Medal Information Cards

[Jim Strawbridge]

In a ponderous moment I was musing as to who actually wrote out the MICs. I cannot see an obvious army unit unless it was the Army Service Corps but that would have kept many men away from more industrous war work. Was it a civilian force ? Civil Service ? Women employed for the purpose ? Anyone know ?

[Guest]

Hi Jim, there's a wee bit HERE

" The Medal Index Cards (MICs) were created by the Army Medal Office towards the end of the First World War. The cards record an individual's medal entitlement, their rank(s), or unit(s) and often the first theatre of war in which they served. "

Not a lot, but hope that helps a bit.

Cheers Mike

[Jim Strawbridge]

Hi Jim, there's a wee bit HERE

" The Medal Index Cards (MICs) were created by the Army Medal Office towards the end of the First World War. The cards record an individual's medal entitlement, their rank(s), or unit(s) and often the first theatre of war in which they served. "

Not a lot, but hope that helps a bit.

Cheers Mike

Thanks Mike. So who manned the Army Medal Office. That's the answer I am seeking.

[Guest]

I meant to post " You probably know this already " Sorry Jim.

Found this,it might help. HERE

Might be worth writing to

Officer in Charge

The Army Medal Office

Building 250

RAF Innsworth

Innsworth

Gloucester

GL3 1HW

Or phone Tel: 01452 712612 ext 8149

Cheers Mike

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Thanks Mike. So who manned the Army Medal Office. That's the answer I am seeking.

I would expect that it would be clerks. As almost all the medals were issued after the war, they weren't being taken away from duties vital to war work. Any way, remembering Barnsfather cartoons and other contemporary sources I've read, pen pushers were doing their paperwork when all else were fighting.

The Things That Matter: http://www.brucebairnsfather.org.uk/index_files/page0061.htm

[Ron Clifton]

Hello Jim

During the war the civilian, mainly clerical, staff of the War Office (and its various satellites in Commands) expanded enormously, and much of this was to deal with "personnel" work. I have seen a figure of around 17,000 employees mentioned. Many of these would have been women, or men of greater than military age, a lot of whom were in fact ex-soldiers.

Ron

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Given the way that the British Army expanded in WWI and that all the paperwork was done by hand, that isn't an unreasonable number of staff. Just imagine the hours of computer time it would take now to design a system for handling the administration for 8 million people, and all the other tasks the War Office was required to do, let alone the data entry required to actually do the work!

[Jim Strawbridge]

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to this thread. I now have a much clearer picture.