WW1 MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDALS WARRANT OFFICER 18218 ALFRED WILLIAMS ARMY
$475.00
SOLD
Offered is a good M.S.M. & L.S & G.C. medal group to Warrant Officer Alfred Williams
1914 Star with Aug – Nov 1914 clasp; British War and Victory Medals (1914 -18) With Mention in Despatches device (M.I.D.); Army Meritorious Service Medal (G.V.R); Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (G.V.R.) Regular Army, all impressed named S.18218 W.O.CL.2. A.WILLIAMS. A.S.C. Court mounted for display. Comes with original issue boxes for the M.S.M. and L.S. & G.C. and copies of: M.I.C.; medal rolls, London Gazette entry’s 1916 for M.I.D & M.S.M.
London Gazette 15/6/1916: Mention in dispatches.
London Gazette 14/11/1916: Army Meritorious Service Medal.
Warrant Officer Class 2 Alfred Williams was a pre-war regular serving in the Army Service Corps when as a Staff Sergeant, he landed in France 10/8/1914 at Marseilles.
In 1914, Marseilles was the General Base Depot for Indian Divisions in France however the 1st units did not start to arrive until 30th September 1914. It is believed that Williams was sent to Marseilles to establish an A.S.C Base Depot in preparation for the arrival of the troops from India. (M.I.C records B.Marseilles). Staff Sergeant Williams would have been a very competent soldier as he was awarded the M.I.D and the M.S.M within a few months of each other in 1916 with the rank of S/Sgt.
He survived the war with the rank of Warrant Officer Class 2, with the notations on the medal roll ‘Reenlisted R.A.S.C. 27/5/1919. His service number had changed to ES/48722. The prefix ES = Supply, post-war enlistment under Army Order 4/1919. It is probable that Williams service records still exist, as he was still serving post-war. He may have remained in France for the duration of the war or followed Indian units to other theatres.
Army Order of April 1919 extended re-enlistment to men who were then serving in Class Z Army Reserve, men who had been discharged (including Special Reservists) and disembodied men of the Territorial Force. Men aged 18 to 37 would be permitted to re-enlist into the regular army for 2, 3 or 4 years’ service, with no additional reserve commitment. They would only be accepted into a Corps that was open for recruiting and only into a branch of the army in which they had previously served. They must be fully trained and have previously completed at least six months with the Colours, be medically fit, and in the case of former Territorials or Special Reservists, to have been mobilized and embodied. There would be no pay bounty for such enlistments and the man would draw normal Corps pay. He would however receive the War Bonus, as long as Britain maintained the Army of Occupation in Germany. Married men would be accepted and separation allowances paid to their family.
