Hodie Non Cras Posted 26 June , 2008 Share Posted 26 June , 2008 I have a British WWI War Medal in my possession that I obtained from my neighbor. He got it from a vet who passed away in 1985 but it didn't belong to the vet and my neighbor doesn't know much about it. I'm not sure how it would have got to Canada. When I examined the medal the naming inscription was partially filed off. I've since been able to identify whom it belonged to and now I'm hoping that someone can help me find a current family member and perhaps give me some background info on the soldier. I'd truly like to return it to the proper family. Here's who he is: Medal card of Callaghan, John Corps Regiment No Rank Royal Berkshire Regiment 649 Private Royal Air Force 35808 Private Any help would be gratefully appreciated. Thanks. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmm45 Posted 26 June , 2008 Share Posted 26 June , 2008 Heres his MIC but you may need someone to find his RAF record for Next of Kin. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodie Non Cras Posted 27 June , 2008 Author Share Posted 27 June , 2008 Heres his MIC but you may need someone to find his RAF record for Next of Kin. Good luck Thanks its a start. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted 28 June , 2008 Share Posted 28 June , 2008 Hallo Fellow Members, just a quick question if I may, I have noticed a few times on the site people looking to return medal's to families, in itself a noble venture and one which I applaud but, how do you determine that the relatives / family of the man who received them, did not sell them off some time in the past for cash? Or that the original recipient did not sell them off in his life time. I have 2 British Victory Medals, (1 South African Victory Medal) and some B.W.M. in my collection, which I cherish. and intend to add any information with regards the receipiant, but I cant see myself expending time and money looking for any family out there, needless to say if I was contacted by a family member looking for them, or saw an advertisement / appeal, then I would return them. But what makes me hesitant is the thought that the soldiers family binned them years back. Any thoughts or comments welcome (but please no preaching ) Connaught Stranger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Cubin Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 You have a point there, Conn. But there were times which were so hard that men would pawn or sell their medals to put bread in their families' mouths. All the best, John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 or even to buy a drink. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greyhound Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 But what makes me hesitant is the thought that the soldiers family binned them years back. Any thoughts or comments welcome I would love to have my grandfather's medals. It's not my fault if my grandmother binned them when he died, long before I was born. (Actually I think it's most likely that she buried them with him, but no one knows for sure.) If medals were disposed of, for whatever reason, please don't transfer any "blame" to the descendants. We are different people, and had no say in the matter! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 I would love to have my grandfather's medals. It's not my fault if my grandmother binned them when he died, long before I was born. (Actually I think it's most likely that she buried them with him, but no one knows for sure.) If medals were disposed of, for whatever reason, please don't transfer any "blame" to the descendants. We are different people, and had no say in the matter! Hallo Greyhound, I am not about to place blame anywhere, with regards what happened the medals awarded by the man or his relatives, but in my eyes, the worse case scenario is as follows, you locate a medal or medals at a car-boot sale market whatever, you spend your time and money tracing the relatives of the soldier concerned with the hopes of returning the medals and then you find out the relatives were the ones who disposed of the medals in the first place for money. Even today many British medals are listed on Ebay as belonging to the sellers family, why they want to sell off tangible evidence of the family history is beyond me, but it is being done, and with frightening frequency. Connaught Stranger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fusilier11 Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Hi Just a further thought, even if you do find family now living how do you determine which one of probably numerous "claimants" should receive them? personally I have been in this position and tried to contact the family but for whatever reason received no response. Fusilier11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greyhound Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Fair enough, CS, but you did say "what makes me hesitant is the thought that the soldiers family binned them years back", which is what I was addressing with my comment. Fusilier11, yep, every case is likely to be different, but probably in many instances there wouldn't be any conflict. My cousins and I would all love just to have the medals in the family, we wouldn't be fighting over them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 We had a number of medals belonging to various members of the family which included some South African War medals. All were stolen with many other things in a burglary at my parents some years ago and have doubtless resurfaced somewhere in a car boot sale. There was a similar discussion on the forum about a year ago - don't assume that because medals are out there on the market its because the family didn't care. BTW how do you know that those E bay medals really are being sold by the family just because the ad says so?. For example they're hardly likely to say "knocked off by my mate Ron" are they? (I cast no aspersion on any specific advert or any particular Ron) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Fair enough, CS, but you did say "what makes me hesitant is the thought that the soldiers family binned them years back", which is what I was addressing with my comment. Fusilier11, yep, every case is likely to be different, but probably in many instances there wouldn't be any conflict. My cousins and I would all love just to have the medals in the family, we wouldn't be fighting over them. perhaps I should have used a better word than binned, perhaps "got rid of", I suppose thats another problem when there is a death in the family, and the medals end up getting divided. Connaught Stranger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Tried to do this with a death plaque to a Suffolk man by the name of Rutterford - I found the addresses of a number of Rutterfords in the area that SDGW recorded as being where he came from. I sent off 10 letters and received no replies. A romantic idea but I fear likely to not get too many people excited. