Sambob1914 Posted 7 January , 2015 Share Posted 7 January , 2015 My interest in WW1 began 6 years ago when I took a group of secondary school children on a Somme battlefields tour and since then I have been an avid reader and collector of all things linked to WW1. For Christmas my husband bought me British war medal that was sale on ebay and I have begun to do some research on it. I've found out a little bit about the original owner of the medal but do others on this forum (I am totally new to this research stuff) think it is ok for me to be researching a soldier who is neither family nor friend? I feel like I am prying somewhat into another family but I also want to do its recipient proud. So far I have found out that the medal belonged to Rowland Ratcliffe Hood, a gunner in the RFA. On his medal is the number 1342 (don't know what this is) and on his medal card it also has the number 865- 685 (?). I also think he was from Wakefield. That's all I know and I don't know how I can research further. Should I continue my quest to find out more or should I leave well alone from now on? Advice/ help appreciated! Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 7 January , 2015 Share Posted 7 January , 2015 Carry on looking for info on him. See if he is on a memorial where he came from. Check CWGC website to see if he survived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughdiamond Posted 7 January , 2015 Share Posted 7 January , 2015 Sam Welcome to the forum, it's perfectly acceptable to research someone, family member or not, many people research Battalions and the men in them so it's far from unusual. To start off, read theis link from "The Long Long Trail" http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/research.html it's a wonderful resource, there is a section "How to Interpret a Medal Card" which will help you with what you have. Once you've read it, any questions, get back to us. Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambob1914 Posted 7 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 7 January , 2015 Thanks so much for the replies so far- I was hoping that it wasn't too odd to be researching Rowland! Thanks for the research tips too- keep them coming! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnboy Posted 7 January , 2015 Share Posted 7 January , 2015 The Medal Roll shows he survived and was discharged 2/4/19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughdiamond Posted 7 January , 2015 Share Posted 7 January , 2015 Sam This link http://www.1914-1918.net/soldiers/interpretmic.html takes you directly to how to interpret a medal card, the 4 digit number (1342) on the medal and the card and the 6 digit number (865685) are his Army Service numbers. The reason he has 2 is that he was probably a Territorial Force Soldier and they were given a 2nd number in 1917, this explains why http://www.1914-1918.net/renumbering.htm At the bottom of the card you'll see the letters "SWB list Ra/5375" in the How to interpret a medal card link I gave you above, there's a link explaining what a SWB is. Don't want to overload you with too much info for now, best to read the links then come back once you've done it. Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 7 January , 2015 Share Posted 7 January , 2015 No, it's not too odd, but we also get people trying to build up a story that they can then use to flog whatever on the internet. We can usually give those a cold shoulder, but assuming you are much too nice to do that, welcome aboard! If you have access to Ancestry or similar Family History site, you can often build up the background with family and see if siblings served etc. You are correct about the Wakefield link, you'll scroll down to find him at 33 Denby Dale Road. http://www.wakefieldfhs.org.uk/abscent%20voters%20H.htm I'd also recommend that site to anyone else researching Wakefield men! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevem49 Posted 7 January , 2015 Share Posted 7 January , 2015 When I writing the history of the 9th Sherwood Foresters, I purchased a number of the men's medals (and other items) I found it helped me in my research and also in getting to know the men I was writing about. Enjoy the research Sam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glen Posted 7 January , 2015 Share Posted 7 January , 2015 I research was memorials, so most of the files I look at have no direct connection to me. How many of those that fell in WW1 had no children, so therefore no Grandchildren looking now? Only last week on another group, someone posted some photographs of his great Grandfather and asked for info. As part of my initial answer I posted the details of the great Grandfather's marriage and Great Grans maiden name and somebody else pointed out that there was a person of that name on the local memorial, everything linked together and we were able to not only give the guy details about his great Grandfather, but also about another side of the family that he knew nothing about. The name on the memorial was his great Grans brother who had no children. He now has someone with direct links who will remember him.http://www.everymanremembered.org/ is a British Legion project that is worth looking at. There are currently over 965,000 men who no one is remembering, so the research you are doing may help remember someone who would otherwise be forgotten.Glen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambob1914 Posted 8 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 8 January , 2015 Thank you 'Rough Diamond' Steve, Glen and Kevin for your wonderful links and research ideas. I'm really enjoying the research- it has led me to do some wider reading. I've since found out that Rowland signed up to the 13th brigade of the RFA- so I'm now tracing that story. History is unravelling before me! And Kevin- I am much too nice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjustinhayward Posted 8 January , 2015 Share Posted 8 January , 2015 Something else to consider- assuming that he was entitled to at least a BWM and VM pair, there could be other medals out there that you could try to reunite. It's a long shot but would be worth joining the Brutush Medal Forum http://www.britishmedalforum.com You can ask on there if any collectors have the Swb or other medals It's a long shot but reunites do occur and at least you have the silver BWM which is a good starting point Also some dealers provide regular stock lists. Would be worth