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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Silver War Badges


DaveR

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Is it possible to find out who SWBs were awarded to or would you have to go through all of the Rolls? A friend has two with the numbers 421188 and B61004 but doesn't know who's they were, although they are definitely family.

thanks

Dave

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Dave

I seem to remember someone here with a bit extra knowledge on the numbers,but it would normally be difficult to trace the number to a name. They often run in a sequence,page by page, in the Medal Rolls,but it could then be that they go off sequence for a different Battalion in the Army centre responsible for the records (viz York Infantry has 24 ledgers full of SWBs,and many series of numbers !).

You are suggesting that you might have names ("definitely family"),if you have service numbers or Regiment they could be traced,particularly if you were able to associate them to a Medal Index Card,on which is the reference to the original SWB roll,from which can be identified the WO329 ledger at Kew Archives.

The pre-fix-less number is,I understand,an early one,the letter prefix later.

Sotonmate

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thanks

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They often run in a sequence,page by page, in the Medal Rolls,but it could then be that they go off sequence for a ....

Sotonmate

Sotonmate

Just reading this caused me to have a look at some SWB rolls I copied a while ago at Kew. What I hadn't noticed before was that the dates of discharge do not even "go up" with the badge numbers. On successive lines with consecutive badge numbers, the dates of discharge are: 14-2-18; 2-10-17; 4-10-18; 31-3-16; 21-12-18

Odd ?

Owen Hales

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Owen

My lasting impression is that the lists go in ascending order where there is a sequence, I hadn't noticed the date of discharge as a factor in those that I saw (not that I was looking for that !). Could be that the answer is in WHEN the badges were issued,may THEY have gone in batches as opposed to allocation on the day of discharge ?

I shall look at one or two copies I have too !

Sotonmate

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  • 2 weeks later...

Sotonmate

on the one I've received from you the top and bottom entries seem to have badge numbers with a D prefix whereas the rest on the page have a B prefix. Any ideas? I've only heard of the B prefix before.

Dave

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Dave

I noticed that and decided it was a B,the writer was definitely a different person to the other entries. I am not aware of a D prefix series,and as the seeming"D"entries are in the consecutive sequence of the Bs I take it as Bs !

Sotonmate

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I guess so. Handwriting is often a problem on old records and not just military ones. Any chance you can send me the otherSWB roll?

cheers

Dave

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Here's another one where B and D have got changed. I have the previous sheet to this and it is B. Surely its an error, not intentional and due to "speed" writing. The last line then seems to go out of sequence, 236999 to 239000. I wonder if that is also an error. Or is s the 9 supposed to be a 7 ? Is the blue underscore of significance ? Who can tell. What a minefield are SWBs. No pun intended.

Owen Hales

post-7986-1227266298.jpg

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Dave

I sent two already,but have now re-sent them !

Sotonmate

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I must have some sort of email problem as I haven't received them. I'll pm you a different address.

Dave

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Ply16992

He was a Marine though !

Sotonmate

Dave R

I sent them again to your new Address.

Sotonmate

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Unsure if it helps but my GG was also a marine with a discharge in 1918 and his SWB No. was RN28463 and my other GG Glocs Reg discharged 1916 was 76049.

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