An idiots guide to an idiot: A Military Medal on the Somme, 23rd October 1916.

On the 23rd October 1916 my Grandad's battalion (2nd Bn The Middlesex Regiment) was in the vanguard on an attack at 'Zenith Trench' near Les Boeufs during the battle of the Somme which had been raging since the 1st July.It was here where I believe he won his Military Medal for bravery entitling him to use the letters 'MM' after his name. Not that he ever did. In fact because of the depression of the 1920's he had to pawn all his medals, four in total, he was never to see them again, but that story for another blog I think.
The 2/Middlesex had endured a terrible mauling on the first day of the Somme and didn't move too far from that sector, in late October they marched up through Trones Wood and on the 22nd were in 'Spectrum Trench' waiting for the off. From the 21st the Germans had endured a heavy artillery barrage and at 2.30pm on the 23rd the 2/Middlesex and 2/Scottish Rifles of the 23rd Brigade followed behind a creeping artillery barrage onto Zenith trench. There was fierce hand to hand fighting but the trench was taken , by 3.45pm both battalions were through Zenith and 400 yards beyond. The brigade to the left of the 2/Middlesex (the 25th brigade) failed to get as far as the 23rd exposing the Middlesex flank so defences had to be thrown up at the junction of Gusty and Spectrum trenches as well. Here for the next four days they suffered heavy German artillery bombardment and counter attacks. My Grandad told me, in a brief conversation about his MM that they were in German trenches and using the Germans own bombs against them. They were to retire on the night of the 27th.
The diary describes it thus:
'Oct 23rd. The attack was initially successful accept that the left flank of the Battn was left exposed (owing to failure in the next Brigade) and a new line was established about 200 yards beyond the old hostile front line. The Brigadier complimented the Battn on its success. Casualties- Officers killed 2/Lieut FO Kemp, 2/Lieut LW Smith,2/Lieut G Hall. Officers wounded 2/Lieut HC Hunt MC, 2/Lieut KLN McCulluch,2/Lieut AL St John-Jones. Other Ranks killed 62,wounded 117,missing 47.Total 226.
Oct 24th to 27th. The positon gained was strengthened and consolidated. Further casualties Capt TC Kidner, RAMC killed, 2/Lieut H Hess, 2/Lieut E Evans wounded. On the night of 27th the Battn was withdrawn to camp near Montauban arriving in the early hours of the 28th.'

The Battalion reached the camp exhausted after such an ordeal they spent the day cleaning up and at noon on 29th marched to Mansell Camp then Meaulte on the 30th.
It is very difficult to ascertain how many bravery medals were awarded for this action but on the 3rd December after church parade the battalion was drawn up for the 8th Division commander Major General Sir Havelock Hudson KCB,CIE to present gallantry medal ribbons, amongst them my Grandad. The General presented another 6 MM ribbons, 1 Military Cross and 1 Distinguished Conduct Medal on this parade. The actual medals followed later.
Grandad's award was published in the London Gazette of 6th Jan 1917. All honours and bravery awards have been published in this way right up to today.
There is a very good book by Howard Williamson I have consulted in trying to pin down when my Grandad got his MM, there's three volumes all quite weighty tomes, about all medals and awards from the First World War. He is an undoubted expert in this field & has worked out that MM's that appeared in the London Gazette on 6/1/17 were for actions around October 1916 in this area, so the evidence all points to this being where and when Grandad won his MM.
As a slight aside, when he went on leave & told his family, his younger brother scoffed, saying he'll have an MM in six months, about six months later S15174 Private Arthur Edward Gowers 3rd Bn The Rifle Brigade was awarded an MM!!
Regarding the war diary and it's language, it is a great irritation to me even 100 years on that those who gave the so called 'ultimate sacrifice' are still divided by class, the officers being named Other Ranks not. Whys should a captains name be any more worthy than a corporal?