Military Chat

My father was awarded MBE and MC in WW1. I have copies of the London Gazette pages in which these awards were announced, but I do not know where to look for details of whether they were awarded for a specific action. Or whether such information still exists. Any help would be appreciated.

Hello Timothy, welcome to the boards.

You could always try newspaper archives .....

If you're prepared to give his name then we can try to help.

Thanks for responding. Nothing found in the newspaper archives on this site. He was Oliver Harry Frost, born 1893 in Kent, living in Battersea in 1911. The MBE was awarded after the war, but it is the MC I am more interested in, gazetted 1.1.18. At that time he was in the Middlesex Regt., seconded to the RFC, until he became a Lt. (temporary Capt.) in the RAF in April 1918.

I also have his scrapbook of photographs, it seems mainly taken in 1918, with several group photographs and informal portraits of colleagues (none with any names marked), photographs of battlefields from the air and of British and captured planes. Also photographs of the interior and exterior of a Nissen hut with the sign, 'Church of St Michael the Flying Warrior'. It seems likely that some of the photographs could be cross-referenced and a name put to some of those pictured, but again I do not know how to progress this. I would be able to scan a selection of them.

If you know what unit of the Flying Corps he was seconded to, it might be worth trying to track down the unit's war diaries at the national archives.

This explains more:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/research-guides/british-army-war-diaries-1914-1918.htm

I see in his records he had 'photography' listed under 'special qualifications'

Yes, photography was his thing. Which records did you find that in? I have not found any with that detail.

Thanks, it looks as if a visit to Kew will be needed. His last listed postings (in his official, typed, RAF reecord of Service) before return to the UK in 1919, were to BEF 9 Wing on 23/9/16 and BEF 1st Brigade 5/1/16, but before that he was in 2 Wing HQ, 11 Wing HQ and 2 Brigade HQ 1st Wing.

his service record. Will pm you the images.

British Royal Air Force, Officers' Service Records 1912-1920

First name(s) Oliver Harry
Last name Frost
Birth year 1893
Birth date 25 Apr 1893
Country United Kingdom
Record set British Royal Air Force, Officers' Service Records 1912-1920
Category Military, armed forces & conflict
Record collection Service Records
Collections from Great Britain

They don't tell you more than you already know on a quick glance.