1914 Star Trio Military Medal Suffolk Regiment – Machine Gun Corps Casualty Group

1914 Star trio and Military medal group awarded to 17508 Sergeant Ernest Samuel Makeham Suffolk Regiment and Machine Gun Corps, killed in action 26th May 1918 aged 21. His Military Medal was gazetted 17 days later on 12th June 1918.

All medals are correctly named corresponding with the medal roles – Military Medal named to 17508 Sjt. E. Makeham 12/ M.G.C., 1914 Star impressed 3-8765 Pte Makeham 2/SUFF.R. and  War and Victory Medals named to 8765 Sjt E. Makeham Suff. R. The medals are in excellent condition with original ribbons and represent his full entitlement. I have not printed out the war diary extracts or the grave photograph. The diaries can be downloaded from the National Archives and the photograph found at Geneanet, again free.  I have printed copes of the medal index card, rolls and census as these are not free to obtain.

Few records survive for Sergeant Makeham but from what is available I have been able to piece together the following information. According to the 1911 census at that time he was 14 years old living in Kempston, Bedfordshire and working as a labourer at an iron works. He enlisted in the army joining the Suffolk Regiment in August or September 1913 (the Suffolk regiment used a sequential numbering system, checking the silver war badge register for other men shows 8750 Cordrey enlisted on 9th August 1913 and 8789 Tweed on 22nd September. Makeham’s number falling between the 2). He would have been 17 or 18 at the time.

The 3 prefix indicated that he was placed into the 3rd special reserve battalion of the Suffolk Regiment. This battalion never left the UK but supplied reinforcements to other units from late August 1914 onwards. Makeham landed in France on the 12 November 1914, his 1914 Star indicating he joined the 2nd battalion which had been all but destroyed at the battle of Le Cateu on the 26th of August.

He remained with 2nd Battalion Suffolk regiment throughout 1915. There is no mention in the battalion war diary of Makeham (the only enlisted men mentioned by name and number are those killed)  but as all of these documents do it paints a vivid picture.  Amongst other events battalion took part in the battle of Loos and the Hooge mine exploded near them. In September 1915 the HQ cook took his own life. 1915 was not a good year for the unit.

At some point Makeham became part of the battalion machine gun section which was transferred to the Machine Gun Corps on 22n January 1916 when the 8th Brigade Machine Gun Company was formed. The 8th coy war diary records the transfer of 4 guns and associated equipment from 2nd Battalion Suffolk regiment  and the MGC medal roll has a block of 24 men, numbers 17493-17516 which were transferred with them. Makeham’s MGC number was 17508.

The war diary for the 8th Company MGC is unusually detailed in that it mentions enlisted men by name, number and rank. Makeham is first mentioned on 20th December 1916 when his rank is given as Lance Corporal and it is noted that he as returned from a course of instruction at Camiers. He is next mentioned on 1st January when he was made a paid Lance Corporal on and again on the 15th February when he is transferred to D section and made a full Corporal.  On the 13th May 1917 he is recorded as wounded at Shrapnel Trench during the 2nd battle of Arras. On the 16th November 1917 he is mentioned as being sent to Grantham to attend a special course of instruction. His return to the UK is again mentioned on 6th January 1918, presumably his first departure was delayed. This is the last mention of him in the 8th Company MGC war diary, his return from Grantham is not noted.

In March 1918 the 12th battalion Machine Gun Corps was formed. The usual route into this unit was via the 35th,36th, 37th and 235th MGC companies but I can find no record of Makeham having served with them. The next 2 firm dates for his whereabouts are his death, killed in action May 26th 1918 with 12 battalion and the London Gazette entry of 12th June for his Military Medal. This date would indicate he was awarded the medal for an action around late March and in any case it can’t have been awarded before 1st March 1918 as the 12bn Machine Gun Corps was formed on that date. It is unclear when he was promoted to sergeant or with which unit he was serving, it would appear most likely while he was at Grantham receiving special instruction or shortly after his return.  Ernest Samuel Makeham is buried in plot 75, row F at the Knightsbridge Cemetery.

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