Emmanuel Chandler DCM (1891 - 1976)

Born 1891 in Sunderland, County Durham, England

Ancestors

Husband of Jane (Fenwick) Chandler — married 1918 in Sunderland, Durham, England

Died 1976 at about age 85 in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom

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Biography

Emmanuel Chandler DCM was born in County Durham, England.

Emmanuel was born in 1891.^[1]

Resident: 39 Victor Street, Monkwearmouth

• Regiment: Prince of Wale’s Volunteers (South Lancashire), 8th Battalion
• Rank: Private
• Service number: 15269

• Regiment: Labour Corps
• Rank: Lance Corporal
• Service number: 204928

Lance Corporal Chandler was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for his actions during the Battle of the Somme on the 27th July 1916. Chandler volunteered to be part of a rescue party that went to the aid of comrades injured during the battle. Over the course of two hours and under heavy shell fire he rescued six wounded men and carried them to safety. During this time, Chandler himself was wounded.

Chandler, formerly an employee of J.L Thompson’s Shipbuilders, was presented with the DCM medal on the 18th November 1918 by the Mayor of Sunderland. This event took place at Thompson’s shipyard in front of former work colleagues.

The following is a transcript from the Sunderland Echo of 18 November 1918:

An interesting event took place during the dinner hour today at Messers. J.L. Thompson and son’s shipyard, North Sands. The Distinguished Conduct Medal being presented to Mr E Chandler, a rivet heater and formerly Lance Corporal in the South Lancashire Regiment. Ex Lance Corporal Chandler lives at 39 Victor Street, Monkwearmouth is Sunderland born and he works at Messers J.L. Thompsons yard since being 14 years of age until he joined the army in September 1914. During the Battle of Boselle (Battle of the Somme) on July 27 1916 he volunteered to bring in wounded hung up on barbed wire. In six separate journeys he brought in six wounded men who had been killed. The whole of the journeys were made under heavy shell, machine gun and rifle fire and occupied about two hours and during his efforts Lance Corporal Chandler was wounded.

The presentation was made by the Mayor (Alderman W. F Vint) who, as he pinned the medal on Chandlers chest said, of all the medals he handed over to gallant warriors, none had been more deserved or more worthily bestowed than Chandler’s honour. He had done something especially noble, and had won honour for himself, for his regiment and for his friends.

Mr James Marr on behalf of the firm presented ex Lance Corporal Chandler with a gold watch and chain. He mentioned that five of their employees had won distinctions, to each of whom the firm had made, or intended to make a similar presentation. These were Messers Smith, Chandler, Rowell, Naden and Hunter.

In response Mr Chandler thanked the Mayor and Mr Marr and added “When I did it I was only doing my duty as anyone else would have done it.”

The subscription on the watch is as flows: - presented to Lance Corporal Emanuel Chandler by his employers Messers J.L. Thompson and sons Ltd. As a mark of appreciation on winning the DCM November 1918 in the Great War.

Emmanuel passed away at the age of 85, in 1976.^[2]

Research Notes

• Emmanuel's birth record shows his year of birth registration as Jun 1891, but his death record shows his date of birth as April 1890. There are no other E Chandlers in this period, so assume there is a typo somewhere. Perry-12354 01:25, 30 December 2018 (UTC)

Sources

1. ↑ Births Index (CR) England & Wales. RD: Sunderland. 2nd Q., 1891. CHANDLER, Emmanuel. Vol. 10a. p. 780. http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=tP%2B3L%2F7reFQAj5V3PSo1eg&scan=1 : accessed 30 December 2018.
2. ↑ Deaths Index (CR) England & Wales. RD: Sunderland. 4th Q., 1976. CHANDLER, Emmanuel. Vol. 2. p. 1745. http://www.freebmd.org.uk/cgi/information.pl?cite=JCqSrOf%2FJ8rpVHFN3nq72A&scan=1 : accessed 30 December 2018.

• http://www.sunderlandfirstworldwar.com/emmanuel%20chandler.html