Help requested, 1 RIF battle honour "ST OMER-LA BASSEE' notification
 

Is anyone on the site knowledgeable on where I might find a copy of the notification of the award of battle honours?

In particular the award of the honour "ST OMER-LA BASSEE" to The 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers.

This Battle Honour was awarded for actions during the period 23-29 May 1940 in the battalion's defence of the southernmost edge of the Dunkirk perimeter.

I have done a quick search of the NA archives, The Gazette and Hansard but have found nothing.

thanks in advance for any help.

John

I don't know about any notification, have you checked the published post war Army Lists, it is interesting to note that of the twenty three regiments actually awarded this particular honour, only eight actually elected to carry, including the RIF, I always think of those poor sods in that single company of Cameron Highlanders, from memory less than fifty, not good, six days of misery, in particular, down the Lys Canal.

Thank you Frank, I will chase that lead.

My daughter (middle school) has decided to compete in the National History Day 2018 competition as part of her studies. She won the South Asia Regional Finals (Junior Division Individual performance) representing Singapore American School. She goes on to National Finals in Washington D.C. this summer.

Her project was; the defence of the La Bassée Canal by the 1st Battalion, The Royal Irish Fusiliers, May 1940.

She is tightening up her research and wanted to try to find primary references for this award, she came up short with he leads I suggested hence reaching out here. I have learnt a lot from her research both in the origins of the war and the particular actions of 1 RIF - it truly was desperate times for some of those men.

John

Hello John,
I would have thought an Army List would merely confirm the award and no more, to be quite honest it is not really something I have ever thought about, honours were awarded by committees at the War Office, or, in the case of Indian regiments prior to 1859, the directors of the wretched HEIC.
As a medal collector, whilst they are important, I only ever seek confirmation, rather than any actual notification of each.
Regards Frank

I suppose the only other thing you could do would be to consult the published Reports of the Battle Nomenclature Committee for the period in question, I dare say the MOD Library would be a starting point.

Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum
 

John have you tried the Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum in Armagh? There are dedicated areas for research books and also Volunteer researchers who probably know this off the top of there heads!

Just Google Royal Irish Fusiliers Museum Armagh and a link will open the Curator a lady at least last time I had contact is well helpfull, so good luck!

I for one would love to see your Daughters Research on this! am also well impressed on her achievement! All the best Billy

I believe that all Battle Honours were decided by the War Office Honours and Distinctions Committee. The subsequent Battle Honours, and "Report of the Battles Nomenclature Committee as approved by the Army Council" were published as separate documents under Army Orders 1 and 2 of 1956. Whilst I have attached the actual copy of Army Orders I'm afraid I cannot assist you with specimens of the actual documents. There is a copy in the Imperial War Museum (LBY 79107-1).

You might also be interested in this link
http://regimentalrogue.com/misc/1957...rs_edwards.htm

Hopefully this might lead you somewhere useful.

Stephen.

Thank you very much Stephen.