Abbreviations on Medal Index Card

[yorksburnett]

Trying again with this enquiry. Probably put it in the wrong Forum.

I have a soldier who was a wireless operator in the Royal Engineers. I eventually found his medal index card which has a number of abbreviated entries which I find totally confusing. First, under the heading 'Corps & Rank', it has "R. E. Fen. Strat. S. D." then it has "Cause of Discharge Para 392 XVI K. R. A. O. 29 of 19 S." Obviously R. E. is Royal Engineers and I know that the first part of the Cause of Discharge means that he was permanently unfit for service, but what on earth does all the rest mean?

Any help would be much appreciated.

Penzance Bill

[rksimpson]

Hi Bill

It sounds like you have a Silver War Badge card - http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/swbrecords.html - see Kings Regulations 392 XVI and the other bit is Army Order 29 of 1919

and http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/interpretmic.html - see 3rd type of card there.

Please give us more details so we can look up the actual card.

regards

Robert

[yorksburnett]

Hello Robert

Thanks for your reply and thanks in particular for the link to "How to Interpret a Medal Index Card".

I have attached a copy of the index card for the soldier in question because he doesn't show up in a search of indexes. It took me a long time to find his card.

Any idea what the abbreviation "Fen. Strat. S. D." stands for under the heading "Corps"?

Another puzzle is the fact that this man is listed on the GWGC Debt of Honour Register as a wireless operator in the Mercantile Marine aboard SS "Sampan" and dying on 16 Nov 1918, a good 6 months before the date of discharge given on the card. His death was registered at Medway Register Office and I've sent for a copy of his death certificate.

Bill

[Phil Evans]

Bill,

Try Fenny Stratford Signal Depot.

Phil

[rksimpson]

Hi

Notice on bottom of card about being returned and CRV - certified receipt voucher?

There is also a not on the actual roll on ancestry, but I cannot read what it says in some of it?

Badge ????? in ??? then CRV etc

regards

Robert

[Chris_Baker]

Have you seen the War Badge roll? It looks as though the typist first gave 1918 in his date of discharge but this was then typed over*. I wonder if he was actually discharged out of the army on 1 June 1918? The card is not the primary source of information - it is just lifted from the roll, and in this case possibly incorrectly.

Thomas may have been awarded a pension: you could try a speculative look-up into the pension records now held by the Western Front Association.

* Or on closer inspection I think 1919 was typed first and then over-typed 1918 to correct it.

[yorksburnett]

Thanks Phil, Robert & Chris for your input.

I'm finding useful info. on Fenny Stratford Signal Depot.

Which came first - the chicken or the egg?! I had assumed that the medal card was the primary document and that the medal roll was basically an index compiled from medal cards. However, if it were t'other way round, then I agree that the date of discharge was probably 1 Jun 1918 - which would certainly be a better fit with his date of death.

Case solved?

Bill

[Chris_Baker]

The roll is the primary source. The cards were produced as a finding aid or cross-reference aid, and information was taken from the rolls onto the card.

[yorksburnett]

Thanks Chris

That settles it then and the case is solved.

Bill