M2/032977 Private William Henry Middlemass.

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Army Service Corps, (M.T.), attached to 76th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.

Awarded the M.M. in the London Gazette of 29 August 1918.

Middlemass was a native of Burnley, Lancashire.

Photo of the medal group awarded to Private Middlemass courtesy of Mike Townend, Towneley Hall Collection.








The Burnley Express of 22 June 1918 reported, MEDALLIST WHO FOUGHT IN BOER WAR. Mrs. Middlemass, 9, Cavour Street, Burnley has received the good news from her husband, Private, (032977) W. H. Middlemass, of the A.S.C., that he has been awarded the Military Medal.

With the intimation the soldier sent General Plummer's message congratulating him on the "gallant act by which he won the Military Medal", and also a copy of Army Orders containing a list of awards, in which his name appears. Private Middlemass, who was a motor driver for Mssrs. Parkinson, wholesale druggists, and is in the Transport Section of the Field Ambulance, went through the South Africa War with the 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment, ending with the rank of sergerant.earnig two medals and seven bars. At the time war broke out he was a member of the National reserve Club, being one of the first members on its formation. He joined the A.S.C., on the 12 January 1915.

The Burnley Express of 18 October 1919 carries the same report but adds, "the Military Medal was awarded for gallantry on the 23 March 1918, for bringing down a load of wounded men when the artillery had retired, this being done whilst the enemy were advancing, and were within 300 yards of them when he took charge of them."

Registered paper 68/121/590, schedule number 180854.