Newsletter, - Issue No 20, September 2005
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Newsletter, - Issue No 20, September 2005
The Green Howards Medals, - the People Behind the Medals


This edition of the Newsletter is aimed at giving an overview of the history of the Green Howards from its very first Battle Honour (the Alma, 20 September 1854) as seen through the medals that were awarded to the soldiers who served in the regiment. The Newsletter also helps illustrate how family historians can use medals as a means to pursue their genealogical research.

The Newsletter reveals the stories of some of the men whose medals are in the Green Howards Regimental Museum Collection, and explains a little bit about the medals themselves.

The Museum holds over 3850 medals in its collection, making it one of the most notable displays in the country.

This Newsletter, as with previous editions, is fully illustrated, - with many photos in colour.


CONTENTS

Medal Briefing   An illustrated discussion as to how medals can help the family historian. The four elements that can be found on a medal, - the man's Unit, Personal Number, Rank, and Name are discussed with relevance to the award of medals.

The Soldier's Story   Medals, in themselves, only tell part of the story. It is research into the lives of the individuals to whom the medals were awarded that makes medal collecting so fascinating.

The Medal Collection   The origins of the Green Howards medal collection lies in the 1920s with Michael Lloyd Ferrar who presented his collection of 250 medals to the Museum. From then on, the Museum collection grew steadily, so that currently 1,296 individuals are represented by 3,876 medals.

Private Francis Collins, - The Crimea 1854-56   The story of this Private soldier, who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, British Crimean War Medal (3 clasps), French Military Medal, and Turkish Crimean War Medal.

Sergeant-Major Patrick Campion, - The Crimea 1854-56   The story of this Irish soldier, who was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, British Crimean War Medal (3 clasps), and Turkish Crimean War Medal.

Lieutenant-Colonel Robert Warden, - The Crimea 1854-56   The story of this officer, who was made a Companion of the Bath and was awarded the British Crimean War Medal (3 clasps), the French Legion of Honour, Turkish Medjidie, Turkish Crimean War Medal, and Sardinian Crimean War Medal.

Major John Barnard, - North West Frontier, 1868   The story of this officer, who was made a Companion of St. Michael and St. George and was awarded the India General Service Medal - North-West Frontier 1868, South Africa Medal 1877, Afghanistan Medal 1878, Egypt Medal - Suakin 1885, Jubilee Medal 1887, and the Khedive's Star 1884-86.

Private Joseph Jordan, - Egypt and the Sudan, 1885-86   The story of this Private soldier, who was awarded the India General Service Medal - North-West Frontier 1868, Egypt Medal, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, and the Khedive's Star 1884-86.

Sergeant Albert Bullock, - Kachin Hills, Burma 1892-93   The story of this soldier, who was awarded the India General Service Medal - Kachin Hills 1892-93, India Medal - Tirah 1897-98, Queen's South Africa Medal (6 Clasps), King's South Africa Medal (2 Clasps), 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

Lieutenant-General Sir William Edmund Franklyn, - The Franklyns   Sir William Franklyn and his son, Harold, both served with the Green Howards. Sir William was highly distinguished, being a Knight Commander of the Bath, and a Commander of the British Empire. was awarded the India Medal - Tirah 1897-98, 1914 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal, and Coronation Medal 1902.

General Sir Harold Edmund Franklyn   Son of Sir William Franklyn, Harold, also served with the Green Howards. Sir Harold was not only highly distinguished, but showed himself to be immensely brave in war. He was a Knight Commander of the Bath, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, the Military Cross, 1914 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, the Victory Medal (2 mentions in Despatches), 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Jubilee Medal 1935, Coronation Medal 1937, Coronation Medal 1953, French War Cross.

Private Joseph Greenwood, - Punjab Frontier and the Tirah 1897-98   A Private soldier who was awarded the India Medal - Punjab Frontier - Tirah 1897-98, Queen's South Africa Medal (2 clasps), British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal, Defence Medal.

Sgt Major Frederick Neesam, - The Great War 1914-18   A Sergeant Major who was awarded two bravery medals in the Great War. Frederick Neesam was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the Military Medal, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, and the Russian Medal of St. George (4th Class).

Major Cecil Goodwin, - The Great War 1914-18   The medals awarded to Major Goodwin represent unusual areas of service. His medals include The Order of the British Empire, British War Medal, Victory Medal (Mentioned in Despatches), Khedive's Sudan 1910 Medal (3 Clasps), and the Egyptian Order of the Nile.

Captain William Wilkinson, - The Great War 1914-18   The story of this officer, who was made a Companion of the Bath and Commander of the British Empire and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, The Military Cross, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal (Mentioned in Despatches), Defence Medal, Coronation Medal 1937, and Coronation Medal 1953.

Nurse Mary Devas Marshall, - the Great War 1914-1918   The second wife of Captain William Wilkinson, she was one of the few women to be awarded the Military Medal. Although she was not a Green Howard, her medals are on display in the Museum. The awards were the Military Medal, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Distinguished Civilian (Belgium), Queen Elizabeth Nursing Medal, (Belgium).

Major (QM) Thomas Halmkan, - Afghanistan 1919   A remarkable Green Howard who rose from Private to Major in his 39 years with the regiment. He was awarded the British War Medal 1914-20,the India General Service Medal - Afghanistan, North West Frontier 1919, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Coronation Medal 1937, and Coronation Medal 1953.

Brigadier George Eden, - North West Frontier 1936-39   A distinguished Green Howards officer, who served as Colonel of the Regiment between 1959-65. He was a Companion of the British Empire. He was awarded the India General Service Medal - North West Frontier 1936-37 (2 Mentioned in Despatches), 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, North-West Europe Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 (2 Mentioned in Despatches), Coronation Medal 1953, Norwegian Order of St. Olav.

RSM Lofty Peacock, - Palestine 1938   The father of four sons, two of whom also served with the 1st Battalion. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the Military Medal, General Service Medal - Palestine, Malaya, Cyprus (Mentioned in Despatches), 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, North-West Europe Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 (2 Mentioned in Despatches), Coronation Medal 1953, Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, Norwegian Military Cross.

Major General Desmond Gordon, - World War Two, 1939-45   One of the best known officers of the Green Howards he was both distinguished and brave. He was a Companion of the Bath, and Commander of the British Empire. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, the India General Service Medal - North West Frontier 1936-37, 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Italy Star, North-West Europe Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Coronation Medal 1953, Jubilee Medal 1977, and the Dutch Order of Orange Nassau.

Lieutenant-Colonel (Quartermaster) Edward Pickard OBE, DCM     1873 -1928   A soldier who served for 36 years with the regiment, who rose from Private Soldier to Lieutenant-Colonel and who survived two major wars unscathed with a chestful of medals for gallantry and devoted service.
The event for which he was possibly best remembered is for being the first Green Howard to fire at the enemy in anger on 14 October 1914.
Of the 26 officers of the 2nd Battalion the Yorkshire Regiment who took part in the First Battle of Ypres in October 1914, he was one of only three who survived the war without being killed, captured, or wounded.

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