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The War Medals of Alfred Parsley ab

Now it just so happened that Grampy Fred had in his belongings a Crimean War Medal of Alfred Parsley, ab of the H.M.S. ALBION (the 5th Albion built) with a "Sebastopol Bar" on it. There was also another war medal that went with it.                                                        

It was a logical connection to Eleanor Parsley, wife of Frederick William Hagell and the Alfred Parsley on the medal. The facts and details of that connection are still a mystery to me, but one day they will be known to me or a future genealogist. What I did find out about though was much information on the Crimean War and about the H.M.S. ALBION. Not only is my side of the family tree connected to the Crimean War, but other branches are as well.

 The History of the Crimean War of 1853  -  1856                                                        

Since the time George 4th of England came to power, Russia was watched very closely. England was very concerned that some part of the British Empire might be attack, overland by Russia. The seizure of Turkey by the Russians was a grave to concern to Britain as it would give the Russian a foothold and staging ground for further attacks.

In 1853 Britain marched her troops into Turkey and in 1854 it declared war on Russia. Britain and France sent an Expeditionary force to the Crimean to capture the port city  of Sevastopol.

The city of (Sevastopol) fell to the British fleet and her Allies the Turkish troops and the French on September 9, 1855. (Source: A History of War at Sea by Helmut Pemsel. Library ref. 359.4 P)

There Were Other Battles as Well:

The Battle of Alma                     September 20,1854

The Battle of Balaclava            October 25, 1854

Balaclava was the name for the engagement in a small town 10km south east of Sevastopol. this is the scene of the Charge of the Light Brigade, the British Calvary against the Russian artillery. 673 soldiers took part, with 272 causalities. Balaclava helmets were knitted hoods worn there by the soldiers for the bitter weather.

The Battle of Inkerman                  November  5, 1854

Inkerman Ridge was a scene of this battle where the Russians were repulsed from attacking the town of Sevastopol.

The H.M.S. ALBION

 The "Albion" was the ship that Alfred Parsley sailed on during the Crimean War of 1853 - 1855. There were actually 6 "ALBION" ships on record in the British Navy. The one that Alfred Parsley sailed on was the fifth one, constructed in 1842. She was a 90 gun ship of 3111 tons and carried a crew of 830 men The length of the ship was 204 feet, beam of 60 feet and a draught of 19 feet.

In 1854 the ALBION under the command of Captain Stephen Lushington took part in the Russian War. The Naval Brigade with 2400 seamen, 2000 a marines, 65 officer, 50 shipwrights, and 120 guns were landed to assist the Army in the siege of Sebastopol under the general command of Captain Lushington of the ALBION.

On October 17, 1854 the ALBION caught fire three times after being badly mauled and had to be taken out of the fight after being towed to safety by the steamship paddle boats present.

In 1861 the ALBION was fitted with a steam engines of 1835 horsepower and a screw propeller. And finally in 1884 the ALBION was sold.

1. "The Royal Navy : A History From the Earliest Times to the Present"  by:  Wm. Laird Clowes Published in 1901 in London, Pages 440 to 444.

2. "The Kings Ships" by Halton Stirling Leckey. Published in London, England in 1913. Pages 54 to 57.

The Medals were taken to the Maritime Naval Museum in Halifax where Marilyn Gerney helped to identify the medals and provided new ribbons for them as well. I was surprised that they would have the same color and style ribbon that was needed. The ribbons that were on the medals were not the proper size she said. A trip to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic in Halifax, gave me information on the "ALBION" on which Alfred Parsley sailed. She said that medals should have new ribbons on them and presented as they should be.

 Frederick David Hagell receives a letter from the Accountant General of the Navy:

Information from Janet (Scott) Hagell of London sent to me concerns a letter which was written to help Frederick David Hagell obtain a war pension.

in the hope of getting Frederick David  his pension.

Much of the information on Frederick David Hagell comes in a letter from Janet (Scott) Hagell dated February 16, 1992. Photo copies of original letters were sent and greatly appreciated.

There are three medals in the series for men who fought in the Crimean War.                                                        

The Crimean Medals were inscribed with the four major operations. It was worn proudly enough by those who had seen the job through. Yet when the medal was first issued, public about the conduct about the war was such that PUNCH published a grim cartoon in which a near naked and frozen Guardsman, knee deep in snow and threatened by vultures, tells his comrade that they are to have a medal - "Very kind", comes the reply, "Maybe one of these days we'll have a coat to stick it on!".                                                        

1.  The Crimean War Medal

The medals that were impressed with "serif capitals" are the ones that are classified as official. Apparently some regiments carried out their own stamping of names on the medals.

