Where do I start researching a medal? J 16352 - C.V Foster A.B.R.N

[Foster88]

Hi all,

I've posted on this forum a couple of times before and found the help invaluable.

I've recently discovered another member of my family who fought in the Great War and I am wondering if i have found his service meal. I have been told he served in the Royal Navy, his name was Christopher Foster who was born in Liverpool, he would have been my great grandfathers older brother born between 1885-1896 I know this is quite a large gap but he doesn't appear on the family census records but he did exist. I think there may have been a family fall out or something that happened as he doesn't appear on either the 1901 or the 1911 census as living with his parents and my great grandfather. Sadly the last link with any real knowledge to this branch of my family was my grandfather who passed away in 2014, so i'm slightly in the dark.

Can anybody help me out with what A.B.R.N stands for, presumably the R.N is Royal Navy?

Could anybody help me with the information below, how do I find his MIC?

Any help would be appreciated.

J 16352 - C.V Foster A.B.R.N

Regards

Dan

[johnboy]

Able Seaman Royal Navy.

[John Milner]

AB RN = Able Seaman, Royal Navy.

John

[Sepoy]

Dan

He is J16352 Able Seaman Charles Victor Foster, Royal Navy (born on 4th June, 1895) and his basic service records can be obtained from Findmypast here
http://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fadm188%2f679%2f0%2f0352&parentid=gbm%2fadm188%2f148239&highlights=%22%22

This is pay to view but Findmypast may be giving a 2 week free membership page at present. If not it may be available to view at your local library.

The Royal Navy do not have Medal Index Cards, but the medal rolls can be downloaded for free from the National Archives Website or from Ancestry here
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1687/31793_221317-00201/967564?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2f%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3findiv%3d1%26db%3dNavalMedalRolls%26rank%3d1%26new%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gss%3dangs-d%26gsfn%3dcharles%26gsfn_x%3dNP_NN%26gsln%3dfoster%26gsln_x%3dNP_NN%26dbOnly%3d_F0005E0D%257c_F0005E0D_x%252c_F0005C5B%257c_F0005C5B_x%252c_F0005959%257c_F0005959_x%252c_F0005C5C%257c_F0005C5C_x%26uidh%3dqf3%26pcat%3d39%26fh%3d52%26h%3d967564%26recoff%3d4%2b6%26fsk%3dBEE9gnEIgAAGlwAHhy0-61-%26bsk%3d%26pgoff%3d%26ml_rpos%3d53&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnRecord

Hope this helps

Sepoy

[Anneca]

A.B.R.N. = Able Bosun Royal Navy, same as Seaman. This link may be of help: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/royalnavyrating1853-1923.htm

Good luck, Anne

[Foster88]

Hi all,

Thank you for your help.

I don't think this is the man I'm looking for then, my great-great uncle was Christopher Foster so I guess my quest continues.

Onwards and Upwards!

Regards

Dan

[ARABIS]

Your medal is to Charles Vincent Foster who was born in St Giles, London on 4/6/1895. He was entitled to 1914/15 Star, British War Medal, & Victory Medal sent to self.

[ARABIS]

A.B.R.N. = Able Bosun Royal Navy, same as Seaman. This link may be of help: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/royalnavyrating1853-1923.htm

Good luck, Anne

A.B. is Able Seaman.

[johnboy]

How did you come by the medal?

[Foster88]

I have been looking for some time for a few family medals which aren't any longer in the family, this particular man Christopher Foster is one who is a little unknown or rather I don't have as much information on him.

I have alerts set on a 'well known auction site' if any medals come up for sale which the right surname and this came up as a possible match but sadly it isn't.

Does anybody have any experience of tracking down lost family medals? I realise it's a long shot.

Dan

[johnboy]

Before tracking down medals it may pay to look for records and using any info to narrow down to your man or you may end up spending a fortune on medals that have no significance to you!

[clk]

Hi Dan,

There is a 19 year old Christopher Foster, born in Liverpool, in the 1911 Census. He was serving as a Private with the 2nd Bn Border Regiment at Martinique Barrack, Binsted, Alton, Hampshire.http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1911england&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=christopher&gsfn_x=1&gsln=foster&gsln_x=1&gskw=military&gskw_x=1&cpxt=1&cp=11&MSAV=1&uidh=rc2&pcat=35&fh=1&h=43193504&recoff=&ml_rpos=2

If that were to be your relative, it is possible that he is the same Christopher that saw service in WW1 with the Labour Corps (number 604073) and the Border Regiment (number 9942). He appears to have enlisted on 8th February 1911. In addition to the Victory & British War medals, he was entitled to the 1914/15 Star, having disembarked in the Balkans on 12th May 1915. The latter was issued off the Labour Corps Roll, whereas the Victory & British War medals were issued off the Border Regiment Roll. He appears to have been discharged to the Z Reserve under the King's Regulations on 17th March 1919, due to wounds.

