Bullying for Knock
Major Samuel Lamont Monro BSc ERD Royal Army Ordnance Corps
The Man Samuel Lamont Monro was born in County Down, Northern Ireland on 13th October 1905, son of Samuel senior, a Type Printer Master and Sara Irvine. He later attended Queen’s University in Belfast, gaining a BSc in Engineering.
During the 1930s Samuel enlisted into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps Supplementary Reserve of Officers with service number 96407 and described as 5’.11” tall, blue eyes and fair hair. Following the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939 he was called up and embodied initially seeing service in France. On 1st October 1942, he transferred from the RAOC into the Indian Army Corps of Electrical Mechanical Engineers as Lieutenant, and on 13th August 1943 transferred into the Regular Army Reserve of Officers, later seeing service in the Burma Campaign. He was promoted to War Substantive Captain and at the end of the War awarded the 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45. On 1st November 1947 he was promoted to substantive Captain and on 14th December 1948 to Major. Samuel was awarded the Army Emergency Reserve Decoration in November 1953 having meanwhile transferred into the Territorial Army. He received the first clasp in 1955.
On 13th December 1956, aged 51 he was transferred from the active list into the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers, and on 12th November 1960, aged 56 ceased to belong to the TARO having exceeded the age limit, retaining the rank of Major. Samuel was married to Nancy and had one daughter. He lived at Ardlui, 9 Chichester Park, North Belfast and was a leading figure in Ulster Hockey Circles, playing for the Knock Club. His occupation was a lecturer teaching at Belfast College of Technology and the Ashby Institute. Samuel died on 2nd November 1979 aged 74 after a short illness and was survived by his wife and daughter.
During the 1930s Samuel enlisted into the Royal Army Ordnance Corps Supplementary Reserve of Officers with service number 96407 and described as 5’.11” tall, blue eyes and fair hair. Following the outbreak of World War II on 3rd September 1939 he was called up and embodied initially seeing service in France. On 1st October 1942, he transferred from the RAOC into the Indian Army Corps of Electrical Mechanical Engineers as Lieutenant, and on 13th August 1943 transferred into the Regular Army Reserve of Officers, later seeing service in the Burma Campaign. He was promoted to War Substantive Captain and at the end of the War awarded the 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal and War Medal 1939-45. On 1st November 1947 he was promoted to substantive Captain and on 14th December 1948 to Major. Samuel was awarded the Army Emergency Reserve Decoration in November 1953 having meanwhile transferred into the Territorial Army. He received the first clasp in 1955.
On 13th December 1956, aged 51 he was transferred from the active list into the Territorial Army Reserve of Officers, and on 12th November 1960, aged 56 ceased to belong to the TARO having exceeded the age limit, retaining the rank of Major. Samuel was married to Nancy and had one daughter. He lived at Ardlui, 9 Chichester Park, North Belfast and was a leading figure in Ulster Hockey Circles, playing for the Knock Club. His occupation was a lecturer teaching at Belfast College of Technology and the Ashby Institute. Samuel died on 2nd November 1979 aged 74 after a short illness and was survived by his wife and daughter.
The Story The medals awarded to Samuel Lamont Monro were acquired from E-Bay on 22nd August 2016, and of interest because of the Emergency Reserve Decoration, paperwork and photographs with the group. From the papers, London Gazette and a few details on Ancestry.UK it was possible to build up a brief biography of Samuel. Interestingly his Emergency Reserve Decoration is dated 1954, whereas it appeared in the London Gazette of November 1953 and should therefore have been dated thus. However, as was often the case with these awards, it is possible he was given the wrong Decoration when presented with it. The clasp is correctly dated 1955. The medals came ‘as worn’ and with confirmation of the award of the ERD and are therefore as attributable as they can be.
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Burma Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Emergency Reserve Decoration: 1954. Clasp: 1955
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Page last updated 13 Sep 16