Company Sergeant Major Samuel Scott Halliday MM Royal Artillery
The Man Samuel Scott Halliday was born on Friday 4th October 1895 in Newcastle Upon Tyne, son of Andrew Dorkiss, a boot repairer and Jessie nee Scott. He was one of 10 children, Eliza born in 1885 Isabella 1890, Dorkiss 1891, Robert 1893, Mary Ann 1898, Richard 1902, William 1904 and two unknown siblings who died in infancy. The family moved to Scotland in about 1900 and in the 1901 census were living at 5 Hutton Drive, Govan, Lanarkshire, Richard and William being born in the country.
By 1911 they had returned to Newcastle, living at 6 Tunstall Street and Samuel, aged 15 following his education had become a Brass Moulder Apprentice. On 21st April 1913 aged 17 he enlisted into the Royal Artillery Territorial Force as a Driver with service number 978, this being an original Territorial Force number for his unit, it is probable they began numbering from 1, on 1st April 1908. After the beginning of World War I on 4th August 1914 he was embodied serving in the United Kingdom until posted to the Western Front, arriving in France on 17th April 1915. During 1917 his service number changed to 750157 under the renumbering scheme.
Samuel endured the deprivation and hardships of front-line service in B Battery, 250th Brigade (Territorial) RA and was wounded three times, the reports being made on 14th and 31st December 1917 and 13th May 1918 giving an entitlement to wear wound stripes. He was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery which appeared in the London Gazette on 4th February 1918, but discharged on 21st October due to wounds, under King’s Regulations Para 392 (xvi) (no longer physically fit for active service), having served 5 years 184 days. He was awarded a Silver War Badge number B28838, 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals for his service during the war.
After the War Samuel returned to the family address at 6 Tunstall Street and on 2nd September 1920 married Florence Beatrice Griffin in Newcastle, they had a son Cyril Scott born on 21st February 1921.
Samuel re-enlisted in the Territorial Army RA on 26th July 1921 with service number 741940, from a new block of numbers issued under the 1920 renumbering scheme. His occupation was now given as ‘Driller’. On 2nd December 1923 he qualified for his Territorial Efficiency Medal, which was made up of 9 years 263 days from his first period of service (21 Apr 13 - 21 Oct 18) with war time service counting double and 2 years 102 days from the beginning of his second period of service (26 Jul 21 – 4 May 39). The award appeared in Army Order 66 of 1926.
By 1927 Samuel and Florence were living at 160 Grace Street Byker and in December 1935 he qualified for the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’ for a further 12 years taken from his remaining second period of service. This appeared in Army Order 154 of 1936 - 29th January. In 1937, aged 42 he was awarded the Coronation Medal 1937, possibly for his long service in the Territorials, by which time he had risen to the rank of Warrant Officer Class II (Company Sergeant Major).
Samuel was discharged from the Territorial Army on 4th May 1939 under Para 204(3) TA Regulation and the 1939 register shows him, Florence and Cyril living at 3 Vallum Road and Samuel as a Greengrocer’s Manager. His Mother, Jessie and siblings William and Isabella living a few doors away at number 17.
It is possible aged 44, that Samuel was embodied or recalled for service following the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939, possibly as part of the British Expeditionary Force sent to France in 1940 and evacuated from Dunkirk as he was subsequently awarded the 1939-45 Star, Defence and War Medal 1939-45. If he were recalled, it is also likely he would not have qualified for any additional clasps to his EM as he’d not been ‘serving’ in the TA at the outbreak of war.
In later life Samuel continued in the Fruiterers trade and lived with Florence at 22 Ennerdale Road, Walkergate, Newcastle. Samuel died on 9th October 1959 aged 64 at the General Hospital, Newcastle, leaving £5070.11s. 9d (£150,553.00 in 2021). In his will he specifically requested that his son Cyril take over his Fruiterers business that he ran with his sister Isabella
Florence lived a further 15 years and died on 27th May 1974 and Cyril on 24th July 2007 aged 86.
By 1911 they had returned to Newcastle, living at 6 Tunstall Street and Samuel, aged 15 following his education had become a Brass Moulder Apprentice. On 21st April 1913 aged 17 he enlisted into the Royal Artillery Territorial Force as a Driver with service number 978, this being an original Territorial Force number for his unit, it is probable they began numbering from 1, on 1st April 1908. After the beginning of World War I on 4th August 1914 he was embodied serving in the United Kingdom until posted to the Western Front, arriving in France on 17th April 1915. During 1917 his service number changed to 750157 under the renumbering scheme.
Samuel endured the deprivation and hardships of front-line service in B Battery, 250th Brigade (Territorial) RA and was wounded three times, the reports being made on 14th and 31st December 1917 and 13th May 1918 giving an entitlement to wear wound stripes. He was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery which appeared in the London Gazette on 4th February 1918, but discharged on 21st October due to wounds, under King’s Regulations Para 392 (xvi) (no longer physically fit for active service), having served 5 years 184 days. He was awarded a Silver War Badge number B28838, 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British War and Victory Medals for his service during the war.
