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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

MICs - a love/hate relationship


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Posted

I am in the process of downloading approx 1,600 MICs from Ancestry and each time I search I hope that the image is there.

JOY

The MIC gives you extra information [another S/N and Regt]

An address

An SWB List to chase

SORROW

A name, S/N, Regt and Medal Roll info and THAT'S IT!

A missing 14/15 Star MIC [you can only find the one with V&BM]

No theatre of war or entry date [even though you know it was before 1916]

It seems that a child is using MICs for writing practise

Very pale image

A QUESTION

If the Clasp had to be applied for - why wasn't the address added to the MIC?

One of the saddest remarks to appear, in my opinion, is OiC requests instructions as to disposal of unclaimed medals

Posted

SORROW

A name, S/N, Regt and Medal Roll info and THAT'S IT!

...

A QUESTION

If the Clasp had to be applied for - why wasn't the address added to the MIC?

...

I understand your feelings about it, but after all the index card was only a finding aid for entries in a roll and was not in itself meant to be a source of information about the soldier.

Posted

They can be extremely frustrating, but as Chris points out they were not kept as a primary source of information on a man, although they can on occasion prove to be very useful!!

Generally MIC's to officers are stacked with useful info, whereas those to o/rs are often bereft of even the most basic facts such as christian name/names and date of entering a theatre of war!!

Very often a man's service papers are your only hope and as we know many of those met their sad fate during WW2.:angry2:

Posted

I am in the process of downloading approx 1,600 MICs from Ancestry and each time I search I hope that the image is there.

A QUESTION

If the Clasp had to be applied for - why wasn't the address added to the MIC?

Diane,

Just to add to Chris' point.

I am not a researcher but know that on "the balance of probabilities" my forebears were entitled to the Clasp,which were not claimed on their behalf,although the "Authorities knew their address" as I have both their Medals and the envelopes they were delivered in. :D

We can use the MIC's for historical purposes but cannot now use them to try and enter the minds of servicemen of the time,or their Families,to understand why they did not claim a Clasp,apply for Medals,or notify a change of address,etc.

George

Posted

I think that the realisation of what I've chosen to take on has hit me in the first stages of planning and execution, namely, downloading MICs galore.

Daunting! Pure melancholy seems to have overtaken me today - perhaps it's the time of year.

Thank you for your thoughts

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