Need help finding this soldier

Discussion in 'WW2 Battlefields Today' started by Marcello Federici, Sep 22, 2022.

  1. Hello everyone, as written in the presentation post, my name is Marcello, I am 18 years old and I am from Anzio (where the landing took place in 1944). Yesterday afternoon, searching with the metal detector in an old British camp made up of many foxholes, I found these three objects. The first was the key, in the same hole I found the medal and then a few meters ahead the ring. The object that most caught my attention was the medal as it is made of silver, it shows the date and also the name of whoever won it. I did a lot of research but without really understanding much, I searched on Italian forums and on reddit but without finding precise information. On Reddit they managed to trace the origin of the factory from which it was produced (if I'm not mistaken it comes from Birmingham) but no one has convincing ideas on what that acronym can mean, some have thought of some sports club, others have thought of another type of medal, moreover that cross that was originally red plated initially made me think of a medical type decoration, others instead saw a typical cross of Scotland (?). In short, I have no ideas but I would love to go back to the soldier who lost everything, to know his story and maybe see if there are any relatives still alive.
     

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  2. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    One does wonder if the “A.C.” refers to “Athletic Club”, so very possibly there is a sporting connection, especially as the medal was “won by” John Stewart.

    I cannot think what “S.C.” could mean, maybe the area where the Athletic Club, if that is correct, of course, was located, but I can only guess.
     
  3. SteveDee

    SteveDee Well-Known Member

    Very interesting.
    An image search only found medals with 'up right' crosses, not tilted like this one.
    John Stewart sounds like a common Scottish name.
    I'll follow this thread with interest!
     
  4. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

  5. CL1

    CL1 116th LAA and 92nd (Loyals) LAA,Royal Artillery

    a possibility

    LANCE CORPORAL JOHN STEWART
    Service Number: 3246973
    Regiment & Unit/Ship
    Gordon Highlanders

    1st Bn. The London Scottish

    Date of Death
    Died 02 March 1944

    Age 24 years old

    Buried or commemorated at
    BEACH HEAD WAR CEMETERY, ANZIO

    VI. E. 7.

    Italy


    • Country of ServiceUnited Kingdom
    • Additional InfoSon of Malcolm and Annie Stewart, of Blantyre, Lanarkshire.
    • Personal InscriptionTREASURED STILL WITH LOVE SINCERE IS THE MEMORY OF ONE WE LOVED SO DEAR


    a more remote possibility

    TROOPER JOHN ALEXANDER STEWART
    Service Number: 7938743
    Regiment & Unit/Ship
    Royal Armoured Corps

    "C" Sqn. North Irish Horse

    Date of Death
    Died 23 May 1944

    Age 21 years old

    Buried or commemorated at
    CASSINO WAR CEMETERY

    III. G. 3.

    Italy


    • Country of ServiceUnited Kingdom
    • Additional InfoSon of James and Euphemia Stewart, of Ballysimon, Limerick, Irish Republic.
    • Personal InscriptionDEARLY LOVED SON OF JAMES AND EUPHEMIA STEWART. "PEACE, PERFECT PEACE"
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2022
  6. DianeE

    DianeE Member

    Just to add to the story.

    The hallmarks on the medal seem to read JWT. This is the hallmark of James Walter Tiptaft. His company was founded in 1882 in Birmingham and later the company name was changed to J W Tiptaft and son. In the late 30's the company was sold to jewellers Blanckensee.

    Examples of his work are on the internet including medals for sporting occasions

    Unfortunately haven't been able to find any company records.

    Diane
     
  7. Thank you so much, I will go to the cemetery that is less than 10km from my house as soon as possible to search for his grave.
    Is there any way to find relatives that are still alive ? Brothers, sisters, cousins or children of those ?
    Is there a way of knowing more about the circumstances of the death of a soldier ?
    Still thank you so much, it means a lot to know more about him even if it’s sad to discover that he died less than 2 months after he came in Anzio.
     
  8. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    If it is the John Stewart of the London Scottish who CL1 put forward as a possibility he has a family tree on Ancestry that includes a photo of him in uniform, the tree could also help find family but as he is just possible it's probably best to a bit more research in case it turns out not to be him.

    The medal makes me think of St Andrews Ambulance Association St Andrew's First Aid - Wikipedia , the letters don't tie in but wonder if it's someone similar. On the ring are there any letters or inscriptions?
     
  9. unfortunately the ring has no sign or writing inside or outside.
    The st Andrew first aid idea is interesting but I can’t understand what S.C.A.C could stand for.
    How could be we sure about the identification of the soldier ?
     
  10. slick

    slick Junior Member

    The tilted cross could be St Andrews Cross.
    Regarding the date on the medal....the first chap (Lance Corporal) mentioned by CL1 would have been 10 years old when awarded it. The second chap (Trooper) would`ve been 7 years old.
    Would they have awarded silver medals to ones so young ?