After the War Samuel returned to the family address at 6 Tunstall Street and on 2nd September 1920 married Florence Beatrice Griffin in Newcastle, they had a son Cyril Scott born on 21st February 1921.
Samuel re-enlisted in the Territorial Army RA on 26th July 1921 with service number 741940, from a new block of numbers issued under the 1920 renumbering scheme. His occupation was now given as ‘Driller’. On 2nd December 1923 he qualified for his Territorial Efficiency Medal, which was made up of 9 years 263 days from his first period of service (21 Apr 13 - 21 Oct 18) with war time service counting double and 2 years 102 days from the beginning of his second period of service (26 Jul 21 – 4 May 39). The award appeared in Army Order 66 of 1926.
By 1927 Samuel and Florence were living at 160 Grace Street Byker and in December 1935 he qualified for the Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’ for a further 12 years taken from his remaining second period of service. This appeared in Army Order 154 of 1936 - 29th January. In 1937, aged 42 he was awarded the Coronation Medal 1937, possibly for his long service in the Territorials, by which time he had risen to the rank of Warrant Officer Class II (Company Sergeant Major).
Samuel was discharged from the Territorial Army on 4th May 1939 under Para 204(3) TA Regulation and the 1939 register shows him, Florence and Cyril living at 3 Vallum Road and Samuel as a Greengrocer’s Manager. His Mother, Jessie and siblings William and Isabella living a few doors away at number 17.
It is possible aged 44, that Samuel was embodied or recalled for service following the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939, possibly as part of the British Expeditionary Force sent to France in 1940 and evacuated from Dunkirk as he was subsequently awarded the 1939-45 Star, Defence and War Medal 1939-45. If he were recalled, it is also likely he would not have qualified for any additional clasps to his EM as he’d not been ‘serving’ in the TA at the outbreak of war.
In later life Samuel continued in the Fruiterers trade and lived with Florence at 22 Ennerdale Road, Walkergate, Newcastle. Samuel died on 9th October 1959 aged 64 at the General Hospital, Newcastle, leaving £5070.11s. 9d (£150,553.00 in 2021). In his will he specifically requested that his son Cyril take over his Fruiterers business that he ran with his sister Isabella
Florence lived a further 15 years and died on 27th May 1974 and Cyril on 24th July 2007 aged 86.
The Story The medals awarded to Samuel Scott Halliday, were acquired from Andy McNicol on 6 Jun 21 at Malvern Militaria Fair. They were of interest because of the Military Medal, Territorial Efficiency and Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’ combination. They are also a testimony to the benefits of subscribing to Forces War Records (FWR).
They were a pondered upon, walked away from, returned to and walked away from again sort of group. However, the temptation was simply too much and details were eventually taken about the medals and are an example of when FWR comes into its own. FWR enabled checks to be made online at the time, confirming the MM, TEM, EM and Coronation 1937 Medal. With this confirmation the group was purchased.
The medals came with no research and apart from FWR, initially proved difficult. The only indication of where Samuel came from being in the London Gazette entry for his MM, which was Newcastle Upon Tyne. However, Ancestry returned several possibilities.
The Medal Index Card and rolls were found, the former confirming his three service numbers – 978, 750157 and 741940, the award of the 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British War, Victory, Territorial Efficiency Medals and a Silver War Badge. Ancestry also linked across to a Fold3 record, which was initially provided by a BMS colleague, revealing a little further information including an address in Byker, Newcastle, 6 Tunstall Street.
The address enabled the 1911 and by default the 1901 census, the latter in Scotland, to be found, but again things became difficult thereafter with no birth, marriage or death details being available. A further scour of Ancestry found a second Fold3 entry, but unsure if it was the same or not, the subscription was paid and this entry downloaded. It initially added even more uncertainty as it confirmed the service number and cross referenced to the initial record but gave a different address of 160 Grace Street in Byker.
Next came a trawl of the numerous electoral records on Ancestry for Samuel Halliday in Newcastle Upon Tyne. One name that kept linking itself to any search was Samuel Scott Halliday, Scott being his mother’s maiden name and so likely, but none of the service records so far gave any indication of a middle name.
There was some success as the earlier registers confirmed the address at 6 Tunstall Street and showed Samuel living there. Then, the 1927 register gave the name of Samuel Halliday and his wife Florence living at 60 Grace Street. This pairing linked in with a previously disregarded 1939 census entry showing a Samuel and Florence living at 3 Vallum Road in Newcastle - there was still however, no definitive link. Further searches of the electoral registers revealed a Samuel S (Scott?) and Florence B Halliday living at 22 Ennerdale Road, the coincidence seemed just too much.
A re-visit to the electoral registers was made, this time going through each one individually regardless of the fact some years appeared to have been duplicated. Within five minutes a 1919 Electoral Register of absent voters made all the links, pulling everything together! It showed a Samuel Scott Halliday registered at 6 Tunstall Street, as a Bombadier in the RFA and service number 750157.
It was now possible to locate the birth, marriage and death records, also to confirm the latter addresses at 160 Grace Street, 3 Vallum Road and 22 Ennerdale Road with everything cross referring and tying in. The wills of Samuel and Florence were also located and acquired.
