WW1 31st Div Honour Badge

[MH331]

A small group I bought at the Weekend. The medals are to 18-952 Acting Cpl John William Moon from Spennymoor Co Durham. An original Durham Pal who was attached to 93rd Light Trench Mortar Battery, with is medals his(?) original but brooched converted 31st Div Honour Badge and original cap badge.

[mooke07]

Very nice to see thanks. The 31st Division badge you show was a bravery award to recognise all of the men of the Division who were awarded or recommended for but not awarded a gallantry decoration. Acting Cpl Moon was not awarded a gallantary decoration but may well have been recommended for one. He is missing his 1914-1915 Star.

One day I should like to find a set like this to my Durham Pals grandad, 18-544 Sgt. Chas H. Moss, C Company who enlisted a week before Acting Cpl Moon.

My grandad in his writing on the Somme was never happy if the Trench Mortar Battery fired near them as they would always receive a heavier retaliatory stonking.

Cheers and thanks again for sharing, Dean.

[ianh67military]

Many years back I picked up an honour badge like this for about a tenner "no idea what it is, mate, it's flowers". I was ecstatic thinking it was a complete one off. A couple of years later I found ANOTHER one on a stall of lapel badges (100's of them). I think it cost me a couple of quid. I duly advertised it with a correct description on e***y. I think I made £128 profit off it (which, of course I duly spent on badges). Apparently they came with a certificate (only ever seen one).
Those finds rank up there with an original Sportsman Battalion silver medal for a tenner ("It's silver, mate"), a tobacco tin full of "Aaaaarmy badges" for a WW2 Officer in the 9th Lancers and "Balloon Regiment" silver bullion para wing to a wartime Indian Para Regt ( to be fair, it did look like a balloon with wings).

How did you find such a splendid grouping? Historically valuable.

Ian H

[MH331]

Thanks Dean,

I have searched Ancestry and can find no evidence that he was awarded the 1915 Star.

I think your Grandad is mentioned in John Sheen's book 'Durham Pals?

kind regards

Mark

Originally Posted by mooke07

Very nice to see thanks. The 31st Division badge you show was a bravery award to recognise all of the men of the Division who were awarded or recommended for but not awarded a gallantry decoration. Acting Cpl Moon was not awarded a gallantary decoration but may well have been recommended for one. He is missing his 1914-1915 Star.

One day I should like to find a set like this to my Durham Pals grandad, 18-544 Sgt. Chas H. Moss, C Company who enlisted a week before Acting Cpl Moon.

My grandad in his writing on the Somme was never happy if the Trench Mortar Battery fired near them as they would always receive a heavier retaliatory stonking.

Cheers and thanks again for sharing, Dean.

[mooke07]

Thanks Mark,

Acting Cpl. Moon's date of enlistment would put him in the frame for 1914/15 Star but indeed may not have gone to France/Flanders via Suez in 1915.

Yes my Grandad's writings and photograph have been accessed by John Sheen and several other authors. His account on the attack on Serre was the first written account noted by the DLI Museum outside of the Battalion history. It is in their archives after I donated it in the 1980s.

Cheers Dean

[mooke07]

You may or may not find a record of Acting Cpl. Moon being awarded the Divisional honour in this book at the IWM.

http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/it...ect/1500034212

Cheers Dean