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General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: Kevin Malley on Friday 04 October 24 22:21 BST (UK)
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Hi,
This is my Great Grandad John Breslands WW1 Medal Card. Can anyone tell me what the information on this tells us?
I know nothing of his war experience.
Regards
Kevin
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He was a Private in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, and was awarded:
Victory Medal
British War Medal, and
the 1914 Star
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He was also awarded the Military Medal. Gazetted 19 March 1918.
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The qualifying date of 22nd September 1914 would be the date that he landed in France.
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Hi
Thanks for quick replies. Would I be correct in saying these medals were given to most soldiers for participation in France/Belgium?
Had no idea about Military Medal where is best to find out more on that?
Regards
Kevin
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The 3 medals you mentioned are also known as Pip, Squeak ans Wilfred. :D
https://www.worldwar1luton.com/object/pip-squeak-and-wilfred-wwi-campaign-medals
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Quick look in British Newspaper archive and I found the Military Medal award for J Bresland but in brackets its says (Derry). My Great Grandad was from Greenock so now I'm wondering if I got the wrong medal card ???
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According to the Long, Long Trail [Great War Forum] the 2nd Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers was at Dover in August 1914 and then moved to Cromer and soon afterward to Drayton in Norfolk. The main body landed at Le Havre on the 22nd August 1914, so your man seems to have been a later arrival.
jds1949
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From FindMyPast
Prisoners of War
Pte John Bresland 3893
born Londonderry 18.9.1887
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Thanks for that Comberton looks like I have the wrong medal card :-\
He was definitely born in Greenock 1892
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Birth of John Bresland in Derry 18 September 1888 (not 1887) (number 183):
https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1888/02496/1925695.pdf
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The Medal Roll shows just 1 John Bresland which is the above.
He went on to serve up until 1924.
It looks like your man didn't volunteer or was never sent overseas
so wouldn't qualify for campaign Medals.
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Yes it's pretty clear it's not my Great Grandads medal card, thanks for help.
Looking over family certs he was present at his Father's and Mother's deaths in 1915 and 1918 in Greenock. So that suggests he wasn't overseas, like you said.
On his mother's obituary it does say he was a soldier however and he met and married my Great Gran in Frizington, Cumberland. So he may of been in Cumberland as part of his duties.
Need to look into that more. Maybe a home guard or reserve training going on in Cumberland
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Hello again,
Spoke with my mum and she says he was a soldier and he was based in barracks near Cleater Moor but unfortunately thats all she knows. Looking like he was possibly involved something in that area during the war ???
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Hello again,
Spoke with my mum and she says he was a soldier and he was based in barracks near Cleater Moor
As far as I can make out there wasn't any Army barracks in or near to Cleator Moor during the Great War. However, there was a Prisoner of War Camp holding between two and three hundred German prisoners. The camp was situated at Rowrah some four miles from Cleator Moor. The camp was run by soldiers of the South Wales Borderers. I know that your great grandfather was born in Greenock and you may think that he wouldn't be in a Welsh regiment but from 1916 onwards, men were placed wherever the Army needed them. It is also possible that he wasn't deemed fit for service overseas hence him being stationed in the UK.
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There was a POW camp near Cleator Moor.
you beat me to it.
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Hi
Yes I noticed that Google searching that there was a POW camp in that area. That's interesting maybe he was there. He was a very short man(looking at pics)and died in his 40s of heart condition so maybe wasn't fit to fight abroad. Prison guard may have been a way of contributing. Was there height restrictions with recruitment at the time ;D
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At the outbreak of war there was a 5' 3" minimum height which was soon discarded
by the introduction of Bantam Btns. so height wasn't a bar to joining, health was.
The classifications were A1 & B1-5.
B3-5 were suitable for home service only.
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A soldier called Daniel Pearson-Parker (service number 15348) of the Royal Defence Corps died in 1917 whilst stationed at Rowrah Camp with the 318th Protection Company. It is possible that your great grandfather was also in the Royal Defence Corps.
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Could be Allan, thanks for that. Sent away for his marriage cert, hoping for a clue there. Looks like it will be difficult to pin down what he was actually doing during War. Least now have a couple of things in contention.