It took about nine hours to complete the research and prove a link, despite his mother’s surname, but shows the benefits of belonging to as many genealogy web sites as possible, for in this case without Ancestry, Fold3 and FWR the confirmatory links would not have been made, perhaps why no research came with the group? Birmingham Medal Society Librarian John Scott was also invaluable in providing additional detail from Find My Past and copies of the actual Army Orders for the Efficiency Medals.
It is still unclear however, if Samuel saw service in World War II. The MoDMO confirmed he left service 4th May 1939 and do not mention WWII medals. Thus, it is unlikely, but possibly as a ‘seasoned’ WWI and Territorial Soldier he was recalled seeing service in the BEF in France, continuing through WWII. Had he been recalled after 3rd September he would have been ineligible for further clasps to the Efficiency Medal.
However, as the WWII medals came with the group they are mounted as such.
They were a pondered upon, walked away from, returned to and walked away from again sort of group. However, the temptation was simply too much and details were eventually taken about the medals and are an example of when FWR comes into its own. FWR enabled checks to be made online at the time, confirming the MM, TEM, EM and Coronation 1937 Medal. With this confirmation the group was purchased.
The medals came with no research and apart from FWR, initially proved difficult. The only indication of where Samuel came from being in the London Gazette entry for his MM, which was Newcastle Upon Tyne. However, Ancestry returned several possibilities.
The Medal Index Card and rolls were found, the former confirming his three service numbers – 978, 750157 and 741940, the award of the 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British War, Victory, Territorial Efficiency Medals and a Silver War Badge. Ancestry also linked across to a Fold3 record, which was initially provided by a BMS colleague, revealing a little further information including an address in Byker, Newcastle, 6 Tunstall Street.
The address enabled the 1911 and by default the 1901 census, the latter in Scotland, to be found, but again things became difficult thereafter with no birth, marriage or death details being available. A further scour of Ancestry found a second Fold3 entry, but unsure if it was the same or not, the subscription was paid and this entry downloaded. It initially added even more uncertainty as it confirmed the service number and cross referenced to the initial record but gave a different address of 160 Grace Street in Byker.
Next came a trawl of the numerous electoral records on Ancestry for Samuel Halliday in Newcastle Upon Tyne. One name that kept linking itself to any search was Samuel Scott Halliday, Scott being his mother’s maiden name and so likely, but none of the service records so far gave any indication of a middle name.
There was some success as the earlier registers confirmed the address at 6 Tunstall Street and showed Samuel living there. Then, the 1927 register gave the name of Samuel Halliday and his wife Florence living at 60 Grace Street. This pairing linked in with a previously disregarded 1939 census entry showing a Samuel and Florence living at 3 Vallum Road in Newcastle - there was still however, no definitive link. Further searches of the electoral registers revealed a Samuel S (Scott?) and Florence B Halliday living at 22 Ennerdale Road, the coincidence seemed just too much.
A re-visit to the electoral registers was made, this time going through each one individually regardless of the fact some years appeared to have been duplicated. Within five minutes a 1919 Electoral Register of absent voters made all the links, pulling everything together! It showed a Samuel Scott Halliday registered at 6 Tunstall Street, as a Bombadier in the RFA and service number 750157.
It was now possible to locate the birth, marriage and death records, also to confirm the latter addresses at 160 Grace Street, 3 Vallum Road and 22 Ennerdale Road with everything cross referring and tying in. The wills of Samuel and Florence were also located and acquired.
It took about nine hours to complete the research and prove a link, despite his mother’s surname, but shows the benefits of belonging to as many genealogy web sites as possible, for in this case without Ancestry, Fold3 and FWR the confirmatory links would not have been made, perhaps why no research came with the group? Birmingham Medal Society Librarian John Scott was also invaluable in providing additional detail from Find My Past and copies of the actual Army Orders for the Efficiency Medals.
It is still unclear however, if Samuel saw service in World War II. The MoDMO confirmed he left service 4th May 1939 and do not mention WWII medals. Thus, it is unlikely, but possibly as a ‘seasoned’ WWI and Territorial Soldier he was recalled seeing service in the BEF in France, continuing through WWII. Had he been recalled after 3rd September he would have been ineligible for further clasps to the Efficiency Medal.
However, as the WWII medals came with the group they are mounted as such.
Samuel Scott Halliday's Medal Index Card showing awards of Silver War Badge, 1914-15 Star, 1914-18 British War, Victory and Territorial Efficiency Medals and his three service numbers
Medal Details:
- Military Medal: 750157 BMBR: S.HALLIDAY. B.250/BDE: R.F.A.-T.F.
- 1914-15 Star: 978 DVR.S.HALLIDAY. R.F.A.
- 1914-18 British War Medal: 978 BMBR. S.HALLIDAY. R.A.
- Victory Medal: 978 BMBR. S.HALLIDAY. R.A.
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded
- Defence Medal : Unnamed as awarded
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Coronation Medal 1937: Unnamed as awarded
- Territorial Efficiency Medal: 741940 SJT.S.HALLIDAY. R.A.
- Efficiency Medal 'Territorial': 741940 W.O.CL.II. S.HALLIDAY. R.A.
This page last updated 16 Jun 22
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