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| Thomas William Compton born 1897 |
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| Thomas (known as Billy) |
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| Back row from the left: Billy, Emily, Emma Compton (Billy's mother) c1930. |
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The decoration was introduced as an award of "King's silver" for having received wounds or injury during loyal war service.
A secondary causation for its introduction was that a practice had developed in the early years of the war where some women took it upon themselves to confront and publicly embarrass men of fighting age they saw in public places who were not in military uniform, by ostentatiously presenting them with white feathers, as a suggestion of cowardice.
The badge was intended to be worn on civilian clothes. Wiki |
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| Thomas's WW1 journal |
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| Page 25 |
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Pages 1-6, 7-12, 13-18, 19-24, 25-30, 31-39, other pages |
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| Page 26 |
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| Page 27 |
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| Page 28 |
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| The Obusier de 520 modèle 1916 was a French railway howitzer that was built during World War I, but did not see service before the war ended. |
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| Page 29 |
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Extract from letter found on prisoner captured 16/9/17
Quiet. Tomorrow night we will be relieved. There is fairly heavy TN fire 20yds in front of our line which we try to avoid by dodging about. They are very large “ball bombs” which have a very terribly demoralising affect because they make an infernal noise & have great splinter effect. With our machine guns we shoot at aeroplanes during the day & use about 1,000 on quiet days. Even when there is nothing special doing a few men are always killed or wounded. Now, yesterday afternoon my old chum K----- a fine strapping fellow passes me in the trench & I shout “Where off to in such a hurry? ”. “Up to the right to count detonators”.
On minute later K----- killed, shot through the heart. At a place in the trench where it is so shallow that Tommy can look right into it, he sitting on a hill. At the same place two others have been killed & two wounded apparently by the same marksman. There he sits and waits and pulls the trigger – here a groan – and there loud laughter.
Just you wait, you Tommy; you will meet your fate yet!
_____________
German division is approximately 12,000 including officers. |
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