Sgt. John Arthur Veness M.M.

[Andrew Marshall]

I have the Military Medal to 36237 Sergeant John Arthur Veness V.20 Trench Mortar Battery R.G.A. This was gazetted 10th August 1916.

John Veness attested to the R.G.A. on 19th October 1911 at Gravesend (in fact the approving officer was the Lt-Col commanding the 2nd Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers - Conor). He was eighteen years and six months old.

At the outbreak of war he was sent to St Helena on 08.08.14, he returned from there on 19.11.14 and served a period at home until 11.10.15.

He was sent to France on 12.10.15 and therefore qualified for the 14/15 Star, BWM and Victory. He was admitted to hospital 02.08.17 with P.U.D. (Trench Fever?).

He was sent home 10.08.17 and admitted to hospital from here he was posted to the Experimental Artillery range at Buxton where he worked firing mortars on 31.12.17. He was injured here in a minor accident and admitted to hospital with superficial injuries to his face and hands on 31.07.18.

On 31.12.19 he married Florence Beatrice Jackson at Buxton. He remained in the Army after the war had ended and whilst travelling between postings from Shoeburyness to Sheerness stopped off at Gravesend to see his brother. He left his brothers house on the morning of 23.06.19 and was found several hours later by a man going to work, he had cut his own throat with a razor, he was twenty five years old and he is buried in Gravesend cemetery.

If anyone can provide information as to what the 20th Division were doing around May I would be grateful. I am trying to find out why he was awarded his Military Medal and all the evidence points to the fact that the act for which he was awarded this medal was in May. He joined the V.20 T.M.B. on 12.05.16 and was earlier posted to the Y.20 T.M.B. on 18.03.16. Working on the assumption that M.M.'s were generally gazetted three months after the event I am hoping that I can pin down some specific action around the Month of May. Long shot I know, but you must always try!

Regards

Andrew

[Annette Burgoyne]

Hi Andrew

The 20th Divisions three Medium Trench Mortar Batteries (X/20, Y/20 and Z/20) were formed early in March 1916 under Captain Buckley, the D.T.M.O.

The Division was holding the line from Pratt Street, just N-W of Wieltje Farm to the Canal bank S-E of Boesinghe (the area were the Diggers have been working), from mid February 1916 until 15th April 1916, when they went out of the line for a months rest. On 18th May it began to take over line in right sector of XIV Corps’ line, from 400 yards N-W of Hooge to Pratt Street.

Action between March and June 1916—The Germans attacked trenches E 28 to 25 , in the Division left sub sector, on 11th April, without success, the 7th D.C.L.I., who were holding this part of the line suffered about 60 casualties. The Germans must have suffered heavily too, as 30 dead were counted in front of E27 & 28 alone. For acts of courage in this battalion awards were given on 15th May, so this may be when Sergeant John Arthur Veness got his M.M. ? The next action the Division was in was on night 20th/21st May, the Germans attacked trenches held by 7th Somerset near the Ypres-Zonnebeke road. And the Division was on the left flank of the Canadians when the Germans attacked them in early June, the 6th K.S.L.I. played a major part in driving of the Germans on the Canadians left flank. The Germans attacked the Division and the Canadians again on the 6th June, and throughout the day the T.M. did most valuable work, the officer commanding Y/20 received the M.C.

Info. from the 20th Divisions History.

Regards

Annette

[Andrew Marshall]

Annette

Thank you for that, this gives me a few days to concentrate on when I go to the PRO next and hopefully I may find out somemore information about the action that John Veness received his M.M.

Wonderful!

Regards

Andrew