Can you help identify this European military uniform and medals?

Upvote:1

I believe the uniform is South Wales Borderers. I discovered there was a family that lived in our house for close to 60 years. Surnames within the family are Brennan (Brannan), O'Connor, Howard, Walsh, and Paulson. There was a Lance Corporal by the name of William Fredrick Howard (born Jan 26, 1889) who was in the South Wales Borderers, I found him listed on this website https://swb1914.uk/index.php/the-1st-battalion/regular-1/, and I'm currently looking to see if he won any medals. I will keep you posted.

South Wales Borderers Uniform

Upvote:3

I found one mention of a Sjt. [sic] A. Bloodsworth in the 6 August, 1918, Supplement to the London Gazette (page 9234) (copied in the Edinburgh Gazette) under the heading:

His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Military Medal for bravery in the Field to the undermentioned Non-commissioned Officers and Men: ...
16802 Sjt A. Bloodsworth, Leic. R. (Leicester).

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The search was performed for "Bloodsworth" from Jan 1, 1880 to Dec. 31, 1930 with no other results.

A second search under "Bloodworth" from Jan 1, 1914, to Dec. 31, 1920, turned up two additional entries for an A. Bloodworth (and others):

  1. Saturday, 22 February, 1919 (pages 2689 and 2702)

His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Meritorious Service Medal to the undermentioned Warrant Officers, Non-commissioned Officers and Men in recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war: ...
Indian Army ...
S./Sjt Blodoworth, A. J., Ind. Misc. List.

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From Wikipedia for the Meritorious Service Medal:

The Meritorious Service Medal was instituted on 19 December 1845 for the British Army, to recognise meritorious service by non-commissioned officers. Recipients were also granted an annuity, the amount of which was based on rank. ... CRITERIA
To be awarded the MSM, an individual must have "good, faithful, valuable and meritorious service, with conduct judged to be irreproachable throughout". Other ranks must have at least twenty years service, must already hold Long Service and Good Conduct Medals, and for the Army and the Royal Air Force must have reached the equivalent rank of sergeant.

  1. December 31, 1920

**BALANCES DUE TO OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS DISCHARGED.
List XIV. -- Effects 1919-1920. ...
Bloodworth, A. J., Sjt. R.E. ... 114/9/6 [Β£/s./d.]

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The second search termed up several junior officers named Bloodworth, but none with first initial A. or first name Archie. Likewise, none of te VC winners in either the Second Boer War or First World War were named either Bloodsworth or Bloodworth.

There were no results found regarding military service for either "Bloodsworth" or "Bloodworth*" covering the period around the Second Boer War.

The Royal Leicestershire Regiment lists both Bloodworth, Arthur E. - MM and Bloodsworth, A - MM under Army Number 16802 and serving in the First World War; so apparently even they are unsure of the correct spelling.

During the Second Boer War and First World War the Canadian Expeditionary Force was part of the British Army, and its awards and other distinctions were printed in the Gazette.

Upvote:4

So the picture of the last supper in Polish was the ticket! I never paid close attention to it, but it's been hanging in my dining room for six years. I went online and was able to translate it last night. It is a First Communion certificate in Polish, given in my hometown of Wisconsin on May 9, 192_ to a Lladyslaw or Wladyslaw Parzych. I looked up Polish churches in my hometown, one was called St. Stanislaus, which lead to an article of Poles migrating to my area, and in the article, it said 187 parishioners from St Stanislaus joined an army of Polish Immigrants called Haller's Blue Army in WW1 (with approval from the USA government)!!! I don't believe the church is still in existence, but it is part of the Catholic Diocese, and there was contact info for an office administrator, so I just sent an email to see if they have any old records. Hopefully, I'll get a response back. I think I have the most solid lead yet! The men were known as Haller's Blue Army, and I also believe I identified the medal on the right. It's the Memorial Cross of the Veterans Association of the Polish Army in America. enter image description here

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