THE MILITARY MEDAL, 1914-15 STAR TRIO AND MEMORIAL PLAQUE TO SERGEANT M.G. ARMSTRONG, M.M., "D" COMPANY, 16TH (2ND GLASGOW PALS) BATTALION HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY, LATE 1ST VOLUNTEER BATTALION HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY AND ROYAL FIELD ARTILLERY (TERRITORIAL), AWARDED THE MILITARY MEDAL AND KILLED IN ACTION ON 1ST JULY 1916, FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME, THE MILITARY MEDAL PROBABLY AWARDED FOR THE CAPTURE OF THE LEIPZIG SALIENT, 1ST JULY 1916 BY "D" COMPANY, 16TH BATTALION HIGHLAND LIGHT INFANTRY. SERGEANT ARMSTRONG WAS ONE OF TWO MEN FROM THE H.L.I. AWARDED THE MILITARY MEDAL AND KILLED IN ACTION ON 1ST JULY 1916. Five: Military Medal George V (officially named, impressed in plain block capitals: 14323 SJT: M.G. ARMSTRONG 16/HIGH: L.I.) 1914-15 Star (officially named, impressed in plain block capitals: 14323 Sjt. M.G. ARMSTRONG. HIGH L.I.) British War and Victory Medals (both officially named, impressed in plain block capitals: 14323 SJT. M.G. ARMSTRONG: HIGH. L.I.) Memorial Plaque (Matthew George Armstrong). All medals with original ribbons, silver medals attractively toned, generally Extremely Fine and virtually as struck.
Military Medals for gallantry on the first day of the Battle of the Somme are rare and Military Medals to men who were killed in action of the first day of the Somme are particularly rare.
The act of gallantry for which a Military Medal was awarded had to be witnessed by an officer and the recipient then subsequently recommended for a Military Medal by that officer. The large number of officer casualties sustained on 1/7/1916 made this impossible in many cases. Additionally, the Military Medal could not be awarded posthumously to any man who was killed during the performance of an act of gallantry, thus excluding many potential recipients. In order to qualify, July 1st casualties had to perform their act of gallantry prior to becoming a casualty, as was undoubtedly the case for Armstrong (Armstrong was probably awarded the MM for the capture of the Leipzig Salient and killed in action later defending the salient against German counter-attacks).
Group accompanied by Second World War medals awarded to Sergeant Armstrong's son, 1368939 LEADING AIRCRAFTSMAN M. ARMSTRONG, ROYAL AIR FORCE. Two: 1939-45 Defence Medal 1939-45 War Medal. Both medals unnamed, as issued, but in original postal box of issue addressed to the recipient at 31 Staffa Street, Glasgow, along with original Air Ministry Awards Certificate and award docket giving the recipient's service number and rank as 1368939 L.A.C. and confirming entitlement to the 1939-45 Defence and War Medals only. Group also accompanied by recipient's WW2 period RAF broze cap badge.
Group also accompanied by original forwarding letter for Sergeant Armstrong's British War Medal, dated 8/6/1921, an original War Office registered envelope addressed to Sergeant Armstrong's wife, and an original Commonwealth War Graves booklet for the Lonsdale Cemetery, Aveluy and Authuile, France along with biographical details, extract 1901 Scotland census, 12 pages copied service papers (from the "Burnt" series of documents, fire and water damaged and as a result difficult to read in places), copied Medal Index and Military Medal cards, copied extract War Diary 16th Battalion Highland Light Infantry for 1st July 1916, 16th HLI casualty list confirming Armstrong was serving with "D" Company, 16th HLI on 1/7/16 and posted "missing" on that day along with copied extracts London Gazette, Soldiers Died and Commonwealth War Graves Commission details and extract from Howard Williamson's "The Annotations on the Reverses of the Military Medal Index Cards 1916-1920".
Howard Williamson confirms regimental number, and that Armstrong saw service with the 16th H.L.I. (but notes that he was actually recorded on the 15th H.L.I. casualty roll (?)), confirms Armstrong's M.M. was announced in the London Gazette of 28.1.1917 and that he was killed in action on 1/7/1916.