This medal was issued with three different obverses to it. The positioning of the three flags indicated the country of  the receiver.

3.  The Baltic Medal

This medal was mostly for the sailors of HM ships who were in the Baltic during the years 1854 and 1855. Some of the medals were stamped with the name of the sailor such as the one my Grandfather has from Alfred Parsley.

The medals also came with a "bar" that reads "Sebastopol". This was one of the battles that was fought during the Crimean War. The more campaigns you were in, the more "bars" you had given to you. 

Hagells Who Died In War

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No / Name Rank / Service Number / Date Of Death / Age / Regiment-Service / Nationality / Grave-Memorial Ref. Number / Cemetery-Memorial Name

1     HAGELL , ALFRED     Private    2947    16/07/1916     41    South African Infantry    South African    

Pier and Face 4 C.    THIEPVAL MEMORIAL

2     HAGELL , C     Private    41100    09/11/1916     Unknown    Royal Fusiliers    United Kingdom    

I. E. 25.    EUSTON ROAD CEMETERY, COLINCAMPS

3     HAGELL , JAMES GRANT     Flying Officer    J/27167    15/10/1944     28    

Royal Canadian Air Force    Canadian    Panel 246.    RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

Note: James Grant Hagell born on . Feb 26, 1916, d. Oct 15, 1944 / Married Mildred Pratt Perry. Father of Robert Bruce Hagell / Brother of Joseph William Hagell, Margaret Amelia Hagell and Robert Alonzo Hagell of Ontario, Canada. According to the letter from Frederick James Hagell of Bath, England dated, September 1992, James Grant was shot down over the English Channel. See letter #1 in the Letter Page (not ready yet!)

Grandfather of: Lisa Hagell (British Columbia, Canada)
Grandfather of: Michael Hagell

4     HAGELL , STANLEY GORDON     Sergeant    759359    08/02/1942     28    

Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve    United Kingdom    Plot C.C.1. Grave 34.    MAIDSTONE CEMETERY, Kent, England

Note: HOLLINGSWORTH, W. Pilot Officer, RAF. Pilot. 500 Sqn RAF. Died 8 Feb 42 Aged 30

William Hollingsworth was killed in the crash of Lockheed Hudson V, serial AM845 (MK-F). The aircraft had taken off from RAF Bircham Newton at 16.29 and was returning from a shipping strike. P/O Hollingsworth made a bad approach to RAF Docking and attempted an overshoot, but the aircraft stalled and dived into the ground near the airfield at 19.28 killing all 4 crew members. William Hollingsworth was married and lived in Leeds. He was buried with full military honours on 12 February 1942, the other 3 crew members, Sargents; Pound, Hagell, and Morgan were buried in their home towns.

Source: http://www.norfolkwargraves.org.uk/Main/Allied.htm

The Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lockheed_Hudson#Notable_appearances_in_media

The Lockheed Hudson

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 WW1 Campaign Medals:       
       
Name:               Jeffrey, Hagell   
Corps:               Army Service Corps   
Regiment No:     M2/176226   
Rank:                Private   
                        1914-1920        WO 372/10

Name:               Hagell, Stanley F   
Corps:               Royal Field Artillery   
Regiment No:     920043   
Rank:                Gunner   
                        1914-1920        WO 372/8

Name:              Hagell, Ernest S   
Corps:              Royal Engineers   
Regiment No:    179778   
Rank:               Sapper   
                       1914-1920        WO 372/8

A sapper or combat engineer is an individual soldier who performs a variety of combat engineering duties. Such tasks typically include bridge-building, laying or clearing minefields, demolitions, field defences, and building, road and airfield construction and repair. He is also trained to serve as an infantryman when needed.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapper

Name:              Hagell, Charles   
Corps:              Royal Fusiliers   
Regiment No:    GS/41100   
Rank:               Private   
                       1914-1920        WO 372/8

Name:             Hagell, F E   
Corps:             Royal Flying Corps   
Regiment No:   1579   
Rank:              Corporal   
                      1914-1920        WO 372/8

