WW1 Mercantile Marine Medal Pair to John Greenwood Thompson plus Torpedoed Sleeve Badge

Pair of WW1 medals to John G. (Greenwood) Thompson, comprising:
a) British War Medal, 1914 - 1918
b) Mercantile Marine War Medal, 1914 - 1918.

Together with a gold bullion torpedo badge indicating that a member of the merchant marine had been torpedoed but apparently undeterred had returned to service at sea.

It also includes an original letter from the Board of Trade addressed to him enclosing his medals and Form WM2 - Authority to Wear which gives his full name as John Greenwood Thompson, Dis A. No 889588 R.S. No 118723, and confirms his authority to wear the ribbons as from 6 August 1919 and the medals as from 4 November 1921. The recipient was required to sign for his medals and has done so on Form WM2.

Listed in the WW1 Mercantile Marine Medal card index (card 0605). His details are given as follows:

Rate: 1st Engineer (37829)
Place of Birth: Swansea
Year of Birth: 1876
Medals sent to: MM sent to South Shields (6 August 1919) and BWM sent to 2 Station Road, Patchway(?), Bristol on 4th November 1921.
Certificate of Discharge No: 889588

I made a note of the above on a visit to Kew many years ago, but do not have a copy of the card.

It would seem he was part of a nautical family. The online records of St Mary's Churchyard and Almondsbury Cemetery, Gloucestershire, show John Greenwood THOMPSON, Master Mariner, died 5 Feb 1905,aged 72, and his son John Greenwood THOMPSON died on 7 Feb 1949. It looks like these are the son's medals ( http://places.wishful-thinking.org.uk/GLS/Almondsbury/MIs.html)


See item 50072 for details of the very scarce "Torpedoed" bullion arm badge.

Code: 53802