How will someone be remembered? This is a question which we think about, especially in Museums. In our Regimental Museum we think about how individual soldier’s and their service are remembered. What is left to remind us of their service? In the case of John William and George Armstrong is it their medals, both a part of our collection.
31400 Private John William Armstrong was born and lived in Nottingham. He enlisted into the 19th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters at Brocklesby in August 1915, when it was formed. John soon transferred to the Base Depot in France and served with the 15th Battalion.
John was later posted to the 13th Battalion of the Royal Scots with a new number of 331097. He was serving with them when he was sadly killed in action on the 22nd of August 1917 at the age of 19.
3677 Sapper George Armstrong enlisted into the Royal Engineers and served with them during the Great War (1914-18). He would later have regimental number 478556. George was John’s father.
The medals have been kept together because of how they were wanted to be remembered by their family. George and John had a strong bond between father and son and so their medals are kept together to remember their closeness in life. We thought it fitting to remember them in this Father’s Day blog, of a father and son who will always be remembered together.
John was awarded the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. We also have his “death penny” (bronze commemorative plaque, not pictured).
George was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
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