    I don`t think you can be sure, the items could be from different people, they might`ve been killed, wounded, or even dropped them whilst running up the beach, sands have a habit of moving around over such a great period of time.
    You might be able to tie the medal to John Stewart if the meaning of "SCAC" can be found, and if any records for that club/organisation still exist today.
     
    SteveDee likes this.
  11. I hope to find more information about it, unfortunately the ancestry server on internet need a subscription so I will try to ask to the cemetery of my town but I’m not sure there someone to ask to.
    Is there a governative website where people can have more info about a ww2 British veteran and maybe his family ?
     
  12. In an Italian forum about metal detecting someone said there could be this arrow in the design
     

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  13. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    A.C is Ambulance Corps (or Competition) . The red enamelled St Andrews Cross is medical . The casualty kindly posted by CL1 was 24 year old in 1944 so would have been only 9-10 when the medal was won in 1930 ? Just a few points to consider the Collieries had a yearly Ambulance Competition for a trophy or cup . S[?] . Colliery Ambulance Competition (cup)

    Kyle
     
    Last edited: Sep 22, 2022
    slick likes this.
  14. slick

    slick Junior Member

    British WW2 service records are not really open to public view. Copies can be obtained but it costs, and you need name, date of birth, and preferably service number.... Get a copy of military service records
    So with the information you have it wouldn`t really be possible to get the right person with any accuracy.
     
    Wobbler and CL1 like this.
  15. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Marcello Federici, Wobbler and CL1 like this.
  16. Quarterfinal

    Quarterfinal Well-Known Member

    Hi,
    Further to some earlier offerings, this may well be be associated:
    upload_2022-9-22_23-13-26.jpeg

    The current organization has a Cadet/youth element, but I do not know when it was created. You could try contacting them:
    info@firstaid.org.uk
    with a general enquiry. In the circumstances, they may be very interested.

    Afternote: the fact that the medallion is hallmarked suggests the award may have been deemed of high status by the issuer and the associated achievement might have been recorded accordingly - perhaps a lifesaving event?
     
    Last edited: Sep 23, 2022
  17. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    If anyone has access to the newspaper archives on findmypast and can check "John Stewart" in March 44 there seem to be 2 hits for the 18th (Daily Record) and 19th (Sunday Post) but as I don't have the extra subscription for newspapers I can only see the basics and they seem to mention him and his brother both being reported missing - it's possible if there is a half decent write up on him it may say something about his youth that could give a clue
     
  18. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    From Daily Record 18th March 1944. 'Last Meeting'; Two Brothers who met unexpectedly in Italy a few months ago are now reported missing and killed in action, respectively. They are Rifleman Gilbert Stewart (27) and L/Cpl. John Stewart, (25) of 6 Hardie Street, Blantyre.
    Sunday Post 19th March. 'Blantyre Mother's Double Blow'; Within the last 3 days, sad news has been received by Mrs. Stewart, 7 Hardie Street, Blantyre, regarding her two Sons, Riflemen Gilbert Stewart and John Stewart, both formerly of the Cameronians and lately transferred to the London Scottish. Gilbert is reported missing since 24th February, and John is reported to have been killed on the 2nd of this month.
     
  19. Hello everyone, I am writing to warmly thank all those who are helping in the search for the soldier and in the search for the origin of the medal, in just two days you have all managed to bring useful information, make assumptions and find very important details and slowly we are reconstructing the story of this soldier but above all of this man.
    I would like to give a brief recap of what we know about John Stewart. John should have been born in 1919 to Malcom and Annie Stewart in Blantyre where we can assume he also lived. As for the relatives, we know that his family was made up of the two parents, John is an older brother Gilbert, who was probably born in 1916 or 1917 since on February 24, 1944 he was 27 years old.
    We do not know anything about other relatives, any girlfriend or wife nor information about his childhood and therefore how he could have won the medal but I am working on it.
    Today I wrote an email to the British Red Cross Museum and they told me they will search their archives, I also wrote to a certain "Bill" who runs a site on the history of the city of Blantyre and which collects photos and family trees of the small town . I also wrote two emails yesterday with the medal and its origin, I am following various paths, I wrote to a Scottish sports historian (he has not answered me yet),
    and to the National Library of Scotland (who at first glance cannot understand what can be ). Oh also I'm following the hypothesis of the possible annual competition of the collieries and that of the St Andrews Ambulance Corps (I wrote an email but they still haven't answered me).
    As soon as possible I will go to the British cemetery of Anzio in search of John and his brother Gilbert. I will also come back to look for other artifacts around where I found the medal, but above all I will continue to write emails and do research.
    The research continues and any other information you can find will be very important.

    Thank you

    Marcello
     
  20. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    3250411 G. Stewart. casualty list. On Scotlands People website there is a possible match. Gilbert Stewart aged 66, died 1984, Blantyre.
     

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