Tuesday June 11th, 1918
My little child’s birthday 1916. Reveille 5:30. Showground fatigue. Mail up, four letters from home and letter and 2/6 from ?? Peter’s Ward ?? Very good and then sent it home and wrote. Rumoured we are leaving country. I do hope it is so. Every sign of it. Went with C. Wild to 22nd Divisional Concert Hall for rations ??. Inoculated second dose for cholera.
Child’s Birthday
Olive, Frank’s daughter is now two year’s old. She is living with her Grandma and Aunt while her mother, Sarah, works in a cotton mill in their home town of Shaw in Lancashire. I haven’t been able to decipher all of Frank’s entry today – any insights gratefully received. For example, Frank obviously received the two shillings and sixpence and then sent it home to Sarah. Did groups (e.g. Peter’s Ward) send money to troops on the front lines?
Meritorious Service Medal
Today the Battalion Diary notes that Sergeant McManus has been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal. This award was established by the British Army in 1845 and equivalents were introduced by the RAF and the Royal Navy in 1918 and 1919 respectively. It recognized ‘good, faithful, valuable and meritorious service, with conduct judged to be irreproachable throughout’ and could be earned by NCO.¹
Originally it was focused upon long and good service. During WWI it was ‘also awarded for acts of gallantry or meritorious conduct when not in the face of the enemy’. Until 1928 the number of medals in circulation was limited to just 40, after which it was increased to 75.² So its award was a big deal for both Sergeant McManus and the Manchester’s.
Four of the officers with the Manchester Regiment were also awarded the Military Cross. The Regiment must have been very proud.
Rumours
Frank has already heard rumours that the Battalion might be leaving the country to join another theatre of war. This was only reported yesterday in the Battalion War Diary – the jungle telegraph is working well.
13th (Service) Battalion War Diary – 11th June 1918 – La Marraine
Work and fatigues as before. The following extracts from London Gazette dated Monday 3rd June 1918 are published for information. Awarded the Military Cross:- Captain (Acting Major) Richard Montagu Lawrence Scott, Cheshire Regiment, attached Manchester Regt. Temp Cap William Reginald Batty Manchester Regt. Captain Eugene Henry Coyne MB RAMC TF. Temp Lieut Walter Foskett Manchester Regt.
The following extract from List No. 106 ‘Appointments, Commissions, Rewards’ dated 5-6-18 is published for information. Meritorious Service Medal No 5375 Sgt McManus W.
References & Further Reading
¹ Meritorious Service Medal on Wikipedia
² Meritorious Service Medal on First World War Encyclopedia
* image from First World War Encylopedia, may be subject to copyright
Caroline,
I cannot make out Peter’s first name but Frank received the 2/6d from Peter’s “ward son”. Ward in this sense is an old term used to describe someone in the care of a guardian
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/ward
Charlie