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Help with WW1 Military Medal

jcm649

War hero
I'm hoping that some of the very knowledgeable will be able to help. My Great Uncle Willie Farley was awarded an MM in WW1, I have the LG entry and I have a transcript from the list of
British Army Recipients of the Military Medal, 1914-1920, which shows:

Name William Farley
Regimental Number
M2/136297
Regiment
Army Service Corps
Rank
Private
Medals
Military Medal
Other Records
William Farley - Army Service Corps M2/136297
War Diaries (France, Belgium, Germany)
Army Service Corps P052

Does anyone have any idea how to try and track down the war diary from the reference given above. I don't know his unit, his service record doesnt exist and the MIC only shows him as ASC.
 
In work at mo. If someone does not come along I will search it out later tonight.
Or ask on great war forum, probably have to reply by the time I'm home for my supper.
 
LG entry was 13/6/19, page 7690 - Gazette issue 31405. Military Medal. His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal for bravery in the Field.

First Name: W
Surname: Farley
Resided Town: Torquay
Rank: Private
Service Number: M2/136297
 
A bit of a blank drawn. Judging by the extant service records of other men with adjacent regimental numbers, his regimental Number dates from around 10 November 1915. Many in his group seem to have volunteered around the end of October. He would have trained as a driver at Grove Park MT Depot. The earliest in his cohort went out on active service in January 1916, others in February, April, July and October 1916. Various service including Divisional Supply Columns, Divisional Ammunition Parks, and Divisional Ammunition Columns. Seems to be a bias towards East Africa, Egypt and Salonika. Unfortunately no solid clue as to where he went or when. As his service record doesn't survive and neither does he appear in preserved medical or casualty records, your best bet may be to try & find him in a Torquay paper in the British Newspaper Archive, I'm afraid.
 
A little initial play around.
If you have a "burnt record", have a punt around for a nearby service number. This works well for infantry however with the (R)ASC the number was given at Grove park and you could be allocated any unit.
The nearest number M2/13695 Keynon has a very complete record that includes RA, bus driving and other units(a very good read)

A @Trilby same ideas I have searched the local papers for him no hints. The main paper for Torquay stopped in 1910.
 
In work at mo. If someone does not come along I will search it out later tonight.
Or ask on great war forum, probably have to reply by the time I'm home for my supper.
Good pointer to The Great War Forum. For the OP: I'm not at home and can't get on the PC or at the books, but the Mechanical Transport was the motorised branch of the Transport section, mostly on the lines of communication. A man in an ASC Motor Transport Company (branch categories M1 & M2 Mechanical Transport, MS for Mechanical Special) could have served in one of several RASC companies. There were loads but luckily most of them kept a war diary.

It looks like we've drawn a blank. You'd have to trace his war service, units and postings to identify the right unit war diary. If the BNA doesn't help you'll have to keep looking. Family got anything at all?

The service in France and Flanders, and the MM, narrows it down. The M2 prefix doesn't help much, but from past readings he could have been a Fitter, driver or an electrician under that branch. He probably did driving as well as his trade. Examples, most ASC MT Companies working as Divisional Ammunition Parks served in F&F. Likewise the Ammunition Columns and Parks with the Artillery, and the Ambulance Convoy Companies.

I think the M2 prefix was scrapped in November 1916; conscription began early that year.

The RASC-RCT Association is at Home page - RASC RCT Asssociation Contact.
CORPS HQ
The Controller, RASC & RCT Association, Dettingten House, The Princess Royal Barracks,
Deepcut, Camberley, Surrey, GU16 6RW
Telephone: 01252 833391
E-mail: controller@rhqtherlc.org.uk

Hope that's a bit helpful for you, and good hunting.
 
I think the M2 prefix was scrapped in November 1916; conscription began early that year.

Correct. M(mech) 2(strand 2 of K men) then with conscription there was a large overhaul of the numbering system. The Territorials had a huge renumber. Always makes me chuckle when someone "finds" some one with a single digit number.
I have always found the Army Service Corps a good unit to look at historically.
 
A further thought : I think that Find My Past *may* have an image of the actual Military Medal index card. Might be worth a look if anyone has access? Beyond that, Howard Williamson's Collector's Guide (Vol. iii) indicates that that Gazette was dedicated to Western Front awards, mostly October 1918, which narrows it down a bit, and his MM Roll (if he has published it) may possibly have more.
 
Correct. M(mech) 2(strand 2 of K men) then with conscription there was a large overhaul of the numbering system. The Territorials had a huge renumber. Always makes me chuckle when someone "finds" some one with a single digit number.
I have always found the Army Service Corps a good unit to look at historically.
Okay thanks for the confirmation. I was wondering if his MIC showed a unit at all. Next step would be the UWD.
OP @jcm649 have you seen this: How to interpret a campaign medal index card – The Long, Long Trail.
A further thought : I think that Find My Past *may* have an image of the actual Military Medal index card. Might be worth a look if anyone has access? Beyond that, Howard Williamson's Collector's Guide (Vol. iii) indicates that that Gazette was dedicated to Western Front awards, mostly October 1918, which narrows it down a bit, and his MM Roll (if he has published it) may possibly have more.
Nice.
 
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