Two medals. One a Victory medal, 1914 - 1918 belonging to James Charles Miller. Second a silver medal depicting a man on a very early motorcycle. || My grand uncle James Charles Miller was from Bennett's Bridge, Kilkenny, 22nd December, 1889. Not sure when he signed up. He was Corporal in Royal Engineers - 30247 - they have recored (from the internet) of his qualifying date for medal as 07/01/1915 aged 23. Division 14.J.I. But this is not definitie because his medal record says he qualified on 02/01/1915. I heard he had to lie about his age to join army as he was too young, but this doesn't tally with the date he qualified when he was 23. He may have joined up earlier in 1907 but not sure. Not aware that he had any other medals. The newspaper (Probably Wexford People) report of his brother', George's death (who also died in a car crash in 1919) says James Charles died in a Motobike crash with a lorry, but we are not sure. There is another story - word of mouth in the family - that he was killed during friendly fire. He was a corporal in the Motorcycle Division. He is buried in Le Harve. His name is spelt incorrectly on his medal card and on the medal itself Millar and not Miller. In census the same spelling occurs. Know very little about his experience in the war. He died in Le Harve, where there were a lot of military hospitals. Not sure if he was brought there, injured. Some mention of France/Flanders online so may have been moved from there. Second medal looks too new to be connected and looks as though it came from a time after he died. It is possibly his medal but not sure. Silver medal came from my mother. Victory medal also came from his mother. || || Medals of my granduncle, James Charles Miller || Medal

A photograph of C Cox, 1st Oxfordshire and Bucks athletics team in India. A photo of Stones Athletic Football team in 1920. A photo of a regimental reunion in around 1960. A certificate accompanying the Jubilee Medal of 1935. A newspaper photo of Messrs Hoods Banbury, 1924. Medal bar including the DCM and 1st and 2nd World War medals. || Miller joined the 43rd Light Infantry (officially 1st Battalion of Oxfordshire and Bucks Light Infantry by then?) before 1913. He served with them in Mesopotamia and was captured and held as a p.o.w. in Turkey. (NB http://www.britisharmedforces.org/li_pages/regiments/obli/ox_index.htm states that only 9 men survived this, of 300 caputured). May have been repatriated, and then served in France, where he was awarded the DCM. He was then still a private soldier. After World War One he was probably transferred to the Queens Own Oxfordshire Hussars, with whom he served in World War Two. In 1935 he became Band Sergeant Major (? BSM). He also served in India.

Der Uropa Thomas Godfrey (geb. 24. Oktober 1880) meines lieben Brieffreundes Stephen, den ich schon seit 28 Jahren aus Schüleraustauschzeiten kenne, wurde am 9.9.1916 nahe Ginchy an der Somme verwundet und starb einige Tage später in einem Krankenhaus / Lazaret in Etaples, Nähe Calais. Wir suchen gerade viel Information zusammen, um Opa Thommy etwas nachzureisen auf seiner letzten Reise ... und stolpern mehr und mehr über Zufälle und hochinteressante Infos, wie die Tatsache, dass zur GLEICHEN Zeit gerade gegenüber an einem 3-4 km breiten Frontabschnitt ein Soldat aus meinem Heimatort Weinsberg lag, dessen Urenkelin auf dem gleichen Schüleraustausch wie Stephen und ich war. Uropas bekämpften sich - die Urenkel wurden Freunde. So ist es auch besser. Erkennungsmarke mit der Namensprägung Godfrey.