Medals & Commendations
 

Don't know if anyone can help but my Grandad won a George Medal in the 1940's and I was wondering if there was anywhere I could look to find details of this.

What I've discovered so far is whilst there is lots of details for those who have received the George Cross (issued to the military), there seems to be little reference for George Medal (issued to non-military) winners.

I understand that he won it for gallantry during the 2nd World War when he saved some people from a building which had been hit by a bomb (he was a policeman at the time).

Anyone help??

Scooby snacks 23, This article has some recipients is your Grandfather here. If not have you tried writing to the Victoria and George Cross Association? they might be able to help?


Sherlock

Scooby Snacks 23, although I can't help I'm damn sure with Sherlock on the case you'll be fine. :lol1:

Thanks for the link Sherlock :thumb: but now sorted.

Following a discussion with someone at work, I got in touch with the National Archives and (as I didn't know when he got it) they referred me to the London Gazette to get the year. Upon searching their website, I found reference to him and now printed a PDF of the actual page from the London Gazette, dated 28th January 1941, and it has a big article on him (and other winners) and why he received it.

I feel all sentimental now - what a brave man he was. They don't make 'em like they used to.

Lets have a look then!

Would be proud to, but how do I put up a PDF document??

A link to it will do

What a great coincidence - My great grandfather Eric Bell won the VC in WW1. I was thinking of finding out the official record/account of his actions.
I will now go look for the offical records. :)

found this
Eric Norman Frankland Bell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

brave chap!

Here's the link:

Gazette Website: PDF Navigator

He's on page 608 as Sgt Jackson Sweeting Davison (they don't name 'em like they used to either!)

Cheers for that, i love reading about these hero's, i hope you are both proud of them.
As a side note do you have their medals? or have they been given to a museum? I went to the guards museum in London they had a lot of VC's and GC's fantastic reading the citations on how they were won.
Thanks for sharing.

Sherlock

Gonna have a look at that PDF now!

Hi Sherlock, my understanding was that Eric Bell's VC was on display in a Museum in Nottingham, he was from Ireland although settled in Notts. This was some time ago mind. If it is still there i shall pop along and have a look, glowing with pride of course :)

I think it right and fitting that his VC be on public display for all to see.

Must run in the family - my father who was in the Royal Navy at the time on leave during WW2 got a commendation for diving into a fast flowing river and rescuing a child who was swept away in the current. He had seveal medal which are now with his sister, they where very close and it seemed only right she had them on his death.

I hope that if i am ever in that sort of position i have the courage and selfnessness to do the right thing

Sorry, should mention this is my step fathers and his side of the family - easy t oforget as he brought me up as his.:)

Its a one page .pdf... Keep at it though.

Simon

I don't have it personally, but it is still in the family as it was handed down when my Grandad died in the 90's.

Something coincidential - he was also in the Coldstream Gaurds based at Caterham-On-The-Hill. The barracks itself has now been converted into a new development (The Village at Caterham if anyknown knows it) and my sister's flat overlooks the mess where he would have eaten everyday whilst based there.

I've never been the sentimental sort but I feel quite choked up today. It feels like I now more about my grandad now than when he was alive :(

I feel very, very proud of him and all the other heroes from that era.

Simon - at the top, click the drop down box to Go To Page 2 and he's on there.

Jackson Sweeting Dayison, Police Sergeant, Metropolitan Police.

Three houses were demolished by enemy bombing and one seriously damaged.
Sergeant Davison was on his way to parade for night duty when he was informed of the incident, and learned that many people were trapped in the wreckage.

On arrival at the scene he clambered on to the top of the wreckage of the first floor, when he heard a cry for help. He found a man pinioned face downwards.

Sergeant Davison had himself roped for safety and then carried out a dangerous climb along a narrow crumbling ledge, eventually succeeding in reaching the trapped victim. He then set about clearing the debris until he was successful in securing the man's release. Having got this man to
safety, he then made his way to the second floor, which was without roof or walls, and there found a girl in bed. To reach her, he had to obtain a saw with which he cut his way through fallen timber. He succeeded in rescuing the girl, who was then alive, but who expired shortly after being released.

This brave act is only one of many that Sergeant Davison has accomplished during enemy air raids. He has on numerous occasions - been either directly or indirectly responsible for saving several lives, and has always been a splendid example to the men working under him.

Spoke to my mum about it last night and she said my dad's most treasured photo was a picture of him (when he was a PC for the Met) holding back the crowd at Princess Margaret's wedding in 1960 - apparently it made the front page of the one of the big newspapers at the time.

Looks like my boss will get no work out of me today as I'm going to start searching for it!

A few photo's here one of two policemen, maybe?
Good luck with your search, it will be more interesting than work anyway!!!!

My gran's 1/2 brother was a bomber and recce pilot during WW2.

Some time after that he moved to the US, and in the 90's some scrote nicked all his medals. The only way he could get replacements was to prove he had won them.

This meant getting copies of his flight logs, as they had all his medals on. I was lucky enough to read them before the went overseas......

OMG is all I can say, they made for some eye opening reading.

Great link Sherlock :thumb: - sadly, the old man's not one of them :(

I've now emailed the British Library for advice. The paper was either the Daily Mail, the Daily Sketch or the Daily Express - my mum remembers that much.

Glad you found it, I have only just seen this or I would have suggested the London Gazette. All those kinds of awards would have appeared in that.

Les :)

There was a thread on here a wile back where some one was tracing their family tree. Someone posted a link on it too a site which had allot of details about the wars.

You could search by name & it brought some details up but you had too pay too see a print of the actual medal card.

I was planning on doing it for one of my relations but never got round too it & lost the link.