Lt Noel Lucas Shadwell DSC

[Alan Baker]

Still ploughing through AK's material!

This cover is quite intriguing. It appears to bear CM2/1, although this number does not exist. I cannot see any trace of further digits.

However, the envelope contains a letter from Noel Lucas Shadwell dated Feb 9, 1915, in which he gives his address as 33rd Bde RFA, 8 Division. Daniel lists this unit under CM2/1483, so perhaps the missing digits are "483". The 8th Division was on the Western Front in 1915.

In addition, a check on FWR gives this officer as being with the RNVR in 1917. He was awarded the DSC for services with the RN Armoured Car Squadron in Galicia.

I assume he transferred from the army to the RNVR, but cannot immediately see when this was. Any information on him would be appreciated

[Frank Schofield]

Alan

Strange one this

No record of this RNVR officer in any of my 1916 to 1918 Navy Lists
The only officer named Shadwell to be awarded the DSC in WW1 was a W.G.A. Shadwell of the Royal Marines
Interesting to know where the FWR got their info

Frank Schofield

[Tony Walker]

Alan

The name Shadwell is familiar, but I've checked through my Armoured Car material without success

He might well have transferred to the RNAS and the Armoured Cars in 1917, as Locker Lampson had a recruiting drive then, and a contingent went out that year.

Incidentally what is the status of the cover?  Have you acquired it, or is it on the market?  I ask for obvious reasons !!

Cheers
Tony

[Frank Schofield]

Alan

No wonder the name is familiar to Tony, he is mentioned several times in the book THE CZARS BRITISH SQUADRON by Perrett & Lord published in 1981 under his second name of Lucas Shadwell
incl being slightly wounded on page 78

Frank

[Alan Baker]

Here is the extract from FWR:

Gazette issue 30687. Distinguished Service Cross. The King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award to receive the Distinguished Service Cross in recognition of his services with the Naval Armoured Car Squadron during the Russian retreat from Galicia in July and August, 1917. When the Galician campaign of 1917 opened, he led a car many times into action on the first and subsequent days. During the first day of the retreat he took his car far beyond the Russian lines against the enemy. His car was destroyed by a shell, and he was wounded for the second time, but crawled back to the Russian trenches, where he rallied two companies of Russians, until too exhausted to go on. His courage, industry, and attention to detail deserve great praise.

The gazette date was 14th May 1918

On Ancestry, I have found a medal card which gives his full name as Wm Noel Lucas-Shadwell (note the hyphen). It also notes his role with the RFA as "Interpreter" and this is repeated against the entry for his later appointment as Lt with RNVR - British Naval Armoured Car Division. I have also found there his name in the Navy List for August 1917 as a Temporary Lieutenant with RNAS with seniority dated 3rd April 1916

Further investigation reveals this to be quite an interesting family. His father was MP for Hastings from 1895 - 1900 and Private Chamberlain to Pope Pius X from 1905. He died in 1915 and his estate in Sussex passed to his son, William Noel. Noel was born in 1882 and died in 1941. He married in 1905 and they had four daughters. At some point, it appears they lived in France and his wife may have been French. His name appears in the International Directory of Anthropologists in 1938

[Frank Schofield]

Alan

No wonder I could not find him

I can confirm his proper name is William Noel Lucas-Shadwell
He is listed in the D.S.C. book under that name
But still not listed in the Navy List indexes for some unknown reason

Frank

[Frank Schofield]

Alan

I started my first post on this officer with the words "Strange one this"
and now I have found two entries for him in the Medal Roll

1. He arrived in France on 10th Nov 1914 and qualified for the 1914 Star and shown as a 2/Lt Interpreter in the Intelligence Corps

2. He is listed under General/Special List, with the British War Medal and Victory Medal with the rank of Captain (Army??)

Frank