Robert Whiteside Manchester Regiment

[Geoffca]

Good afternoon all

My grandfather and great grand father both called Robert Whiteside(s) had medals from the Crimea , India, Boer and 1stWW these were stolen from my mother in the 1950's. I have fortunately recovered an Indian Mutiny medal but have nothing else.

My grandfather was in the Manchester Regiment 2nd Batt  service no. 5514

My great grandfather was in the 95th Foot service no. 3489

I'm happy with their military histories, so its medals I'm after, I know it's a long shot but you never know.

The attached photo is Robert , Manchester Reg.

Thanks for looking Geoff

[Michelle Young]

Welcome to the forum Geoff. Have you also registered with the British Medal Forum?

https://britishmedalforum.com/

Yay can also set up alerts with auction houses, plus an alert on Ancestry on the medal index card. 

[Geoffca]

Thank you Michelle

No I'm not registered anywhere else but I shall  start doing that now.  Thanks

[peregrinvs]

A word of advice. Unless you have hard evidence that the medals were stolen (e.g. a copy of the crime report) I would not mention it as that is not an incentive for a medal collector to get in touch with you in terms of the fear of potential financial and legal repercussions. Just state you are prepared to pay a fair market price for them, or better still that you would significantly improve on their current market value. 

[RNCVR]

 @Geoffca  Robert is wearing these medals - Queens South Africa(3 clasps),King South Africa (2 clasps), 1914 (Mons ) star with clasp, British War & Victory medals, Army Long Service medal.

They would all be named to him, his Regimenatla number, & what Regiment(s) he served in for each. 

Edited 26 November , 2023 by RNCVR

[RNCVR]

Further to my post above -- It is important to note that not all Victorian campaign medals were named - ie: the Crimea medal earned by your great grandfather may or may not be named to him as not all participating Regiments had their medals named. I dont know if the 95th Foot would have had their Crimea medals named.  Another Forum mate might collect to this Regiment & would know for certain.

[Geoffca]

Many thanks RNCVR for your interest.

The medal I have is a named Indian Mutiny and it’s good to hear that the others could be named too. The Crimea medal is out there, years ago it was talked about on another forum but that is now silent.

And having taken the advice, let’s say they we lost contact with them 80 years ago and they would be very welcome back 

Thanks Geoff 

[RNCVR]

@Geoffca  As @Michelle Young  mentioned in an earlier post your best bet is to get registered on the British Medal Forum, there are many collectors on there & one may specialize  in yr great grandfather's &/or the Manchester Regiment.  Its very possible their medal(s) may exist in a collection. 

However you may (or may not) know that in early 1980's the world experienced a "silver craze", where two brothers cornered the silver market & pushed the scrap silver price up astronomically, thus leading many many named medals to be consigned for melting.  So the possiblility that some of his silver medals may not have survived has to be taken into account as well.

Its good you have his IM - its a very collectable medal.  Do you know that his Crimea is definitely named?  There are lots of unnamed Crimea medals available on the market. Its not a rare medal. 

I wish you the best of luck in obtaining your ancestor's medals again!

Bryan

[Geoffca]

Thanks Bryan

I registered with Medal forum but will have to wait to be allowed in. I’m being realistic and not holding my breath for results, I’ve been looking on and off for twenty years. I only came across this site this morning (I’m a good weather gardener and it ain’t good today) but it is very interesting and I’ll have other questions in the future.  
Thanks for any information 

[RNCVR]

@Geoffca  Yes, that Forum vets applicants. It usually takes a few days. 

You may just get lucky, I dont know how popular the Manchester Reg't & its pre 1881 Foot predecessor is as I was a Victorian/Edwardian Navy collector/specialist.

But I am certain you will receive some responses as a result of your advert.  For all you know a collector might just be looking for your ggrandfather's IM medal!

No gardening here in Ontario, Canada now, we are well into winter/cold season now!  But we sure got a super crop of raspberries earlier in season!

 

Best w & pls keep us posted  .....Bryan

[Michelle Young]

There’s also the Manchester Regiment Forum.

https://themanchesters.org/forum/index.php

[chaz]

Geoff

where are you in the country?

maybe a stroll to  a local militaria fair may turn up something. I was at Yate, Bristol yesterday. there was a lot of new stock , more than the one 2 or 3 months ago.

• as suggested the BMF.
• secondly google his name, may turn up if they have been listed for sale
• set up alerts on ebay, TheSaleroom (the saleroom will cover most national auction houses, from small town ones to Noonans (Formerly DNW) and Spink large specialist ones.
• Militaria fairs, Mark Carter, Britannia etc https://www.milweb.net/dealers/trader/markcarter.htm https://www.militariazone.com/britannia-medal-fair/fair_405 google for more

as asked, did you have a police crime report number. due to the length of time since, you may get a friendly shop to return them, it was done recently and featured in the news, the problem being , if they are in a collection, the current trustee (we only look after them, not own them, ) may seek recompense if required to return as they paid for them, unless there was a reward placed or have insurance against a previous theft.

finally, for now, the militaria fair or medal shop may turn up copies you could use to make up a set until the real ones turn up. one of my family finds (3 trios,) turned up on saleroom 30 odd years after last being heard of. As it tends to be an older persons collecting theme, who knows when the time comes that they have to be offered to the market.

btw, one statement from Mark Carters militaria fairs is useful to remember, "not all dealers or collectors have web sites" this infers they do not broadcast what they have, so, you will only find out by visiting them at an address or a fair.

hope this is of some help

[chaz]

@Geoffca

just did  a search on the BMF and back in 2006 there was this

https://britishmedalforum.com/viewtopic.php?p=872542&hilit=robert+whiteside#p872542

95th Foot, a single disc only. 

hopefully, not a broken group but may be worth a pm when you get on the forum.

[Geoffca]

Thanks Chaz 

Lots of good information, I’m in the midlands and hadn’t thought of visiting military fairs but will now google them. I think they could fall into “ I’m going Christmas shopping dear “

The link to BMF looks good, though I still can’t access.

And thanks Michelle for the Manchester site, I did have access to that years ago and gave the photos I had. I can’t seem to find those now ( on the site )and am having to re register to get anywhere but I will persevere.

Thanks Geoff