DevonMMStoV

In a war in which every man was a hero, the men named below did some deed which raised them above the rest. Many repeated their heroism hence the awarding of a Bar to their original medal - some men acquired two Bars but only one - an Australian - ever earned three Bars. Only when the award had been personally approved by the King and announced in the London Gazette (i.e."gazetted") did an award become official and this could take several months. This was generally linked to other rewards such as promotion or additional pay.

Most citations have been lost and we shall never know what the majority of these Devon men did. In various parts of the country however, a few citations survive. We include a random selection in the pages of the index so that searchers may judge for themselves the special qualities of the men listed on these pages:

Award to a Corporal in the Royal Warwickshire Regiment

"Whilst commanding a platoon during the attack on St. Servins Farm Ridge, on 30th August 1918, he successfully led his men over some very difficult ground to the second objective, collected stragglers, and displayed great resource in reorganising and consolidating the position won."

DEVON'S MILITARY MEDAL RECIPIENTS 1916 - 1920

S - V

SALTER, H	67383 Private Harry Salter of the 5th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Henry and Mary Salter. Born in Torquay in the December Quarter of 1898. Military Medal gazetted 22 July 1919.
SANDERS, W	TI/3720 Sergeant William Albert Sanders of the 18th Division Train, the Royal Army Supply Corps. Son of Thomas and Matilda Sanders of Kerswell Farm, Parkham. Born in Parkham, Bideford, in the June Quarter of 1894. Died 3 August 1918 aged 24. Military Medal gazetted 14 September 1917.
SANDFORD, W	33233 Lance Corporal William George Sandford of the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Richard and Emma Sandford. Born nr. Morchard Bishop in the March Quarter of 1895 (also lived at Bow). Military Medal gazetted 25 September 1917.
SATCHELL, W	11624 Corporal William Satchell of the Royal Field Artillery. Son of Charles and Emily Satchell. Born in Paddington, London in 1887 - later came to live in Kingswear. Military Medal gazetted 12 November 1918.
SAUNDERS, L	Sergeant Levi John Saunders of the Royal Engineers. Son of John and Emily Saunders of Tiverton. Born in Tiverton in the March Quarter of 1892. Military Medal gazetted 11 December 1917.
SCREECH, R	41601 Acting Bombardier Richard John Screech of the Royal Garrison Artillery. Son of John and Louisa Screech. Born in Clawton, nr. Holsworthy in the September Quarter of 1896. Military Medal gazetted 23 February 1918.
SEARLE, C	74443 Sergeant Charles Henry Searle of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Son of Henry and Mary Searle. Born in Exmouth in the June Quarter of 1880. Military Medal gazetted 16 October 1917.
SELDON, J	26061 Sergeant Joseph Spiller Seldon ("Joe") of the 2nd Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Brought up by William and Sarah Bidder. Born in Broadclyst in the September Quarter of 1886. Died 24 April 1918. Military Medal gazetted 1919.
SELLICK, A	457032 Private Albert Walter G. Sellick of the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Walter and Lily Sellick. Born in Exeter St. Thomas in the September Quarter of 1895. Military Medal gazetted 25 September 1917.
SHARLAND, G	496321 Sapper George Arthur Sharland of the Royal Engineers. Son of William Henry and Fanny Annette Sharland (née Chapman). Born in Exeter in the March Quarter of 1893. Military Medal gazetted 12 June 1918.
SHEAR, F	510446 Sapper Frederick Boucher Shear of the Royal Engineers. Son of Joseph and Elizabeth Shear. Born in Exeter in the June Quarter of 1882. Military Medal gazetted 12 December 1917; Bar gazetted 20 October 1919.
SHIPLEY, E	48599 Lance Corporal Ernest Percival Shipley of the 5th Battalion, the Royal Berkshire Regiment. Son of Samuel and Elizabeth Shipley of 21 Radford Road, Plymouth. Born in Plymouth in the September Quarter of 1899. Died of wounds 5 March 1919 aged 19 and buried in Plymouth. (His brother George Shipley also was killed in this war). Military Medal gazetted 22 July 1919.
SHIRE, F	35190 Private Francis Edward Shire of the 7th Battalion, the Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Son of Robert and Alice Shire. Born in Up Ottery in the March Quarter of 1899. Military Medal gazetted 22 July 1919.
SIMMONS, J	M2/228273 Private James Simmons of the Royal Army Supply Corps. Son of John and Sarah Simmons. Born in Umberleigh in the March Quarter of 1892. Military Medal gazetted 21 November 1919.
