Royal Marine Light Infantry Records Query

[densavage]

Recently I discovered that my uncle served in the Royal Marine Light Infantry proving to me there is always a smattering of truth in family tales, he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, Victory and British War Medal, I have always thought one had to be mixed up in the fighting to be awarded the Star so I am a bit baffled by the record I have just downloaded He enlisted and was at the depot at Deal 1st Jan 1913 to 24 Sep 1913 then to the Portsmouth Division 25 Sep 1913 to the 20 Apr 1914 against this last date it states embarked, then under Depot or Ship it states St Vincent ( query that ship or base) 21 Apr 1914 - 8 Nov 1915 then back to Portsmouth Div, 9 Nov 1915- 4 Sep 1916  the next base or ship looks like Renown ? 5 Sep 1916- 23 Dec 1916 then to Victory RM Brigade? 24 Dec 1916- 16 Apr 1917 after these postings I have made a bit of sense of them He was in the 2nd Battalion RMLI 17 Apr 1917-10 Apr 1918 and the 1st Battalion RMLI 10 Apr 1918- 12 Sep 1919.
If St Vincent and Renown are ships what would Light Infantry be doing on board them and why would he be awarded the Star? and what was the Victory R M Brigade's role?
Thank You Dennis

[mmm45]

Hi Dennis
Royal Marines served on all ships within the RN
St Vincent was a battleship and so was Renown if you google them theres plenty of info.St Vincent became a shore base at Gosport in 1927.

Victory was the admin centre for the RMs i would think that service overseas with 2nd Batt RM would probably include Western Front...Gavrelle and the likes
as an Infantryman!

As for Campaign Medals yes awarded to all who served in Theatre of war and HMS St Vincent was in the Home Fleet 1914/15 so he would have been in the North Sea so eligible for award

Looks like he missed out on the Battle of Jutland though by the dates you supply off his record

Hope this helps

Ady

[mmm45]

http://www.1914-1918.net/63div.htm

This may help ref RM Brigades

http://www.royalnavaldivision.co.uk/THE%20ROYAL%20MARINES%20AT%20THE%20GAVRELLE%20WINDMILL.pdf

and this one.

Ady

[corisande]

His Medal Index Card should show when he landed in France (assuming he did)

[densavage]

Hi corisande,
                       Regarding The Medal Roll how does one access Royal Marine ( Navy) Medal Roll on the National Archives site?as you say it should show when/if  he landed in France, I have tried the site and clicked on Navy and there is no mention of Medal Rolls and he does not appear in the Army list, I obtained his medal details from " Find my Past" and no mention of service places on that site,
As for Ady will get back to you, ploughing through the sites you mentioned at present.
Thank you Dennis
PS Should have known something about the battle wagons being Pompey born and bred!

[mmm45]

RM Medal Rolls arent onlne they are in ADM 171 Files at Kew...Also Fleet Air Arm Museum at Yeovilton has a lot of RM records

Do you have your mans name ive got a contact with vast RMLI database he should have the medal roll

There are a few RM medal Index Cards on the Docs online but these are pretty rare

Ady

[densavage]

Hi Ady,
            His name was Albert William Knott Savage, Very interesting what one comes across, on enlistment he gave his DOB as the 24th January 1895  age as 17 9 5/30, in reality he was born 27 Mar 1897, and like the majority of fibbers he was found out and was docked service days, The WW1 war diaries for the RMLI are on line and on reading them the best comment I can come up with is that Northern France was a good place to stay away from!
Thank you Dennis 

[mmm45]

PO/16650...You need to get papers from ADM 157 file i think they are the only ones you are missing?
(info from an RM expert on Great War Forum)

Ady

[sharonlou]

*densavage

Hi i have just traced my great great uncle who served in the Royal Marines Light Infantry 2nd Battalion who died in on Nove 1st 1917 but have little more information on him as yet but i will continue with my quest.

Sharon