Have Grandads medals been claimed?

[Aaron Nelson]

Hi,

My Great Grandfather was a guuner in the RFA , served between March 1917 to November 1918. He only had one son after the war (my Grandfather) and he has no recollaction of Gunner Nelson ever claiming his medals, infact he never talked about the war at all. I have an image of his medal card from the National Archives. Can I tell from this if his medals were ever claimed? If not how can I find out if they are still able to be claimed? Thanks Aaron Nelson.

[Ken Lees]

Aaron,

I believe that medals were sent out automatically to the soldier or, in the event of him not being alive, to his next of kin. Officers medals were only issued if an application was submitted.

Of course, we are talking about campaign medals here, not gallantry awards.

Regards,

Ken

[eskimo]

Hi Aaron,

I had a similar problem..

I wrote to the Army Medal Office in Droitwich Spa and received the following reply

" After the 1914-18 war all campaign awards were automatically issued by registered post, to the medal earner or. if deceased, to the next of kin. These awards were then entered on the Medal rolls which were not complied until the issue of medals had been completed. If an award was returned, for whatever reason, the medal rolls were annotated to that effect.

Kings regulations state that "Medals which, at the end of ten (10) years, still remained unclaimed, will be sent to the Deputy Director of Ordnance stores Woolwich to be broken up" Unclaimed medals include those which for whatever reason, been returned to the war office.

The Army medal Office is not able to provide replacement medals but you may wish to purchase duplecates from a reputable medal dealer or Military Tailor".

Hope this explanation is of use...

Regards Eskimo.

[Guest RC Sigs]

I also wrote the medal office with the same question. I didn't get my answer back yet, but if it is the same as yours, this does not tell you if the medals were sent back or not. It just says what would happen if they were sent back. If they were not sent back, then I asked for a name of the next of kin. Should get an answer soon I hope.

Tom

[Michael]

Tom

The medal rolls would tell you if they were returned with the phrase (Ret'd KR Para 1743 20/2/23). It may also note that they were re-issued.

I doubt if anyone will be able to tell you next of kin details at the medal office whether they were returned or not.

Mick

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

this does not tell you if the medals were sent back or not. It just says what would happen if they were sent back. If they were not sent back, then I asked for a name of the next of kin.

If the Index Card or Medal roll does not state they were returned , & returned to Woolich then they were not Returned[They would only have been returned if Not signed for after repeated attempts @ delivery]as they were sent Registered Post,as the Index Cards & Medal Rolls are now in the Public Domain of the NA The AMO Do not have the Records any more,as stated on another posting there is a probability that the MiC had the N~o~K Address on the Reverse{Indeed when I applied {& Received} my Great Uncles Pair that had beeen Returned as his N~o~K had moved away & remarried after his death in 1918,I was informed as to where they had been sent{But this was in the 1970s before NA had the Records & they were still "Current"}& we cannot access the Reverse of the Cards,You would be able to see if the Medals were returned by studying the Index Card &/or the Relevant Roll page as these are anotated on them.But rememer only a small percentage would not have been delivered,Most "missing" Medals have just been lost,stolen,sold dumped in dustbins,destroyed by being scrapped,re~named etc,in the intervening 80 years

[Aaron Nelson]

Thank you all for your info, this really is a fabulous site when reserching your relatives. I will use the info provided to see if Ican trace the medals any further. I imagine old Grandpop most likely would have thrown them away, he never talked about the war and after spending 2 years at the front I think he had seen enough and didnt want medals hanging about at home to remind him. I know that for 7 seven years after the war he was at his original address, so when the medals were sent to him he would have received them. Cheers Aaron.