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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Disposed of Medals


badgersnr

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Can any of our knowledgable members shed some light on my query.

Several years ago I bought a Death Plaque to 4396 Pte Charles John Smerdon 1/4th KOSB

DOW 14.7.15 in Galipolli

I collect Medals to Scottish Regts. but I was taken by the Plaque as Pte Smerdon was buried at sea.

I subsequently found out he died on the hospital ship Asturias and was buried from there.

A couple of years later His 1915 Star came up in Lockdales auction and I bought it. I have been looking for the BWM & VM ever since.

I had his MIC from the start but it wasn't until Ancestry showed me the back that I could read

'o/c Recs. requests auth to dispose of medals 2/11/20'

I would assume from this that his medals were never issued. However his Star looks good to me and to every expert I have shown it to. His Plaque is certainly genuine.

Can the forum members shed any light on this? Is his Star the only medal out there? Can I call off the search for the other two? How did these escape?

Thanks very much

Alun

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Alun

If a soldier had a Star, the other two medals were automatically issued. Apparently they could not be delivered to him for some reason and this should have been noted on his medal index card under the appropriate paragraph of King's Regulations.

TR

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The Plaque, the Star and the pair were all issued at different times. It is possible to have been issued with the Star, get killed etc and then the family receive the plaque. They may have moved subsequent to the pair being issued or returned them thus the reason the pair were "disposed of".

However, in this case, he entered the war in June 1915 and DOW in July 1915..... before the Star was issued.

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Thanks gentlemen for the input.

I suppose it boils down to what 'Dispose of' means.

He had a wife living in Coldstream so I assume they would have been sent to her, but as you say if she moved? anything was possible.

Alun

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The Plaque, the Star and the pair were all issued at different times.

...& this is the crux of the matter,I suspect that his Widow/Mother/NoK had died out, or moved{or in the case of a Widow often remarried}between the issue of the 1914~15 Star & the later {often two to five years after} issue of the BWM & Victory Medals.

The Plaque was issued from a different body than the corresponding Medal Office.

The BWM & Victory would have been retained for some years in case of a late claim prior to "being disposed of" {usually referred to a "broken up"} by the issuing authority

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Thanks everyone

So, there is a good chance that the BWM & VM are not out there at all. This would be a great shame.

However old habits die hard, and I will still keep looking, 'just in case', you never know.

Alun

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