Medal, Capt Alexander John Mayo, shot down 9 Aug 1918
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My great uncle, Jack Mayo, started his training as a RFC pilot in Dec 1915. Over the next few years, he undertook a variety of jobs including photo shoots, art obs, bombing, delivery, ferrying, contact patrol, training other pilots, training instructors, and testing planes.
He was shot down with his gunner, Lt JW Jones, in the afternoon of 9 Aug 1918 after a raid on Brie Bridge over the Somme, and is listed as Lothar von Richthofen‘s Victory no 37. He was flying DH9 F6066 with 107 Sqn. His body was returned by the Germans in 1920, and until then was deemed “missing”. I don‘t think (but don‘t know if) his gunner was ever found.
Jack‘s record is stamped “service considered for the grant of war medals”, but I have been unable to find out anything further. Andy Kemp kindly looked on “http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/help-with-your-research/research-guides/british-army-medal-index-cards-1914-1920/” and couldn‘t see anything either, but thought he should have been awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal. I don‘t know if these were ever claimed by his mother who survived him.
Does anyone have any suggestions or information?The RAF museum Story Vault includes the next-of-kin and Casualty Record Cards for both AJ Mayo & JW Jones –
http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/
The latter is on the Arras Memorial, so I assume that the body/ grave was not identified after the war.
Ancestry has quite a lot, including RAeC Ticket & photo, probate record (he left £687), Army record of effects, listing as civil engineer, etc; but no Medal Index Card or Medal Roll entry.
I think, as an officer, his next-of-kin had to apply for his medals.
You used to be able contact the MOD Records Office at Droitwich (and claim previously unclaimed medals, or pay for replacements), but I see their website – https://www.gov.uk/apply-medal-or-veterans-badge – states that they no longer issue WW1 medals, presumably because the last veteran has died and all records have been handed to the TNA (PRO).
Still, I would try them first, explaining that the TNA cannot find any record, and see what they suggest.
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