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 For all those that don't get a response, why not also inform them of the current market value of the items you are giving back. Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GnrEaton Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 I agree about giving back medals to families - our family has virtually none of the medals that were awarded to it as elder generations have 'lost' them in the past after someone has died - as someone interested I'd love to eventually get them back if they're still out there. Incidently, I spotted a family member whose grandfather was awarded an MM leaving a message on here a couple of years back wanting info on the whereabouts of his medals. I have his BWM (and unfortunately only that!) in my collection (bought well over 10 years ago from a junk shop on the east coast) and have been trying to contact him to return it - M Eastwood if you're out there please email me! Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Dan - Did you buy the man's MM that turned up on Ebay recently? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greyhound Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 perhaps I should have used a better word than binned, perhaps "got rid of", I suppose thats another problem when there is a death in the family, and the medals end up getting divided. Binned, got rid of, whatever; my point was that it happened a long time ago. Good point about dividing the medals - this sort of thing happens with other articles too, such as series of pictures, sets of dining chairs, suites of jewellery .... People mean well, trying to be fair, but not realising how much they are devaluing things by splitting them up (and not only in a monetary sense). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Tom has made a specific request only to have his post hi-jacked. Let's get his original post back on the road please. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Hallo TR, must admit its my fault, could you perhaps split this off as a separate topic? And apologies to Tom the original topic starter for the hijack Connaught Stranger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 29 June , 2008 Share Posted 29 June , 2008 Binned, got rid of, whatever; my point was that it happened a long time ago. This is certainly not always the case as seen on online Auctions/Car Boots sales & General local Auctions etc;, As well as ~Dubious TV Antique Flog/Search/Car Boot/Bargain *unt/Sea Sun & Sell Your Heritage type programmes,etc;where,to the "great unwashed" Gran ~ Pops Gongs are no more nor less than an extra £25~£200 Squid to add to the 2 Weeks in Malaga/New Sofa/Garden Shed fund & thus if "Jinty";P*ul or M*rk allude that they could fetch an extra £**; they seem only to please to flog 'em off & to hell with Family heritage,anything for 15 minutes of TV fame as it were. The Pawning/Selling of Medals has gone on since Waterloo,but since one rarely finds Medals with scratched PB marks {eg: R//= scratched on any flat surface}*{I have only ever owned 3 out of a Collection of many hundreds,so marked;& none were WW1} I dont think this was that common an occurence despite grinding poverty & hardship in many UK areas,in the 1920s,they simply were not "worth" anything @ the time,perhaps a few pennies or so as silver,the bronze would have been negligble,even such items as tjhe MM;MSM & DCM,would have only been worth a few shillings on the embyo Collecting market.,a Pawnbroker would have only offered "Scrap" for them. Nearly a hundred years on the perspectives have changed,& often futilely;later generations of members of some families seek them again~but again in the overall panorama of things ~ A very few. To the majority even today they are seen as purely Collectables/Antiques or simply worth "a Bob or Two" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hodie Non Cras Posted 9 July , 2008 Author Share Posted 9 July , 2008 Wow; I didn't expect such a response to my search inquiry and there certainley is a variety of opinions on which way to go, "find or forget". I've opted to try the find method and so I'm to keep trying to find a family member hoping that the returning of a cherished memory to Pte John Callaghans' family/great grandchild my spur their interest in the "Great War". Besides it may appear corney but I have the time to work on it. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett361975 Posted 9 July , 2008 Share Posted 9 July , 2008 This link is to the WW1 researcher for the Berkshire Regiment, very helpful chap, he may be able to help enquiry regards Brett Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett361975 Posted 9 July , 2008 Share Posted 9 July , 2008 WOW GO TO THE LINK I JUST FOUND HIS MEDAL!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett361975 Posted 9 July , 2008 Share Posted 9 July , 2008 the post entitled finding family medals, well i found his medals !!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett361975 Posted 9 July , 2008 Share Posted 9 July , 2008 star war victory Teritorial medal The regiment seems to have all his medals ???? all four Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now