# Mercantile Marine Medal & British War Medal



## manowari (Feb 2, 2009)

I have a request from a family friend re his grandfather William Isles, Ser No. 704180, a stoker who was issued a MMM and what appears to be a BWM in 1921. He left home in 1914 and was never seen again. Would he have to have been alive to be awarded these or were they automatically sent to next of kin. It is assumed he must have joined a ship and completed at least one voyage during wartime to be entitled.


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hi,

I cannot see a medal file for him so cannot check. Do you have a copy of it please and can you post it? Do you have a date and place of birth for him?

Regards
Hugh


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## manowari (Feb 2, 2009)

Hello Hugh,
Many thanks for your assistance in this matter. attached extract from email... rgds Kevin

It seems he was born in Bristol c 1881. He is recorded as being a stoker on SS Milo in 1906 and as a stoker in the 1911 Census. Milo was 1,475 GRT coal cargo ship No. 117713 built 1903 and lost in the Channel after a collision on 22 May 1915 but there’s no evidence that he was on board then. Indeed the family think that he had a job on shore in Bristol when he disappeared. If this is the case and if he is the man who was awarded the MM Medal then he must have signed on again and completed at least one voyage during WW1.  I think that the MM Form (available from the National Archives) attached to my email to you of 13 July shows 13 Portree Street, Poplar, as being the Mercantile Marine Office in the East End of London in those days rather than an address personal to the man himself. This MM form only shows that the ribbon was issued, presumably by MM HQ, to the MM Office in Poplar on 10-9-1919 followed by the medal itself together with a British Medal on 10 May 1921. Initials on the form may indicate that they were signed for as received in that office. There’s no indication on the form that they were collected by him as far as I can see.


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Hello Kevin,

Interesting one this.

I was initially confused as you mention William Isles but I believe he is actually William Iles. I can see his medal file and can confirm that the medals were issued to the MMO in 1921 - the awards were confirmed in Sept 1919 so he must have survived the war. He is not mentioned in any crew list for MILO in 1915.
The medals were sent to the MMO and presumably issued to the seaman from there as there is no home address mentioned.

Now the interesting bit and maybe you could follow this up with your family friend. I have a death at sea for a William Iles from WW2 and he is commemorated by the CWGC - lost from ss SURREY 10/6/1942 - http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2362018/ILES, WILLIAM
His age was 61 and he was born in Bristol and his last known address was noted as 51 Sutton Road E13 which I would presume to be London. His job is noted on the Deaths at Sea Register as a Greaser which was an engine-room rating.

Hopefully the information above will give you something to go on.

Regards
Hugh


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## Roger Griffiths (Feb 10, 2006)

Hello Hugh, good find.
I don't know if this is your man's medal listing from WW2 certainly the birth year is the same.
http://discovery.nationalarchives.g...earch=true&_cr1=BT+395&_col=200&_dt=S&_hb=tna
It would cost manowari £3.50 to find out for sure.
I cannot find a seaman's pouch for him but I presume the contents were lost when SURREY was sunk.
It would be worthwhile manowari trying to obtain a CRS10 which should be here if anywhere
http://discovery.nationalarchives.g...=0&_cr1=BT 382/851&_dss=range&_ro=any&_hb=tna 

If not, then its back tracking via Crew Agreements.

regards
Roger


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## Hugh MacLean (Nov 18, 2005)

Thanks for that Roger. I completely missed the WW2 medal file, nice one. Maybe Kevin could check out that date of birth? 
Hopefully it's the right man and the CRS 10 will give his sea time from the beginning of 1941.
We will see what comes back for Kevin.

Regards
Hugh


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## manowari (Feb 2, 2009)

Thank you Hugh and Roger for your efforts. I will pass on the information and see what we can find. It is very much appreciated and from experience I know there is someone somewhere who just might be able to help. Kevin


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