Alfred Miller 1351 South Wales Borderers War Medal
Article about: I picked this up today and I no longer have a full ancestry account so I could find his MIC but not if any of his other papers survive or look at his Medal Rolls for the star and WM/VW. If a
Alfred Miller 1351 South Wales Borderers War Medal
I picked this up today and I no longer have a full ancestry account so I could find his MIC but not if any of his other papers survive or look at his Medal Rolls for the star and WM/VW.
If anyone with an account can see what they can find it would be greatly appreciated.
His MIC shows he had two numbers and was originally with 1/1 bn but his second number I don't know which Bn he was with but still with the SWBords.
He has a very low number so was either an old soldier or a Territorial soldier and the latter would make sense as they were renumbered in 1917 and would also fit with him being 1/1 Bn.
He was an acting corporal at some stage with his second number.
His MIC lists him first serving in a war zone on 3/7/15 with an entry code of 5C which is for Aden in what was classed as the Asiatic Theater. Aden is these days in Yemen but during the Great War was known as the Aden Protectorate and was a province of British India.
The only Bn of the SWBords that I can find as going to Aden were the 1/1 Bn Brecknockshires.
1/1st Brecknockshire Battalion
August 1914 : in Brecon. Part of South Wales Brigade, Welsh Division.
29 October 1914 : left Brigade and sailed from Southampton with the Home Counties Division, arriving Bombay.
3 December 1914 : moved to Aden, arriving 16 December 1914 and coming under orders of the Aden Brigade.
August 1915 : returned to Bombay. Joined Mhow Brigade in 5th (Mhow) Division and remained in India throughout the war.
So he probably was 1/1st Brecknocks rather than 1st SWBords were only known as 1st Bn and not as 1/1st.
Nice medal and some good research Jerry, shame its missing the ribbon but at least you got his MIC.
Matt
Thanks Matt.
I have a small piece of copy ribbon to go on it for now until next I find some lengths of original ribbon.
I was researching the history and service of the Brecknocks and it does seem almost certain that he was 1/1st Brecknockshire battailon of the South Wales Borderers as they were a Territorial Battalion of the Bords which fits with his low number and renumbering and his service in Aden.
I have never seen anything from the First World War with a connection to Aden before, so probably quite unusual in that respect. Your collection of WW1 medals with a Welsh connection must be coming along nicely. How many have you got now?
I have never seen anything from the First World War with a connection to Aden before, so probably quite unusual in that respect. Your collection of WW1 medals with a Welsh connection must be coming along nicely. How many have you got now?
It was a first for me as well mate. The list does not include this latest pickup.
I have quite a few now, In fact 43 complete groups (of trios or pairs) and split groups or singles.
I couldn't find a service, pension, or SWB record but see below for the medal roll.
In case you're interested, I've heard Find My Past is doing a free weekend starting Friday 22/1/16 at midday UK time. There's also a 1 GBP sub for a month on offer with them at the mo.
It was a first for me as well mate. The list does not include this latest pickup.
I have quite a few now, In fact 43 complete groups (of trios or pairs) and split groups or singles.
Funnily enough I have exactly 43 groups and singles too (also counting two memorial plaques to brothers and a Military Medal). I also keep a record of them in almost the exact same way as you do. Although my collection is not as focused as yours, and I got very, very lucky and purchased a group of various medals from a 2nd hand shop last March which bolstered the numbers a bit. although its getting to the point now where I am only really keeping medals that can be researched (unless they are to rare units), as for me the research is the most enjoyable part of collecting.
I couldn't find a service, pension, or SWB record but see below for the medal roll.
In case you're interested, I've heard Find My Past is doing a free weekend starting Friday 22/1/16 at midday UK time. There's also a 1 GBP sub for a month on offer with them at the mo.
Tony
Mant thanks Tony.
these confirm my thoughts he as 1/1st Brecknocks. Interesting to see his two attachments to other units late on, with 18/Sig. Coy. and 4/SWBords who served in Egypt and Mesopotamia.
Funnily enough I have exactly 43 groups and singles too (also counting two memorial plaques to brothers and a Military Medal). I also keep a record of them in almost the exact same way as you do. Although my collection is not as focused as yours, and I got very, very lucky and purchased a group of various medals from a 2nd hand shop last March which bolstered the numbers a bit. although its getting to the point now where I am only really keeping medals that can be researched (unless they are to rare units), as for me the research is the most enjoyable part of collecting.
Snap!
James, I do prefer to buy star medal groups or splitters from them as they allow more research to be undertaken than those from pairs. Just having the date of entry and theater served code opens doors that you don't get with pairs, as shown by this single from a trio I was able to work out he was 1/1st brecknocks, it it had been from a pair I would have needed access to the medal rolls to possible work out whom her served with and where/when.
I was lucky as I picked this up on its own and it might have been from a split pair. He was a low number for the SWBords though and he was very cheap so it was hard to pass on it but I got lucky.
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