Great War Western Front 1918 Army Meritorious Service Medal and Battle of Amiens Casualty group awarded to Private F.J. Long, 11th Service Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, sometime 22nd Service Battalion - the 3rd Tyneside Scottish, Northumberland Fusiliers, and ultimately 2nd/4th Hallamshire Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, who was awarded a Certificate of Gallant Conduct from the 36th Infantry Brigade, and a Certificate of Gallant Conduct from the 12th Division together with the Army Meritorious Service Medal whilst serving with the 11th Middlesex, and who was then mortally wounded in action and died of his wounds during the Battle of Amiens on 27th August 1918 whilst serving with the 2nd/4th Hallamshires.
Group of 4: 1914-1915 Star; (13377 PTE. F.J. LONG. MIDD’X R.); British War Medal and Victory Medal; (13377 PTE. F.J. LONG. MIDD’X R.); Army Meritorious Service Medal, GVR Fm. bust; (13377 PTE. F.J. LONG. 11/MIDD’X: R.), mounted court style for display.
Condition: Good Very Fine.
Frederick John Long was born and lived in South Mimms, Middlesex now Hertfordshire, and having worked as a farm labourer, with the outbreak of the Great War he then enlisted into the British Army at Mill Hill on 3rd July 1915, joining as a Private (No.G-13377) the Middlesex Regiment. Long then saw service with the 11th Service Battalion out on the Western Front from 8th December 1915, joining his battalion as part of a draft, and serving with it as part of the 36th Brigade in the 12th (Eastern) Division.
Long was with this battalion out there right through to its disbandment on 7th February 1918, being appointed to unpaid Lance Corporal on 18th December 1917. Long was awarded the Army Meritorious Service Medal in the London Gazette for 17th June 1918. Long was additionally awarded a Certificate of Gallant Conduct from the 36th Infantry Brigade, and a Certificate of Gallant Conduct from the 12th Division, all earned for the same incident which led to his award of the Army Meritorious Service Medal. These two cards are confirmed in his list of effects sent to his next-of-kin after his death.
With the disbandment of his battalion, Long had transferred initially to the 2nd Entrenching Battalion in February 1918, and then transferred as a Private (No.64295) to the Northumberland Fusiliers, for service with the 22nd Service Battalion - the 3rd Tyneside Scottish on 29th March 1918. Long joined the 22nd Battalion in the field on 31st March 1918, and then served as part of the 102nd Brigade in the 34th Division. The 22nd Battalion was reduced to cadre strength on 17th May 1918 and Long was posted to the Etaples Depot to await his next posting. Whilst with the depot he relinquished his rank of Lance Corporal.
After a period of leave, Long then returned to the font on 1st July 1918 and then found himself posted as a Private (No.57611) to the 2nd/4th Hallamshire Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment, Territorial Force, joining the battalion on 5th August 1918, and being shortly afterwards thrown into the Battalion of Amiens. Long was mortally wounded in action and died of wounds whilst being treated at the 19th Casualty Clearing Station on 27th August 1918, having suffered a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Long is buried in St. Hilaire Cemetery Extension, Frevent.
Aged 21 at the time of his death, he was the son of John and Jane Long of 2 Cecil Cottages, South Mimms, Barnet, Hertfordshire. His effects, including his identity disc, a letter, photo, cigarette case, cap badge, notebook, match box holder, purse, 2 titles, and both his Certificates of Gallant Conduct were sent to his next-of-kin in February 1919.
