Unclaimed medals

[aglastonbury]

I recently found out a relative was KIA in WW1 & awarded a Millitary Medal but nodody in the family knew about it. How can I find out if his medals were ever claimed? Do I need to go through the MOD Medal Office?

[rksimpson]

Hi

The best place to start is his MIC - see - http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/medals.htm

and - http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/mic.htm

If he was not an officer they were automatically sent to him or next of kin, not sure about MM though. If he was an officer he had to apply, so I suppose if no one did then no.

See this for MM - http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/gallantry.htm and http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/gallantry2.htm

The MIC will state if his medals were not collected - if it has something like this in red in the comments area -

KR's para 992 (1923):

"Medals which, at the end of 1 year, remain unclaimed will be sent to the Secretary, War Office

So if unclaimed they were destroyed after a period of time.

You can try the MOD medal office - http://www.mod.uk/defenceinternet/defencef...eterans/medals/

I wrote about my Grandfather's medals last year and still no reply, but still have a go.

Just had a look through the site and found this -

How do I find out if any of my ancestors were awarded medals for World War I?

After the 1914-18 War, all campaign medals were automatically issued to the medal earner or, if deceased, to the next of kin. Records of the medals awarded to each serviceman are held in the National Archives at Kew and are available to the public. For a small fee these medal cards can be viewed online at the National Archives website.

Can I obtain replacement World War I medals?

The MoD Medal Office is not able to provide replacement World War I medals. You may wish to purchase replicas or original named medals from a reputable medal dealer or a private medal company.

SO does not look good, not sure if applies to MM as well?

regards

Robert

[aglastonbury]

Thanks for that, it gives me something to go on.

All that is in the remarks colum of his medal card is dead. Unfortunatly the image I have to too big to upload.

The correspondence on the reverce is blank as is the as is the thearter & date of entry therein.

The MM is marked as postnominal after his name and there is an mark (an X with dots between the lines) marked against his Victory Medal & Original Regiment, the Suffolk Regiment. I presume that his Victory Medal was named to him as the Suffolk Regiment & his War Medal as the Yorkshire Regiment. However that is just an educated guess & I could be wrong.

I've also had a look back at the London Gazette, it was publised 14th December 1917 & lists him as the Yorkshire Regiment

[Andrew Upton]

The MM is marked as postnominal after his name and there is an mark (an X with dots between the lines) marked against his Victory Medal & Original Regiment, the Suffolk Regiment. I presume that his Victory Medal was named to him as the Suffolk Regiment & his War Medal as the Yorkshire Regiment. However that is just an educated guess & I could be wrong.

The BWM and VM would have been named the same. The mark you mention was used on the card to indicate at a glance which details should be impressed on the medals.

[aglastonbury]

Hi all,

Thanks for the info it's been a help. But here is an update on what I've found out.

My relatives CWGC record page has additional information. This names his parents & gives there address. Form asking in other posts I've found this information would have came from his NOK. So it seams the family knew at the time. So presumably his medals went to his father but as I mentioned there is no note, corrospondants or address given on the reverse of his MIC. It seems the knowlage was never passed on.

I also manage to find his name on local ROH held by the local council. As I'm not local to where he was from, I don't know the exact location of the memorial & its not on my door step. I've already sent a request for more information to the council about the local memorial.

This raise few points for me that I should probably start another post for, but what was the procedure for names going on local war memorials? Prosumably again involved next of kin.

I'm digressing from the original point now, but I've out more info & got new avenues to explore. I'm still open to feedback & pointers. Here is the link to his CWGC details aswell:

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...asualty=2106948

thanks all,

Alex

[per ardua per mare per terram]

1) My relatives CWGC record page has additional information. This names his parents & gives there address. Form asking in other posts I've found this information would have came from his NOK. So it seams the family knew at the time. So presumably his medals went to his father but as I mentioned there is no note, corrospondants or address given on the reverse of his MIC. It seems the knowlage was never passed on.

2) I also manage to find his name on local ROH held by the local council. As I'm not local to where he was from, I don't know the exact location of the memorial & its not on my door step. I've already sent a request for more information to the council about the local memorial.

3) This raise few points for me that I should probably start another post for, but what was the procedure for names going on local war memorials? Prosumably again involved next of kin.

1) The MIC you have was for issuing campaign medals NOT gallantry medals. There is a seperate MIC for his MM, but that will only give the gazette details. There was no need for the MIC to have addresses for other ranks as their campaign medals were issued automatically and the service records had it on. As the MM was gazetted in December 1917 details had probably been in the local press. As he died in October 1918 the MM may already have been presented to him by then.

2) Have you tried contacting the local studies department of the council?

3) There is a thread running already in the memorials sub forum.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

1) The correspondence on the reverce is blank as is the as is the thearter & date of entry therein.

2) I've also had a look back at the London Gazette, it was publised 14th December 1917 & lists him as the Yorkshire Regiment

1) He probably entered a theatre after 1/1/1916.

2) The MM should be named to the Yorkshire Regiment.

[Dr Paul Redall]

Hi

The best place to start is his MIC - see - http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/medals.htm

and - http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/mic.htm

If he was not an officer they were automatically sent to him or next of kin, not sure about MM though. If he was an officer he had to apply, so I suppose if no one did then no.

See this for MM - http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/gallantry.htm and http://www.1914-1918.net/grandad/gallantry2.htm

The MIC will state if his medals were not collected - if it has something like this in red in the comments area -

KR's para 992 (1923):

"Medals which, at the end of 1 year, remain unclaimed will be sent to the Secretary, War Office

So if unclaimed they were destroyed after a period of time.

You can try the MOD medal office - http://www.mod.uk/defenceinternet/defencef...eterans/medals/

I wrote about my Grandfather's medals last year and still no reply, but still have a go.

Just had a look through the site and found this -

How do I find out if any of my ancestors were awarded medals for World War I?

After the 1914-18 War, all campaign medals were automatically issued to the medal earner or, if deceased, to the next of kin. Records of the medals awarded to each serviceman are held in the National Archives at Kew and are available to the public. For a small fee these medal cards can be viewed online at the National Archives website.

Can I obtain replacement World War I medals?

The MoD Medal Office is not able to provide replacement World War I medals. You may wish to purchase replicas or original named medals from a reputable medal dealer or a private medal company.

SO does not look good, not sure if applies to MM as well?

regards

Robert

[per ardua per mare per terram]

SO does not look good, not sure if applies to MM as well?

Probably, but replicas are available.

[Guest]

I write on behalf of my near 90 year old mother, who would  very much like to know if war metals for her uncle were every distributed or claimed. If not, she would like to claim them,for her forbears to value and respect his service to his country.  Her uncle was Pte.  William  Jeffry Nash, 3110. 37th.Battalion. Died 12/10/1917 at Passchendaele. I hope you can help in this matter.

[familyhistoryman]

I see that Nash served with the Australian and his record is on the Ancestry website that shows his father received the medals

Regard, Tony

[tullybrone]

Hi,

 

Here is a link to his digitised record on Australian Archives where he is recorded as William Jeffry Nash.

 

Steve

 

https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7994250