MIC Abbreviation

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

Andrew - ref your earlier string about > AH Sheasby "14/15 Star ret'd Rvb14 10/10/52" - , NA (PRO) staff advising that 10/10/52 was a War Office reference and not a date, the mic not showing an overseas date, etc, etc.

Easier to bypass all the previous comments and start again.

Alfred H Sheasby's medal records are an example of what is known as a "split card" - a far from unknown phenomenon, but in this case an extremely easy one to deal with because his mic includes a reference which immediately tells you that it is a "split" record - top left hand corner of the card is a note "see AH Shearsby".

A few cards away you find the card to "AH Shearsby", same medal roll references, same regiment and regimental number, and another note refering you back to the "correct" card for AH Sheasby. This second card gives you the overseas qualifying date for the 14-15 Star - "(1) France 27/8/15", which was the first overseas date for 11th Sherwood Forresters - all of these details are confirmed on the medal rolls themselves.

The code string "RVB14 ret'd 10/10/52" means that the medal was returned to the War Office (more than likely "found" and handed in to the Police) 10th October 1952 and the covering paperwork to the medal record office was ("RV") return voucher #B14 - simply the code number on the docket - it has no significance, it's the date that counts.

You can either accept that as correct or if you prefer take the NA (PRO) expanation instead. - Other gems I have heard at the enquiries desk include (showing visitor the WO329 medal roll index book) - "first of all you have to find his regimental number here ...", whilst running finger down a randomly picked column of volume page numbers (!) - and of course the old peranials "dont bother with the medal rolls because they add nothing to the mic's" (etc) - and the all-time classic answer to "my grandad was in the war, how do I find Him ?" - "well first of all start with the medal index cards in those drawers, and then look at the trench maps upstairs ..."

I couldnt make that up - but anyway, pick the explanation you prefer !

"Split cards" are normally much harder to spot, but there is nearly always some clue on one or other of the cards which will "tell you" to search further - and by the way, split cards occur much more frequently with the correct name on both cards than they do with one of the names being incorrect - the easiest to spot is the solitary SWB card with no medal roll references. On average I expect to see maybe three or four previously "researched" (but innacurate) medal records such as this every month.

Trust that helps - regards - Tom

[Michael]

Tom

Thanks for that - I think I'll go with your explanation.

Andrew - Sorry I missed that.

Michael

[Guest Ian Bowbrick]

Tom,

I was the one who posted 10/10/52 as not a date, based on what I had been told at the NA - thanks for the edification & apologies for misleading anyone, but when you ask those that are supposed to know...................

Ian

[Tom Tulloch-Marshall]

Tom,

I was the one who posted 10/10/52 as not a date, based on what I had been told at the NA - thanks for the edification & apologies for misleading anyone, but when you ask those that are supposed to know...................

Ian

Ian - quite.

Another recent and glaring example is the NA (PRO) publication "Burnt Records Project" which (for example) contains a statement that "The series does not include the discharge papers of ........ (etc) ......... Household Cavalry or Guards Regiments."

This is nonsense of the highest order - anybody who has ever looked at even a small sample of WO363 films will know that this is untrue, yet there it is, in black and white, (sorry, glorious tecnicolour) in an official NA publication. (It isnt too difficult to work out "how" this gross miss-statement has come about, but that's bye the bye).

Unfortunately there is no easy way of avoiding the potential pitfalls of accepting advice from a reputedly knowledgable source - it's hole that I've probably fallen into at least as many times as you or anybody else - the trick is not to fall into the same hole twice ! - regards - Tom.

[Andrew Hesketh]

Tom,

I've been in France for a few days so I've only just picked up your detailed explanation. I would like to thank you very much indeed for that full reply which is enormously helpful. Thanks also to all the other guys who've tried to help me on this one.

All the best,

Andrew

[Guest CJGillan]

Thanks to Tom Tulloch-Marhshall,

Your post answered my question about my grandfather's British War Medal also. Now I understand.

Thanks again.