subscribing to some Good luck Justin H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steelbonnet Posted 8 January , 2015 Share Posted 8 January , 2015 Hi Sam, I always think that while we research a man we spend time rembering him and get a small idea what he did for us here today. We dare not forget their sacrifices. Gordon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 8 January , 2015 Share Posted 8 January , 2015 My "thing" is researching the men on local war memorials. It's a similar feeling I suspect to researching from the medals. In both cases, you start out with a name on an object and, gradually, they become real people - with friends, family, jobs, etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 8 January , 2015 Share Posted 8 January , 2015 John - that's it exactly - giving them back some of the life they gave for us. Sambob - OK - amend to read: I KNOW you are too nice to do that!!! But be warned! This is addictive so be prepared to sometimes lose track of time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikebriggs Posted 9 January , 2015 Share Posted 9 January , 2015 Should I continue my quest to find out more or should I leave well alone from now on? I agree with all the comments posted above and would also like to add that perhaps he has not been spoken about (or even thought about) for several years/generations now and therefore just mentioning his name on this forum, and also taking the time to research his life, is a very respectful way to remember the hardships (and perhaps sacrifices) that he had to endure. Eric Bogle probably said it the best:- "Or are you a stranger without even a name Forever enshrined behind some old glass pane In an old photograph torn, tattered, and stained And faded to yellow in a brown leather frame" So, YES, you should continue your quest, and your next quest etc etc These guys deserve to be remembered and spoken about……. cheers Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambob1914 Posted 12 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 12 January , 2015 Thank you, all of you, for your words of encouragement. I've gone on to find his info using ancestry.com and am staggered to find out that he died in Doncaster, where I currently live! I feel as if I was meant to research this medal having now discovered that he lived his twilight years not 10 minutes from where I live now. What are the odds? And yes Kevin- this is becoming addictive! I am loving unearthing the history behind the object and seeing as Rowland didn't have any children I think I most likely am the fist person in a long time to give him any thought at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 12 January , 2015 Share Posted 12 January , 2015 Sam, nice to start on an easy one!! it does get harder. once its all in place, try a soldier who died . Ive been collecting since the 1970's only occasionally. Last year I decided to go to France to visit the graves of 2 of my great uncles. we have all seen the pictures of the graveyards, BUT, actually visiting them on a cold, damp, foggy November day does bring a different feeling . Ive now been a couple of times and even the wife has been hooked, you think there are a hundred or two in one cemetery, 2000 in another then you get the TomTom out put in custom POI and start visiting the single man in a village graveyard, and find bunches of flowers . remembered by the locals..... then you come home and 'why havnt I visited my grandfathers grave?', Ive seen his brothers (2 of them) but not his since he died in 1963. Believe it or not the dead are remembered more than the ones who returned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Mitchell Posted 13 January , 2015 Share Posted 13 January , 2015 Hi Sam, I too research the soldiers and the families who`s medals I collect and find it very rewarding. I collect medals of soldiers from the Doncaster area and have a data base of over 12,000 photographs of servicemen and women from the Doncaster area taken from local papers WW1 and WW2. I find it very rewarding and have come into contact with the odd family member of the soldiers who have given me information I could not have gained. Best Regards and good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambob1914 Posted 13 January , 2015 Author Share Posted 13 January , 2015 Hi Chaz- as it happens I'm off on my annual visit to Albert in 4 weeks. Each year myself and other staff from our school take 70 12/13 year olds on a 3 day Somme battlefields trip (combined with a bit of French language work) and you're right- actually seeing the war cemeteries, the village plots and the sheer scale of those buried in France really does give you pause for thought. I've been to the Somme and the surrounding areas 7 times now. We always ask the pupils we are taking to look into their family history and every year we aim to visit the 2 or 3 names that we get back and lay a wreath at their grave. I find it incredibly emotional when a child finds the grave of their great, great uncle etc. and I think its something we should encourage. Last year a boy of 12 had info that his great, great uncle had been in the AMC and we located the grave- it was a touching moment. I'm actually having more difficulty finding someone buried in the same town as myself than I am using the war graves websites for those buried in France! The council do not seem to want to give out burial information easily! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 13 January , 2015 Share Posted 13 January , 2015 Sambob: You ought to get in touch with Jim Mitchell as you are both from Doncaster and he may be able to help! Two guys posting one after the other and involved in WW1 interests - you need to meet! You have enough posts now to use the Personal Message facility. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chaz Posted 14 January , 2015 Share Posted 14 January , 2015 Sam, it would be good to find one of the pupils with a relation away from the main cemeteries, they might appreciate then how the locals feel about 'our boys' compared with the way 'we' feel and remember them. my two sons ironically went to two different cemeteries with their school , both managed to see different brothers of my grandfather. they did this 10 years before I managed to get over. I now intend to visit more often. we need to maintain interest for the future Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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