Matthew George Armstrong (1886-1916), born in Glasgow in 1886 is recorded in the 1901 census records as a 14 year old apprentice carpet weaver living at 25 William St, Glasgow, with his mother, Margaret Armstrong, three sisters and one brother. He enlisted into the 15th Highland Light Infantry at Glasgow on 14/9/1914. At the time of enlistment he was 28 years of age, gave his trade as compositor with an address at Rosebank Street, Dennistoun, and stated that he had previously seen 5 years service with the 1st Volunteer Battalion Highland Light Infantry and four years with the Royal Artillery (Territorial). Armstrong was promoted Corporal, 26/9/1914, Lance Sergeant, 1/11/1914 and Sergeant, 1/5/1915. Service papers record him as being posted "missing" 1/7/1916 and "presumed dead" on the same day and are additionally endorsed "accepted for official purposes as having died on or since 1/7/1919". Service papers give his next of kin as his wife, Elizabeth Armstrong, with an address at 41 Rosebank Street, Dennistoun (Glasgow). Medal Index Card records Armstrong as having first seen service in France from 23/11/1915 (the 16th Highland Light Infantry landed at Boulogne as a unit on 23/11/1915).
Soldiers Died also confirms Sergeant Armstrong as having been killed in action on 1/7/1916, that he was the son of Matthew and Margaret Armstrong, of Glasgow, and the husband of Elizabeth Armstrong, of 31 Staffa Street, Dennistoun, Glasgow. Commonwealth War Graves entry confirms that Armstrong was 30 years of age when he was killed in action, that he was the husband of Elizabeth Armstrong, of 31 Statta Street, Dennistoun, Glasgow, and is buried in Lonsdale Cemetery, Authuille.
On 1st July 1916 the 16th Battalion Highland Light Infantry was serving with 97th Brigade, 32nd Division, in the front line immediately to the left of 97th Brigade. The battalion's first objective was the Leipzig Salient, after which is was to advance on a position known as the "Wonder Work", with the final objective being Mouquet Quarry, some 2,300 yards from the British front line. Within moments of the 16th Highland Light Infantry going into attack most of the men of the battalion were forced back into the British front line trenches by by German machine gun fire, with only a small group of men from "C" Company entering the German front line and capturing a section of the Leipzig Salient.
The 16th Highland Light Infantry War Diary records that "The advance commenced at 7.30 am, "A" Company leading on the right with "C" Company in support and "B" Company on the left with "D" Company in support. On our right were the 17th HLI and on our left the 16th Nor'd Fusrs. The 2nd KOLI were in support and the 11th Border Regt in reserve. The enemy opened heavy machine gun and rifle fire as soon as our men jumped over the parapet and manned their parados with bombers, with men at 2 yard intervals. Our Platoons advanced in waves in extended order, and were simply mown down by machine gun fire, and very heavy casualties resulted. On the left the Support Company got close up to the German wire, but were unable to advance. On the right we succeeded in entering the German trenches, where we were in touch with the 17th H.L.I. and where we remained until relieved by the 2nd Manchesters."
With regard to Armstrong's "C" Company, the battalion war diary also notes "a small party on the right reached the German front line and joined up with the 17th High. L.I." and that "on the right about 150 men managed to reach the German front line and reinforced the 17th High. L.I." and that "the 17th High. L.I., a small party of the 16th High. L.I., about 150 2nd KOYLI and a few men of the 1st Dorsets and 19th Lancs. Fusrs. were holding the Leipzig Salient .... The remainder of the brigade either being in no-man's land or our front line trenches". Later that the the war diary notes "about 12 noon, the 2nd Manchesters were placed at the disposal of the O.C., 87th Infantry Brigade, and were ordered to reinforce the Leipzig Salient and, if possible, to push forward by bombing to the Hindenburg line. Very little progress was made and at dusk the situation was practically the same. As soon as it was dark the following movements took place. The 2nd Manchester R. and a party of the 2nd KOYLI held the Leipzig salient. The 17th High. L.I. and party 16th High. L.I. withdrew to our own lines."
Sergeant Armstrong's Military Medal was one of 56 announced in the London Gazette of 28/7/1917, his award being among a short list of men who had "been killed in action or died of wounds or disease subsequent to the date of the award of the Military Medal", confirming that Sergeant Armstrong was killed in action subsequent to the act of gallantry for which he was awarded his Military Medal. The edition of the London Gazette recording the award of the Military Medal to Armstrong, the so-called "dead man's" Gazette, records one other man of the 16th H.L.I. who was awarded the Military Medal and killed in action on 1/7/1916, 14352 Sergeant R. Dinning,
Howard Williamson in his "Great War Medal Collector's Companion" confirms that Military Medals announced in the London Gazette of 28/7/1917 were awarded to men who had been awarded the Military Medal prior to being killed in action.
The 16th (2nd Glasgow Pals) Battalion Highland Light Infantry was raised in Glasgow on 2/9/1914 by the Lord Provost and City, with many recruits coming from the Glasgow Boys' Brigade. The battalion landed at Boulogne as a unit on 23/11/1915 and sustained some 403 casualties on 1/7/1916
