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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: nessa on Monday 24 June 19 18:00 BST (UK)
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Herbert William Waller Temporary Captain Northumberland Fusiliers killed in action 10 April 1917 Arras. He has M.C. After his name what would this mean? I wondered if it meant Military Cross?
Thank you.
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Yes, it would mean that he received the Military Cross :)
JJ
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Newcastle Journal 2 January 1917
There's an article in the above recording that Temporary Captain Herbert William Waller, Northumberland Fusiliers was awarded the Military Cross.
It would also appear in the London Gazette.
JJ
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Thank you for your reply, I have found the notice in the Newcastle journal but can’t find anything in the London Gazette. Would it be possible to find out why he was awarded the medal?
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Entry in the London Gazette 29 Dec 1916 -
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29886/supplement/43
JJ
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Cannot find a citation ???
MaxD is a great one for finding military history. Hopefully he'll be able to help you or equally someone else.
JJ
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No luck I'm afraid. His MC was gazetted as part of the New Year Honours 1917 when citations were not published. It will be noted that the list is headed simply "To be awarded the Military Cross" and contains something like 2000 MC awards which indicates that they probably relate to actions during the previous 6 months or so.
His battalion arrived in France in January 1916 and the war diary suggests that their major engagement was on 1/2 July during the Battle of Albert, part of the Battle of the Somme. In that period they lost 12 officers and 53 men killed or died from wounds, 10 and 286 wounded and 116 men missing. None of the other actions the battalion was involved in (he was on a course in England from mid-Oct to Jan 1917) suggest themselves as occasions when he may have had opportunity to distinguished himself. The Brigade diary records only the fact of the award on 1 Jan 1917 in a list of gallantry awards.
MaxD
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His death is reported in the Newcastle Journal, 18 April 1917. Gives some of the circumstances, via a letter from another officer. It says he died on 10 February :-\
The report says that he was awarded the Military Cross the previous October.
Army Registers of Soldiers' Effects says Capt H W Waller M.C. died 10.5.17 (that date can't be right)
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There's another mention of him in the same edition of the newspaper (page 4)
Died 10 Feb
Gained MC in autumn 1916.
But on the same page, BMD announcements, Roll of Honour - says he died 10 April.
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The war diary records his death on 10 April 1917 "killed while reconnoitering in front of our position during the day".
MaxD