3530823 R W PATTERSON MANCHESTER REGIMENT

Discussion in 'Searching for Someone & Military Genealogy' started by DAVE MARTIN, Jul 31, 2021.

  1. DAVE MARTIN

    DAVE MARTIN Active Member

    Hello Members,
    I've recently bought a Territorial Efficiency, France and Germany Star group of five. The Territorial Efficiency Medal is named Corporal, but Forces war Records says that he received the 4th clasp to his efficiency medal in 1962 with the rank of Warrant Officer Class One. Here is what I've found out so far about his. Any members that can help me with further information, I would really appreciate it. Approximate enlistment date etc. Any thing really.

    3520823
    CORPORAL (WARRANT OFFICER FIRST CLASS) R W PATTERSON
    MANCHESTER REGIMENT
    SERVED IN NORTH WEST EUROPE IN WW2


    The medals are a France and Germany Star, Territorial Efficiency Medal group of five, in excellent condition and mounted for wear. The Territorial Efficiency Medal is officially named in impressed capitals and the WW2 medals are unnamed as issued:-

    1939-1945 Star
    France and Germany Star
    Defence Medal
    War Medal 1939-45
    Territorial Efficiency Medal - 3520823 CPL. R. PATTERSON. MANCH. R.

    Patterson enlisted into the Manchester Regiment, probably before the outbreak of WW2. His army number falls into the Manchester Regiment number block allocation (Manchester Regiment 3511001 – 3589000) and his number is fairly early in the sequence.

    Forces War Records shows that he earned his fourth clasp to his Territorial Efficiency Medal in 1962 with the rank of Warrant Officer Class One. He was a corporal when he was issued with his first clasp, a sergeant for the issue of the second clasp and a Warrant Officer Class Two for the issue of his third clasp. All of the clasp issues have the authority year of 1962, suggesting that the clasps were issued retrospectively.

    The Efficiency Medal was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men after twelve years of efficient service on the active list of the Militia or the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom, or of the other Auxiliary Military Forces throughout the British Empire. At the same time a clasp was instituted for award to holders of the medal upon completion of further periods of six years of efficient service. Service in WW2 counted as double.

    Thanks
    Dave
     

    Attached Files:

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  2. Red W

    Red W Member

    Hi Dave, If Patterson was with the Manchester Regiment throughout the Second World War, the medal combination suggests he served with the 1st Battalion in North West Europe. The battalion was actually the second '1st' battalion of the war and was made by re-designating the 6th after the original, regular battalion was captured after the fall of Singapore. The 6th itself had been created in 1939 as a duplicate of the 5th, territorial battalion - a likely unit for him to have originally joined pre-war.

    All conjecture, I'm afraid, but if he was with the Manchesters throughout the most likely course.
     
    CL1 likes this.
  3. DAVE MARTIN

    DAVE MARTIN Active Member

    That's excellent information, thanks very much. I will add it to his write up.
    Regards
    Dave
     

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