War Badge help

[TraceyRogers]

Hi everyone,

I have found the great war forum to be invaluable to me in the past and would like to ask for your help yet again.

I have never met my grand-dad (Robert Henry Parry 8244 ) and so have been desperately trying to find out more about his army career he served in the K O R Lancaster Regiment from 1904 - 1917 when he was wounded.

I have quite a few bits and bobs of his from the war but only yesterday did the penny drop that I had a letter of his war badge award.

I wondered if it's possible to gleen any information from this item as it seems that his service papers haven't survived, which I would have loved to have seen, just for his date of birth, as I can't get any further back with him than 1914, when he sent a post card from Lancaster Barracks to my gran to say he was off to france the next day. He died in 1955.

I attach the letter

Hope you can help, thankyou

Ann

[headgardener]

You need to find his Medal Index Card (online from the National Archives, or through the Ancestry web-site), which will list his medal entitlement, and will also list his entitlement to his Silver War Badge, which you have some paperwork relating to. There are references on the MIC to the medal rolls, and the Silver war badge rolls, both held by the National Archives.

The medal rolls will probably tell you which battalions he was with. The Silver War Badge roll will probably give you his age, last regiment, and often the battalion, and the reason why he was discharged (wounds or sickness).

And if he died in 1955 you'll be able to track down his birth certificate by reference to his age at the time of his death.

To find the MIC you need his name and regimental number, by the way.

[TraceyRogers]

Thanks Headgardener,

I have the MIC, it says he was in R Lanc R no.8244, Cause of discharge - AO.265/17 2(61) (W) - Action taken - list H/366/2. He was awarded the Victory and British medals but in 1918 he had to write a letter to the army asking for the star of which he received.

I have tried to understand this but have so far failed. I went onto the NA site a couple of days ago but didn't know how to get Into the SWB section, I have never got on with this site any tips.

And as far as his DOB I think I have it but he was married twice and gives his age as 2 different dates but I have gone with 1884. On his 1st wifes death cert he gives his occupation as Match factory labourer and Army Pension AP8082 or AP5052.

Thanks for your help

Ann

[4thGordons]

and Army Pension AP8082 or AP5052.

Thanks for your help

Ann

If you have access to Ancestry it might be worth searching the "pension files" on the strength of this. Some of them contain quite a bit of detail.

Chris

[headgardener]

I went onto the NA site a couple of days ago but didn't know how to get Into the SWB section, I have never got on with this site any tips.

You can't get them on-line, you'd have to go and look at it yourself, or get someone to do it for you. 'List H/366/2' is the reference to his entry on the SWB roll.

And if he gave 2 different ages to his wives then there's a pretty good chance that he gave the wrong age to the army when he joined up. The age on his death certificate may be right, though. Worth checking it...

[TraceyRogers]

At last Headgardener, someone has given me something to go on, thankyou so much. I knew it was on the card somewhere but couldn't work it out. Now all I have to do is get to the NA to look.

All his service and pension records must be burnt as I can find no record of him, but the WB rolls may hold something.

Thanks again

Ann

[SteveE]

Cause of discharge - AO.265/17 2(61) (W) - Action taken - list H/366/2.

Ann

2(61) is actually 2(b1) and refers to Army Order 265/17 Paragraph 2b(i), the details of what it means are below, I've highlighted the relevant sections....

2. Under the amended conditions the badge will, subject in every case to the approval of the Army Council, be issued only to the individuals specified below, who have served with the military forces subsequent to the 4th August, 1914:

(a) Those who, having served as officers and being still of military age, have retired, resigned or relinquished their commissions:

(i) After service overseas in the armed Forces of the Crown, on account of disablement or ill-health caused otherwise than by misconduct,

(ii) After service at Home, and have been medically examined and finally discharged from liability to further military service under sub-section (5) of Section 1 of the Military Service (Review of Exception) Act, 1917, as permanently and totally disabled, otherwise than from misconduct.

(b.) Those who, having served as soldiers and being still of military age, have been discharged under the conditions set forth at (i) and (ii) in (a).

Additionally, the (W) denotes he was discharged due to wounds received.

It's still going to be worthwhile getting someone to have a look at the SWB Roll (ref. H/366/2) as it may well have an age recorded, it will certainly have his dates of enlistment and discharge. I believe (but am not 100% certain) that the reference at the National Archives for that particular Roll reference is;

WO 329/3074 Infantry (Preston) list H 1/1-400/1. Silver War Badge 1914-1920.

Hope this helps.

Steve

[TraceyRogers]

Thankyou Steve,

This is great stuff. I will ask the look up forum if someone can look up for me as I live in Northumberland.

Thanks everyone

Ann