SKINNER, W	315348 William Francis Skinner of the 5th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment (Territorial Force). Son of Samuel and Emma Skinner. Born in Luffincott, nr. Holsworthy, in the March Quarter of 1889. Military Medal gazetted 10 December 1918.
SLUGGETT, S	15231 Corporal Samuel Sluggett of the 5th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Robert and Lucy Sluggett. Born in Pyworthy, nr. Holsworthy, in the December Quarter of 1895. Military Medal gazetted 11 March 1919.
SMALE, J	30813 Private John Smale of the 2nd Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Richard and Mary Ann Smale. Born in Torrington In the March Quarter of 1886. Killed in Action 16 August 1917 aged 31. Military Medal gazetted 1916.
SMITH, R	25139 Private Reginald Smith of the West Riding Regiment. Son of Charles and Emily Smith. Born in Morchard Bishop in the June Quarter of 1897. Military Medal gazetted 12 March 1918.
SMITH, W	46350 Sergeant Walter Leyland Smith of the 12th Brigade, the Royal Field Artillery. Son of Walter and Esther Smith. Born in Wigan in the June Quarter of 1889 - later moved to Exeter. Military Medal for action in Murmansk gazetted 2 January 1920.
SNOWDEN, W	506610 Sapper William Whiteaway of the 97th Field Company, the Royal Engineers. Son of Amos and Kathleen Snowden. Born in Salcombe in the March Quarter of 1886. Military Medal gazetted 7 February 1919.
SOMERWILL, L	107404 Sergeant Lewis William Somerwill, transferred from the Devonshire Regiment to the Royal Engineers. Son of James and Annie Somerwill. Born in Atherington in the June Quarter of 1887. Military Medal gazetted 14 Sep 1917.
SOPER, J	510357 Corporal John Lightfoot Soper of the 58th DS Company (Detached Service), the Royal Engineers. Husband of Emily Hetta Soper (née Hancock). Born in Newton Abbot in the June Quarter of 1888. Military Medal gazetted 20 August 1919.
SOUTHERN, R	240713 Private Rodney Clifford Southern of the 5th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of John and Emily Southern. Born in Teignmouth in the March Quarter of 1890. (The family later moved to Cornwall). Military Medal gazetted 7 February 1919.
SPARKES, F	240774 Sergeant Frederick John Sparkes (also Sparks) of the 5th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Charles Sparkes. Born in Horrabridge in the December Quarter of 1891. Military Medal gazetted 22 July 1919.
SPARKS, I	24970 Airman 3rd Class Ivan Francisco Sparks of the Royal Air Force. Son of John and Carrie Sparks. Born in Sidmouth in the June Quarter of 1888. Military Medal gazetted 8 November 1918.
STADDON, E	12007 Private Ernest Octavius Staddon of the Coldstream Guards. Son of Octavius and Elizabeth Staddon. Born in Stoke Canon in the March Quarter of 1896. Military Medal gazetted 19 March 1918.
STAMP, A	866077 Gunner Alfred W. Stamp of the 4th Brigade, the Royal Field Artillery. Son of Alfred and Sarah Stamp. Born in Exeter in 1898. Military Medal gazetted 7 February 1919.
STANBURY, H	113448 Private Harold James Stanbury of the 17th Battalion, the Machine Gun Corps. Son of James and Ellen Stanbury. Born in Andover in 1897 - later moved to Exeter. Military Medal gazetted 20 August 1919 for gallantry in Mespotamia (Iraq).
STANLEY, C	G/19766 Sergeant Charles Filden Stanley of the 10th Battalion, the Royal West Kent Regiment. Son of William and Caroline Stanley. Born in Honiton in the June Quarter of 1893. Military Medal gazetted 22 July 1919.
STOCKER, H	457378 Private Harold Vellocott B. Stocker of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Son of George and Emma Stocker. Born in Exeter in the December Quarter of 1896. Military Medal gazetted 4 October 1918.
STOCKMAN, W	40700 Mechanist Machine Staff Sergeant William Stockman of the Royal Engineers. Son of Thomas and Emma Stockman. Born in Torquay in the September Quarter of 1888. Military Medal gazetted 13 June 1919.
STONE, C	9268 Corporal Charles Henry Stone of the 1st Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of the late William Stone and Elizabeth who remarried to become Elizabeth White. Born in Torquay in the June Quarter of 1893. Military Medal gazetted 21 February 1917.
STONE. G	241015 Private George Edgar Stone of the 5th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment (Territorial Force). Son of George and Maria Stone. Born in Dean Prior in the June Quarter of 1892. Military Medal gazetted 10 December 1918.
STRAWBRIDGE, A	102391 Private Albert Edward Strawbridge of the Labour Corps. Son of George and Ella Strawbridge (née Cawley). Born in Torquay in the June Quarter of 1897. Military Medal gazetted 2 April 1918.
