Page 120 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2019
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 Sergeant James Synott 5L – Medals Returned to Family
Some years ago, I purchased a small group of medals belonging to a Sergeant of the 5L who had later served with the 16/5L. As a Cpl, James Synott had travelled out to Belgium as a replace-
ment following the battle at Jussy, where the 5L suffered a high number of casualties. Fortunately, he was awarded the War and Victory medals, otherwise his only entitlement would have been a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. At the time of pur- chase, I was writing books on the 5L and their participation in the First World War, and as part of my writing I researched the group. Part of my research took me on to Ancestry.com, where I was delighted to find that his family had also been researching him. So, in 2016, I left the message to say that I had his medals. Some two years later I received a reply.
In 2018, Mr Richard Peacock, the husband of Mrs Moira Pea- cock, contacted me and explained who they were, and that his wife was the Granddaughter of James Synott and could he buy the medals off me for her birthday? We agreed a price, which was what I had paid for them! I then advised him, that they should visit our Regimental Museum at Thorsby Hall. One day, I re- ceived telephone call from the Regimental Curator saying that there was a lady, by the name of Moira, who wished to speak to me. I am pleased to say that both Moira and her husband Rich-
ard, had received a most warm welcome from the Museum Cura- tor and his assistant Robert Osborn.
On New Year’s Day 2018, myself and my wife were due to visit Mick and Sue Holtby and I contacted Richard and told him we would be in the area and could we come and visit them for a pho- tograph of myself handing over the medals to his wife. The med- als consisting of a pair of War and Victory Medals to a 5L and a Long Service and Good Conduct to a sergeant of the 16/5L.
Having agreed to meet the Peacocks, my wife Monica and I, along with the Holtbys, set off from Lincoln and headed north over the Humber Bridge. We arrived to a most warm welcome and, as we sat together for lunch, the story of how Moira had been given the medals came to light. As a lovely surprise for Moira, her husband Richard and woken her on her Birth- day with the medals in hand and explained to her how he had tracked them down. Moira was obviously over the moon with such a birthday gift and delighted to have the medals back with the family. James Synott had been married three times and so when he died the medals had been lost to the immediate family. Now they were back once more.
DM
 Capt (Retd) Mick Holtby, Mrs Moira Peacock and Mr Don McLean – medals reunited with the family
                                REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
 would be produced for wear on No. 1 Dress, but this does not appear to have come to fruition, and there is currently only a ‘black’ backed badge in use. On a general note I would men- tion, that to the best of my knowledge no Armoured Car Badges were provided at public expense prior to 2015, They were pur- chased via the PRI. Also, the 12L and 9/12L badges shown in Fig 4 are not of a ‘Sealed Pattern’, as a number of manufacturing variants can be found for both metal and embroidered badges, in particular the latter, as they were often Regimentally purchased in relatively small batches when required, from local manufac- turers. I hope readers of this overview have found it of interest, and if anyone has any further information on the subject, and in particular the wear of the early badge 1928 to c.1939, it would be gratefully received.
RP
References:
The History of the XII Lancers – Stewart
The XII Royal Lancers in Egypt 1928 (Photographic Album) – P.G. Evrard
The Dress Distinctions of the XII Royal Lancers – B.W. Cox
Trade and Proficiency Badges of the British Army – Edwards & Langley
Cavalry Arm Badges – P. Seaman
WO & NCO Arm Badges of the British Cavalry – Linaker & Dine Crown Imperial No.73 Winter 1993 – Armoured Car Badges by A.J. MacDonald
Various Regimental Journals of the 12th Lancers, 9th/12th Lancers & Royal Lancers.
Acknowledgements: Lt. Col. Robin Hodges late The King’s Regiment.













































































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