Name:             Hagell, William   
Corps:             Machine Gun Corps   
Regiment No:  128589   
Rank:              Private...   
                      1914-1920        WO 372/8
         
Name:             Hagell, Robert Baden   
Number:         J59822
Birth:              Maidstone, Kent
Date:              22-Nov-00
Reference:      ADM 188/766 links to the Catalog
Dept:              Records of the Admiralty, Naval Forces,
                      Royal Marines, Coastguard, and related bodies
Series:            Admiralty: Royal Navy Registers of Seamen's Services


Source:  http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline 

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My Grandfather: Alfred Frederick Hagell / Military Career 

The photo below was taken in Edinburgh, Scotland

by: Morrison's Studios, 137 Leith Street. Negative No: 41560

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The photograph was taken at Citadel Hill an old army fortress sitting atop a glacial drumlin in the middle of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.  My Grandfather is at the head of the line.

I see they had a mascot. (The fourth soldier is carrying a small dog)

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My Grandfather's honourable discharge paper.. 

"Straight and True" was the motto for the Canadian Machine Gun Corps.

_____________________________________________________________________________________  

I am not sure where this photo was taken but is on a "postcard" style card. 

My Grandfather, AF Hagell is in the back row, far left.

_____________________________________________________________________________________   

My Grandfather was a man who took his life in the Army and the life around it very seriously. I believe he must have enjoyed the camaraderie and the sense of being and doing something very worthwhile. "Grampy Fred" kept many or perhaps even all of his military certificates and records. He saved many of his photographs from the war days. he also took many photographs during World War 1. These were always photos of his friends and companions and not the scenes of war.

The collection of certificates record the history of Grampy Fred's history in the army starting with his joining the militia in Halifax. Based upon his certificates, here is a chronicle of his military career:

1. A "Certificate of Military Instruction" at Infantry School in Halifax, Nova Scotia. This school was from February 28, 1916, to April 22, 1916. At the end of his training period, Alfred Frederick Hagell was given the rank of Lieutenant in the 81st Regiment. This document was stamped "Department of Militia & Defense, Adjunct Generals Branch, Ottawa, August, 21, 1916, M.O. 309". It also states that there is a copy of this document in the militia Headquarters in Ottawa, #44257. This certificate is about 12in by 12in in size.

2. One document is an appointment to be an Officer from George the 5th of England. He was given the rank of Lieutenant in the Militia, 81st Regiment, as of March 8, 1916. This document was dated July 1st 1917. the Certificate number is 23535. In the upper left hand corner, the word "Denonshire" is handwritten. This paper is about 12 in by 12 in size and is printed on a very heavy cloth-paper.

3. While overseas, my Grandfather joined the Canadian Machine Gun Corps. "True and Straight" was their motto. This was from November 20,1917 to September 4, 1918 and served with the 6th Company and Battalion. The document we have is his Honorable Discharge Papers signed  J.C. Weir, Cmdg 2nd Bn C.M.G.C. (see photo above)

4. Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Forces _ Discharge Certificate
This is to certify that No. 2162310 (rank) Private (Cadet) Alfred Frederick Hagell enlisted in "The Cyclist Platoon" Canadian Overseas Force, on the 7th of February, 1917, served in France, was returned to Canada and was discharged from service at Halifax, Nova Scotia, on the 18th day of March 1919, in consequence of demobilization.It reads:
    Age: 24 years, 6 months
    Height: 5ft 7in
    Eyes: brown
    Hair: brown
    Trade: bookkeeper
    Marks or visible: vaccination scar left arm
    Signed by: C.W. MacAloney, Captain, O.C. Discharge Section No. 6 District Depot
    Place: and Date:  Halifax, Nova Scotia, March 18, 1919
    War Badge Service, Class A #237380.
    Address: 297 Quinpool Rd. Halifax, Nova Scotia.

5. The Hagell Family of Truro also has a large 3ft by 10in photo of Alfred Frederick Hagell with a group of Officers entitled "R.S. of I. Attached Officers" dated April 1916. This photo was probably of Fred and his fellow Officers in their graduating class at Infantry School between February and April 1916 in Halifax.

6. There is also an 8in by 10in photograph of Fred with a group of Officers standing on a sandy bank wearing a black armband. This could have been taken at the time of his sister, Ellen Hagell's death in December, 1918 in Halifax. There are other photos of Grampy Fred wearing a black armband as well. 

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