..from the mother in law, these were awarded to her father who served with the Royal Engineers in WWII. We recently had some success when we sent off to the MOD Medal Office to find out his medal entitlement, only to receive all of his medals as he'd never claimed them. It came as a shock to the m-in-l as she always thought her father was just a PE instructor in the Army, but we received the 39/45 Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal, the France & Germany Star and a Mentioned In Dispatches oakleaf. Once we'd received the medals something must have clicked as she dug the attached out, the MID citation is self explanatory but the other one I've never seen before. Thought others may find them interesting. Cheers Matt
That my friends is the C in Cs commendation. Commonly known as "Monty's Certificates" I won one of those, but was wounded before Monty came to make the award pesonally, and I am still waiting 65 years on. My award was made at the captured Dutch Youth SS training camp, North of Venraij. And by Lt Chas Boyce RE our No 2 platoon commander, Sapper
Brian, Could it be that your certificate was filed away due to you being injured and that it is sitting in an archive waiting to be retrieved. Or is that just wishful thinking. It would be nice to receive it even after all these years have passed. Regards Tom
According to his service record my grandfather was also awarded one of those C in C certificates. I recently contacted the medals office who confirmed the award but stated that any further information relating to this, including a copy, does not exist or has already been destroyed. Sapper, I have been meaning to ask you what kind of "good service" would have been rewarded with a certificate?
..from the mother in law, these were awarded to her father who served with the Royal Engineers in WWII. We recently had some success when we sent off to the MOD Medal Office to find out his medal entitlement, only to receive all of his medals as he'd never claimed them. It came as a shock to the m-in-l as she always thought her father was just a PE instructor in the Army, but we received the 39/45 Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal, the France & Germany Star and a Mentioned In Dispatches oakleaf. Once we'd received the medals something must have clicked as she dug the attached out, the MID citation is self explanatory but the other one I've never seen before. Thought others may find them interesting. Cheers Matt Cheers...Always wanted to see what you get (Paper wise) for a MiD in WW2. Have you looked online at NA to see if there is a citation? I've edited this post a thousand times.....I think the second picture is the 'ciation' for the first picture (MiD Cert) looking at the dates. A
It's a little difficult to tell on the certificate, would Monty have handsigned these certificates individually or would it be a preprint signature?
I wonder how many other medals have gone unclaimed, and at what point the MOD will decide what to do with them?
It's a little difficult to tell on the certificate, would Monty have handsigned these certificates individually or would it be a preprint signature? He has hand signed all the citations for men under his command I downloaded this week. Infact he must have took quite a interest in these as some of the recommendations have been changed to a different medal and some of the citation (on one) was crossed out and spelling corrections by him. I say him as the corrections etc seem to be done with the same pen as his signature. Regards Andy
Have you looked online at NA to see if there is a citation? The only thing I've found is www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/36994/supplements/1555/page.pdf which just lists his name in amongst many others. I've yet to send for his service records, but will there be something in the National Archives also then?
I'm no expert on Kew but there should be, but it will only be the citation on the certificate assuming they are both for the same thing.
He signed every one, and awarded it on the field if possible. With me it is the one blight in my life.. that I never got mine. I earned it..... It was awarded for service well above what could be expected. Oddly enough I got mine (or did not) even though I Tried to look invisible at times/ I still got roped in for some dangers actions. But then, I was a keen and stupid young idiot. But in hospital encased in plaster from head to foot "Spica" with a fractured spine smashed leg and knee. Evey bone in my body cracked...Waiting every day for the Monty's Cert " to arrive. Just imagine if you can the deep hurt that a 19 year old would feel... Forgotten. 3 div was Monty's last Div command. So he would visit. Am I upset today that I never got my Cert? "too bloody right I am" I have tried every avenue. The MOD wrote back saying "There is no such thing". So I sent them a picture of one. The feeling of despair was qualified a bit, by My old Corporal, that even though having been in the Rhine, sent me a complete set of insignia, with the message "Don't want you to look like a Rookie Brian" I never found Corporal Ford since. I know he has double pneumonia when he sent me the insignia. Monty thought the army did not reward men for good service, and that is why he brought in Monty's Certificates" I am still waiting.... But at the age of 85 time grows short..Does it not.. For years I pictured the Cert on my wall, with the other gear... Sadly it ain't going to happen Sapper
Brian, Was 'Monty's Cert' or 'C in C's Commendation' the unofficial name for the above given to the 'Mention in Dispatches' by the junior ranks under his command? Cheers Andy
Hi Drew. Nothing to do with a mention, The C in Cs commendation was entirely his own idea, and was unofficial, that is why they MOD said "there is no such thing"...But it was highly valued at the time. I was over the moon, when Lt Boyce took me to one side, and told me I had been awarded it. So you can imagine the heart break that a 19 year old severely wounded in hospital felt at the timer? Cheers Sapper
Cheers Brian, So they are different from the pictures posted above as the pictures appear to be a Mention in Dispatch. Andy
I can't decide whether to get these certificates framed (as I'm planning to do with his medals), or preserve them somehow. They arrived in a couple of basic clip frames, but I'm mindful that Monty's signature is quite faded (thanks for the reassurance that it's genuine Brian, and i'm very sorry that yours never arrived) and I'd like to try and preserve them as best as possible. Obviously I've scanned them but is there any special method of preserving such valuable documents? I'm open to suggestions!
Drew, here is another example My understanding that the certificate was either issues for gallentry in the field or for good service
Hi All These awards are for a soldier called Eric Cole. Wondering how common they are and if I can find out what Eric did to recieve them. The first one is signed by Monty. Would this be his signature really? Cheers Ant
Wonder if this was the same chap in the Illustrated London news: Berlin - The Entry of British Troops ' Company Sergeant Major Eric Cole a Guards Warrant Officer and Veteran of Miel Dunkirk, Breaking the Union Jack From Its Masthead in the Konigsplatz ' Ilustrated London News 1945 Sadly (and possibly rather pointlessly) the photograph's not included there.
