Private Fred Medley MM
18607 2nd Royal Munster Fusiliers
Formerly 15751 11th East Lancashire Regiment
Lived at 85 Hollingtreave Road

Military Medal London Gazette of 17 June 1919.

He lived with his father, Henry Hartley Medley when he enlisted on the 21 September 1914, he was aged 22 years and 11 months, 5' 8" tall with fair hair and was a weaver by trade employed by Maxfield and Co., Spring Hill Shed, Burnley and Mr. G. Brown, 21 - 23, Leeds Road, Nelson, Lancashire (both part time). He was a Wesleyan by religion.

Initially serving as 15751, Private, 11th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment; To Egypt on the 19 December 1915, arriving at Alexandria on the 5 January 1916; to France on the 2 March 1916 on board H.T. Landovery Castle arriving at Marseille on the 4 March 1916. Shrapnel wound to right wrist on the 1/2 July 1916 and was sent back to the U.K. on board H.T. Stad Antwerpen for treatment at the 2nd Northern General Hospital at Leeds, Yorkshire.

On recovery he was transferred to the 9th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment, 9 November 1916 and went out to Salonika, where he was invalided twice, once for 'shell shock' (30 April 1917) and finally suffering from malaria (22 April 1918). He returned to the U.K. and was at Fulwood Barracks Military Hospital from where, on recovery he returned once again to France, unattached but on the strength of the 2/5th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment. On arrival he was transferred to the Royal Munster Fusiliers.

His transfer to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Munster Fusiliers was confirmed on the 24 October 1918 and he was renumbered 18607; he received a bullet wound shoulder on the 6 November 1918, and was admitted to 31 Ambulance Train on the 7 November 1918. He was transferred to the U.K. the next day where he went to York Military Hospital for treatment where he remained until 2 December 1918.

During his short stay with the Royal Munster Fusiliers he was awarded the Military Medal (Registered paper 68/121/822, Schedule number 245170).

During his service he had spent 4 months in Egypt; 22 months in Salonika and 9 months in France. He was finally discharged on the 30 January 1919.

(Courtesy of Dave Ingham)