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 Posted by Darren » Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:54 pm
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.png) Private Registered user Posts: 6 |
| My Gt Grandfather 9375 George STREETER was in the 2nd Battalion. Judging by his service number, he would have joined in 1907 or early 1908, and he arrived in France with the rest of the Battalion on 5/10/14.
After the war though, when the 2nd Battalion were in Italy then Ireland, he was serving at a P.O.W. camp in Sandycroft, Flintshire. Does anyone know whether this was a 2nd Battalion posting, or whether he would have been detached? Unfortunately his service records have not survived. He would have been there by Easter 1919, maybe earlier, as my nana was born in December 1919! He and my Gt Grandmother were together, on and off, until he died in 1956. Family legend has it that he was a Sgt Major, and Commandant of the camp, although his medal card records him as a Cpl and a Sgt. He may have been promoted after his medals were awarded of course. When he left the army, he was presented with an inscribed walking cane by the local villagers, which I have seen. It is inscribed "To George Streeter, with thanks from the villagers of Sandycroft". Back in those days, Wales was 'dry' on a Sunday, and he had arranged for the locals to have access to the camp bar, which was exempt! Unfortunately, there is no date or rank on the little plaque. My nana remembered hearing his 'loud cockney voice' around the village when she was little, although whether as a shouting Sgt Major or just a man with a loud voice it is now sadly too late to ask. I would also have liked to know whether he left the army at the end of his time, or whether he left to avoid being posted away from his new family. Does anyone have any ideas how he may have come to be sent to Sandycroft? Thanks, Darren. |
| Posted by plbramham » Mon Mar 19, 2012 10:33 pm
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 General Global moderator Posts: 1369 |
| The rank engraved on medals was that which the soldier held at the time he qualified for the award, i.e., if he was a Cpl in 1915 when he qualified for the 1914-15 Star, it would have been inscribed Cpl on that medal, but perhaps Sgt on his BWM & Victory medals if he was promoted by the time he qualified for them. This can be seen on medal index cards with an "engravers mark" symbol which looks a bit like a X with dots between the arms, which would be next to "1914-15 star" on the card and repeated next to his Cpl rank listing. Hence the engraver knew to inscribe Cpl on that medal and the other rank listed on the other medals. |
| Posted by Darren » Tue Mar 20, 2012 6:58 pm
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Private Registered user Posts: 6 |
| Many thanks, plbramham, I have long wondered what that dotted cross was. |