold braid and sewings will be obtained free on indent from the Army Ordnance Department; the sewing on will be carried out regimentally without expense to the public.”

But how did a man qualify?

The Army Order was followed by Army Council Instruction No. 1637 of 22 August 1916 …

“…. it is notified for information, that the term ‘wounded’ refers only to those officers and soldiers whose names have appeared, or may hereafter appear, in the Casualty Lists as ‘wounded’. The braid will be supplied to officers and soldiers under regimental arrangements, and Commanding Officers will ensure that it is not worn by those who are not entitled to it. Sufficient for two jackets will be supplied to each man.”

… and was refined by Army Council Instruction No. 2075 of 3 November 1916:

“1. The term ‘wounded’ refers only to those officers and soldiers whose names have appeared or may hereafter appear in casualty lists rendered by the Adjutant General’s office at a base overseas, or by the G.O.C. any force engaged in active operations. Reports in hospital lists are not to be regarded as authoritative for this purpose.

2. Officers and men reported ‘wounded – gas,’ or ‘Wounded – shock, shell,’ are entitled to the distinction.

Accidental or self-inflicted wounds or injuries do not qualify.”

 

The Blue chevrons:

The Army Order stated “Chevrons of two colours – red and blue – have been approved. The first chevron, if earned on or before 31st December 1914, will be red; if earned on or after 1st January 1915, it will be blue; and all additional chevrons after the first will be blue”.

“The chevrons may be worn in plain clothes by retired officers, ex-officers, pensioners, ex-soldiers and others who would, had they remained in the service or continued in any of the employments detailed above, have been entitled to wear them on uniform clothing, should they wish to do so, but no issue shall be made from government stores”.

“It is an offence under the Defence of the Realm Regulations for any unauthorised person to wear a chevrons or chevrons”.

“There will be no posthumous award to deceased officers or soldiers”.

The Army Order specified the conditions for qualification:

the date for the award of the first chevron will be the date the individual left the United Kingdom in the case of those who proceeded from home; and the 5th August 1914 in the case of those serving abroad on that date. In the case of oversea troops the date of leaving their own country, or where employed in local operations, the date of crossing the frontier or that on which they commenced to take part in active operations.

Additional chevrons will be awarded for each successive aggregate period of 12 months’ service outside the United Kingdom; the case of overseas troops, away from their own country or within a sphere of active operations.

The qualifying service for additional chevrons need not be continuous. It will include periods of leave up to one month where the individual returns overseas at the conclusion of such leave.

Periods of absence without leave, in prison or detention, in hospital due to sickness due to avoidable causes, or in captivity as a prisoner of war, will be excluded when calculating the twelve months required to qualify for an additional chevron.

Draft conducting officers and others sent overseas on duty of a temporary nature … are not eligible for the award.

 

[HercPower32]

Thank you for your help, Rob. I truly greatly appreciate it. Yes, I do have that information i can provide.

"MGC Medal" makes sense vs the "NYC Medal"

 

I do see the x4 Blue Chevrons on his uniform sleeve now.  Is that the golden wounded stripe at the end of his left sleeve?

I did find his discharge papers but, I had a hard time making out his timeline with the old English writing style.

 

My great grandfather (pic below) met my great grandmother (British side/Red Cross) while he was wounded in the hospital. She took care of him, they fell in love, married after the war, and lived happily after for 50+ years.

 

Arthur Cuttell  May 19 1894

D.C.I.L. (19023)

G.R. (40080)

 

 

 

 

 

[Sumserbrown]

I can confirm the award of the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory medal from these documents. I also have his pension card, although there is not a lot of information in there.

 

 

[Sumserbrown]

You probably know all this already but just in case:

He was born 19 May 1894 in Shoreditch, London to William Cuttell (general builder's labourer) and Rosetta Blanche Hudson and baptized 10 Jun 1894. As of the 1901 census the family were living at 51 Holly St Hackney and still there in 1911, with Arthur at age 16 a publisher's clerk. 

Arthur left England from Southampton dock in 1926 with $600 to move to the US and ended up of course in Ohio.

Scan2023-01-10_205947.pdf

[Sumserbrown]

The wound stripe is barely visible on your photograph, but I think it is there on his left sleeve. Between the buckle and his hand, you can just about pick out a line and that is his wound stripe.

[HercPower32]

Thank you Rob! I deeply appreciate it. Lots of great info. Looking forward to sharing this with my family!