I didn't find an obvious Service Record on Ancestry to try to establish that the two men are the same person, but it might be worth having a look on Findmypast as they seem to carry some pre-war attestations.

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1262/30850_A000557-01775/5323552?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dmedalrolls%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_r_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26gsln%3dfoster%26_F8007A65%3d9942%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26uidh%3drc2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2456/wo329_3201-00079/742375?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dSilverWarBadgeMedals%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gsln%3dfoster%26gsln_x%3d1%26_F8007A65%3d604073%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26uidh%3drc2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5119/41804_636897_11425-00010/2173834?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3diwoservicemedalawardrolls%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_r_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26gsln%3dfoster%26gsln_x%3d1%26_F8007A65%3d604073%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26uidh%3drc2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5119/41629_626640_11672-00072/2983607?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3diwoservicemedalawardrolls%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_r_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26gsln%3dfoster%26gsln_x%3d1%26_F8007A65%3d9942%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26uidh%3drc2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

Regards

Chris

[Guest libertyrae]

Foster88,

Hello. Do you still have the medal? I am doing Family History work for a friend and she is a direct descendant of Charles Vincent Foster. Let me know.

Liberty

[Foster88]

On 30/03/2015 at 22:25, clk said:

Hi Dan,

There is a 19 year old Christopher Foster, born in Liverpool, in the 1911 Census. He was serving as a Private with the 2nd Bn Border Regiment at Martinique Barrack, Binsted, Alton, Hampshire.http://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&db=1911england&gss=angs-d&new=1&rank=1&msT=1&gsfn=christopher&gsfn_x=1&gsln=foster&gsln_x=1&gskw=military&gskw_x=1&cpxt=1&cp=11&MSAV=1&uidh=rc2&pcat=35&fh=1&h=43193504&recoff=&ml_rpos=2

If that were to be your relative, it is possible that he is the same Christopher that saw service in WW1 with the Labour Corps (number 604073) and the Border Regiment (number 9942). He appears to have enlisted on 8th February 1911. In addition to the Victory & British War medals, he was entitled to the 1914/15 Star, having disembarked in the Balkans on 12th May 1915. The latter was issued off the Labour Corps Roll, whereas the Victory & British War medals were issued off the Border Regiment Roll. He appears to have been discharged to the Z Reserve under the King's Regulations on 17th March 1919, due to wounds.

I didn't find an obvious Service Record on Ancestry to try to establish that the two men are the same person, but it might be worth having a look on Findmypast as they seem to carry some pre-war attestations.

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1262/30850_A000557-01775/5323552?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dmedalrolls%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_r_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26gsln%3dfoster%26_F8007A65%3d9942%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26uidh%3drc2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2456/wo329_3201-00079/742375?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dSilverWarBadgeMedals%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26gsln%3dfoster%26gsln_x%3d1%26_F8007A65%3d604073%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26uidh%3drc2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5119/41804_636897_11425-00010/2173834?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3diwoservicemedalawardrolls%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_r_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26gsln%3dfoster%26gsln_x%3d1%26_F8007A65%3d604073%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26uidh%3drc2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5119/41629_626640_11672-00072/2983607?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3diwoservicemedalawardrolls%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_r_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26gsln%3dfoster%26gsln_x%3d1%26_F8007A65%3d9942%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d1%26uidh%3drc2&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

Regards

Chris

 

Hi Chris, 

 

Thanks for your reply. This must be a record to get a thanks and a reply, 5 years later....

 

You’ve given me a lot to go off and I’ll certainly be having a look into the information you’ve provided.

 

Regards

Dan

On 17/01/2016 at 22:23, Guest libertyrae said:

Foster88,

Hello. Do you still have the medal? I am doing Family History work for a friend and she is a direct descendant of Charles Vincent Foster. Let me know.

Liberty

 

Hi, sadly no, I didn’t buy the medal in the end but it was for sale on eBay around the time I originally posted this topic.

 

Regards 

Foster88