THOSE REMEMBERED ON THE FALFIELD WAR MEMORIAL WHO DIED DURING THE 1914-18 WAR
THOSE REMEMBERED ON THE FALFIELD WAR MEMORIAL WHO DIED DURING THE 1914-18 WAR
JAMES FISHER
JAMES FISHER
The Machine Gun Corps (MGC) was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank Corps, later called the Royal Tank Regiment. The MGC was disbanded in 1922
Date Born
Circa 1899
Birth place:
Oldbury Naite Nr Thornbury
Date of Death:
27th May 1918
Fate:
Killed in action near Berry-au-Bac, France
Duty Location:
France and Flanders
Buried:
Final resting place unknown.
Name listed on the Soissons Memorial. The Soissons Memorial commemorates almost 4,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom forces who died during the Battles of the Aisne and the Marne in 1918 and who have no known grave. The original British Expeditionary Force crossed the River Aisne in August 1914 a few kilometres west of Soissons, and re-
Regiment:
8th Battalion Machine Gun Corp.
Rank:
Private
Service No:
136903
Military Information:
The Machine Gun Corps (MGC) was a corps of the British Army, formed in
October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank Corps, later called the Royal Tank Regiment. The MGC was disbanded in 1922.
Medals Awarded
The 1914/15 star campaign medal of the British Empire for his service in World War One.
This Star is identical to the 1914 Star in every respect except that the centre scroll bears the dates “1914-
Eligibility for the Victory Medal consisted of having been mobilised, fighting, having served in any of the theatres of operations, or at sea, between midnight 4th/5th August, 1914, and midnight, 11th/12th November, 1918. Women who served in any of the various military organisations in a theatre of operations were also eligible.
The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the 1st World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in silver and 110,000 in bronze, the latter awarded to, among others, the Chinese, Maltese and Indian Labour Corps
The 1914/15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred. With Pip representing either the 1914/15 Star or the 1914 Star, only one of which could be awarded to a soldier, Squeak represented the British War Medal and Wilfred represented the Victory Medal.
MEMORIAL PLAQUE
The Next of Kin Memorial Plaque is a bronze plaque approximately 11 cms or 4½ inches diameter with the name of someone who died serving with the British and Empire forces in the First World War. This was issued to the Next of Kin of the casualty along with a scroll. They were posted out separately, typically in 1919 and 1920, and a ‘King’s message’ was enclosed with both, containing a facsimile signature of the King.
The immediate next of kin of all who died serving with the British and Empire forces in the First World War were eligible to receive the plaque and scroll. With nearly a million dead for the British Army alone, the plaques are today still commonly found; the fragile scrolls survive less often. Some of those recorded by plaques and scrolls were not eligible for service medals, for instance, those who did not serve overseas but who died in service through accident or illness.
Parents:
Mark Fisher, of Glenroy Cottage, Fairford, Glos.
PLEASE NOTE:
Information on the Forces War Records website (www.forces-
Other Information:
James is also remembered on the Stone War Memorial FISHER James Pte 136903 8th Machine Gun Corps died 27 May 1918 age 19. Son of Mark, Glenroy Cottage Fairford Glos. Commemorated at Soissons Memorial France. He is also mentioned on the Berkeley War Memorial
James’ father was Mark Fisher and his mother was Annie Fisher. Mark Fisher is buried in St George’s Churchyard along with Mark’s second wife Elizabeth in Row D13.
The Scribes Alcove web site has a record of James being baptised in Thornbury on 4th June 1899. In the 1911 census James was living with his parents Mark and his second wife Elizabeth in the parish of Stone the adjoining village to Falfield.
Credits: St George’s Church Baptism and Burial Records, Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Ancestry website, forces-
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