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#1
22-09-16, 01:09 PM
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Tribute Medal and Strange Coincidence
Bear with me! My great uncle was killed during the Battle of Flers-Courcelette (Somme) during a bombing raid towards Starfish Trench. He is one of the missing on Thiepval. The date was 18 September 1916. He was a coal miner who lived in a one street and very small village called Billy Row near Durham in the heart of the coal fields. On Sunday 18 September 2016, I drove up to Billy Row to place a cross on the memorial which bears his name. Not many men would have been of the age to go to war but 8 were killed. When I got home I browsed our favourite auction site and typed Tribute badges WW1 into the search. I clicked onto the first one and froze........I saw it and I bought it ......I have to say I paid a lot for it but I would have paid more.......sometimes money is irrelevant. It is beautiful and will stay in my family for ever. What are the chances of finding a tribute medal for a tiny village called Billy Row named to a soldier who lived less than 250 metres away across an area of grass from where my great uncle lived....when I researched the name I find he was nearly the same age and would have gone to the same little school and worked in Wooley Colliery (Stanley Colliery as was) as my great uncle and also probably served in the DLI......what are the chances of finding this 100 years to the day??
It is 9 carat gold, fully hallmarked Birmingham 1919 & maker marked and it is stunning . The photos do not do it justice. It is so so special to my family. 
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#2
22-09-16, 01:10 PM
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And the reverse
The other side has enamel applied to make it look a little more special.
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#5
23-09-16, 10:04 PM
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James.
I have one word to describe this. Wonderful. I know Stanley and pass through often when visiting the outlaws, next time up, I will stop and spend some time at the memorial. Regards Brian
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#6
24-09-16, 11:37 AM
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Quote:
You have to be careful here. There are two places called Stanley. My grandfather was born at Pelaw which is near Stanley (He was born very near to the Beamish Museum.....a wonderful place to visit and a wonderful project. If you want photos and atmosphere of 1914, go to Beamish). My great uncle was born at Stanley- Crook which is just down from Sunniside and Tow Law. It started calling itself that because they were constantly being confused with the other Stanley. The Stanley Colliery was at the top of the Hill...Crook lies at the bottom......Billy Row and the tiny places of White Lea and Roddymoor are a link between the two. He moved a couple of hundred yards down the hill to Billy Row in 1907. The war memorial at Crook now bears the name of Sergeant Stone who was shot at dawn. When you read his story, (as far as I am concerned) he should have been given an award for bravery rather than shot. I was pleased when he was pardoned and impressed that Durham County Council accepted a request from his great nephew for his name to be added to the memorial. Your idea is a nice one. When I went to the memorial at Billy Row once, a lad of about 9 came over and talked to us and explained what the memorial meant to him. That is a lovely memory. Cheers James
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