SUMMERHAYES,T	10160 Sergeant Thomas Robert Summerhayes of the 6th Battalion, the Somerset Light Infantry. Son of Samuel and Emily Summerhayes. Born in Plymouth in the September Quarter of 1878. Military Medal gazetted June 1916.
TALL, S	240893 Private Stewart Joel Tall of the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Joel James and Frances Amelia Tall (née Triggs). Born in Plymouth in the March Quarter of 1898. Military Medal gazetted 9 April 1918.
TAVERNER, G	345390 Private (later promoted to Lance Corporal) George Taverner of the 16th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Frederick and Elizabeth Taverner. Born in Stockleigh Pomeroy in 1880. Military Medal gazetted 10 December 1918.
THOMAS, H	140997 Corporal Henry Thomas of the 5th Foreway Company, the Royal Engineers. Son of Henry and Kathleen Thomas of Oddicombe Villa, Babbacombe, Torquay. Born in Babbacombe in the March Quarter of 1897. Killed in action 13 May 1918 aged 21. Military Medal gazetted 29 August 1918.
THOMAS, R	32338 Corporal Reginald George Thomas of the Royal Engineers. Son of Henry and Kathleen Thomas. Born in Torquay in the March Quarter of 1896. Military Medal gazetted 21 October 1918.
TIGHE, P	457250 Sergeant Paul Wynn Tighe of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Son of John and Florence Tighe. Born in Exeter in the March Quarter of 1894. Military Medal gazetted 25 September 1917.
TREBY, F	19082 Private Frederick Arthur Treby of the XIXth Battalion, the Army Cyclists Corps. Son of Josiah and Emily Treby. Born in Torquay in the September Quarter of 1897. Military Medal gazetted 7 February 1919.
TRIBBLE, S	28974 Corporal Samuel Henry Lemilling Tribble of "D" Coy, 7th Battalion, the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. Son of William and Susan Tribble and husband of Mary Tribble of 29 Higher Street, Brixham. Born in Brixham in 1886. Killed in action 27 September 1917 aged 32. Military Medal gazetted 16 October 1917.
TRIBBLE, W	241056 Private William Henry Tribble of the 1st/5th Devonshire Regiment (TF). Son of John and Elizabeth Tribble. Born in Brixham in the December Quarter of 1879. Military Medal gazetted 10 December 1918.
TUCKER, E	238077 Private Edward Tucker of the 5th Battalion, the Liverpool Regiment. Son of William and Alice Tucker (née Fewins). Born in Heavitree, Exeter, in the March Quarter of 1893. Military Medal gazetted 11 March 1919.
TUCKER, E	206934 Sapper Ernest Edwin G. Tucker of the Royal Engineers. Son of Edwin and Elizabeth Tucker. Born in Exminster in the December Quarter of 1885. Military Medal gazetted 12 March 1918.
TUCKER, J	16117 Sergeant John Henry Tucker of the Devonshire Regiment. Son of John and Ann Tucker (née Cole) of Dartmouth. Born in Dartmouth in the June Quarter of 1891. Military Medal gazetted 19 February 1917; Bar gazetted 1 February 1918.
TUCKER, T	329032 Gunner Thomas Bale Tucker of the Royal Garrison Artillery. Son of William and Eliza Tucker of Ilfracombe. Born in Ilfracombe in the September Quarter of 1891. Military Medal gazetted 16 November 1917.
TUCKERMAN, C	9458 Private Charley Tuckerman of the 9th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of Charles and Fanny Tuckerman of Churston Ferrers. Born in Brixham in 1881. Military Medal gazetted 23 July 1919. (From the local press we know that the award was for action some time between 3 and 8 November 1918 between Le Cateau and Pommereuil - action that involved other Devon men.)
TUFFERY, H	8556 Corporal Harold Tuffery of the 8th Battalion, the Devonshire Regiment. Son of William and Bessie Tuffery of Devonport; husband of Daisy (née Harman). Born in Oxford in the June Quarter of 1892. Military Medal gazetted 21 February 1917.
TURNER, I	50390 2nd Corporal Ivan Leslie Turner of the Royal Engineers. Son of Henry and Elizabeth Turner. Born in Babbacombe in the June Quarter of 1896. Military Medal gazetted 9 December 1916; Bar gazetted 30 October 1917.
TYPE. L	691 Sergeant Leonard Type of the Machine Gun Corps. Son of Andrew and Bessie Type. Born in Exmouth in the December Quarter of 1892. Military Medal gazetted 24 January 1918.
UPSHALL, T	15320 Corporal Thomas George Upshall of the Devonshire Regiment. Son of John and Elizabeth Upshall. Born in Dunsford, nr. Exeter in the March Quarter of 1885. Military Medal gazetted 23 February 1918.
VICKERY, R	62545 Private Richard Vickery of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Fusiliers. Son of William and Mary Ann Vickery. Born in Arlington, nr. Barnstaple, in the December Quarter of 1885. Military Medal gazetted 21 January 1919.