Soldier Record

My great uncle Arthur was one of 6 brothers and a sister Gladys (my grandmother). His elder brother Alex was also killed in WW1. Arthur was 22 when he died in September 1918, two months before the end of the war in Salonika Greece, close to the former Yugoslav border. There stands a battle memorial of the British Salonika force, for which a large sum of money was commissioned by the officers and men of that force and commemorates those who lost their lives both here and in Macedonia (many of whom had no graves) . It overlooks Lake Doiran on what was called Colonial Hill and marks the scene of fierce fighting in 1917-1918 in which most of the British casualties on the fireld occurred. From October 1915 to the end of November 1918, the British Salonika force suffered 2800 deaths in action, my great unce being one. He aquitted himself bravely and was given the rank of Acting Lance Corporal when awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for "gallant and distinguished services in the field" and was mentioned in a despatch from General Sir G.F Milne KCBDSO dated 1st November 1918. I have the original document sent to his mother Alice Elizabeth Fancourt (formerly Norman), my geat grandmother. I also have a commemorative plaque made out of an ammunition shell stamped with Britannia and a lion and the inscription "He died for freedom and honour." I treasure them and feel very proud of my great uncle, to whom, among so many, we owe so much.