lindylou68 Posted 8 May Share Posted 8 May Hi there, Can anyone please help me. I'm trying so hard to find my grandads medals and any pictures of him, that got sold. I know he was in the Suffolk regiment and also the Indian Army during ww1. I have his new testament and want to put that, his cap badge and medals in a box frame. His name was Cyril Victor Bolton Pearson. I know his medals were sold and went to Australia and, have again, been sold and returned to the UK and now I've come to a dead end. Can anyone please help me or advise me at all Thanks Lindy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Admin kenf48 Posted 8 May Admin Share Posted 8 May 1 hour ago, lindylou68 said: I'm trying so hard to find my grandads medals and any pictures of him, that got sold. I suggest you have a look at the British Medal Forum which I believe has a section to reunite medals. It is unfortunate but if the family sold the medals a collector might think they are a more reliable custodian. You can order replica medals which are often of comparable quality. A search on this forum may offer recommendations. As for a photograph again, as he survived the war it's unlikely there will be photographs outside the family but then, never say never. Good luck with your research Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindylou68 Posted 9 May Author Share Posted 9 May Thank you so much for your help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 10 May Share Posted 10 May (edited) Lindy, Welcome to GWF. A few things to hopefully aid your searches: Before being commissioned and becoming an officer he had earlier service in the ranks as 4/9298 & 204044, Northumberland Fusilers [renumbering in 1917 being typical of a Territorial Force battalion like the 4th] = Northumberland Fusiliers will be on his medals as his first unit in a ToW, landing 7-16, and he didn't commission until 27 June 1917 [though if he again served overseas in a ToW his highest rank will be shown, at least on the BWM & VM] He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal plus the Territorial Force War Medal It is fortunate that as an officer he had to apply for his medals so gave an address in 1921 of Claremont, West Road, Bury St Edmunds [Might help your search of local newspapers - typically done digitally via the British Newspaper Archive and/or Find My Past, or possibly a local history centre] Image thanks to WFA/Fold3 Wishing you good fortune. M Edit: as I looked to check the start of his commissioned service ... you might as well have these London Gazette links: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30206/supplement/7738 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31187/page/2438 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32098/page/10310 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30368/supplement/11459 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30739/supplement/6909 https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31694/supplement/15716 Edited 10 May by Matlock1418 Edit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindylou68 Posted 10 May Author Share Posted 10 May Oooooh my.........Thank you so so much. I had found his medal certificate, but don't really understand what it all means. Bless you. Thankyou. I was going to get replicas, but have now decided, I'm never going to give up the search. Kindest Regards Lindy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 11 May Share Posted 11 May 9 hours ago, lindylou68 said: I had found his medal certificate, but don't really understand what it all means. To understand war medals and MIC I suggest you look at: https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/campaign-medal-records/the-british-campaign-medals-for-the-great-war https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/campaign-medal-records/how-to-interpret-a-campaign-medal-index-card M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mancpal Posted 11 May Share Posted 11 May Lindy, the only slight chance of a photograph would be local newspapers. Ken is correct in suggesting war survivors were far less likely to be photographed. However if he was injured, got married, received a gallantry award etc during service you may be lucky. Perhaps him receiving his commission may get a mention though again the chances are slim. I reached a point with my family research years ago thinking that I’d exhausted all avenues, since then others have provided further information re my POW Grandad, things I thought I’d never know, the message being don’t give up! Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 11 May Share Posted 11 May 1 hour ago, mancpal said: Ken is correct in suggesting war survivors were far less likely to be photographed. Simon, A small correction if I may please - the dead were less likely to get photographed! However, I no doubt believe you and Ken were referring to the fact that many photographs may not have escaped from the clutches of the family into the press. That said, and as you commented some did ... and not just of dead men Lindy, The military really did not do individual photographs of their men, except in very special circumstances. However lots of private photographs were taken - of proud new servicemen and 'just in case' [funded by those who could afford - and many who really couldn't but just had to have one]. Sadly not all men got so photographed Local newspapers were like the social media of the day and many articles of 'interest' were published to inform the local readership - when they could using a photo, but sometimes just articles of interest ... Like a letter sent home. Also on mobilisation, on a move to the front, return on leave, wounding, promotion, miltary awards, more rarely on demobilisation [as there were just so many men to get demobilised ... 1000s per day!] Though of course the dead featured too. It is still worth looking out for some of those potentially photoless interest stories - but no promises! So as has been suggested/prompted ... Don't give up! M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matlock1418 Posted 11 May Share Posted 11 May (edited) On the matter of finding medals there are a couple of extra means of looking out for them that come to mind - I feel sure other members can offer their further tips too. Post for auction house alerts - for individual auction houses but potentially via The Saleroom https://www.the-saleroom.com/en-gb [I have used this and regularly get many family name alerts - but sadly not yet to aspired effect ] Attach 'Wanted'/'seeking' etc. tags to genealogical sites records e.g. I believe you can do so to Ancestry records [though I have not used] Wishing you good luck M Edited 11 May by Matlock1418 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindylou68 Posted 11 May Author Share Posted 11 May Wow thank you all for your help and advice. I'm never going to give up. It's just something I have to do. Lindy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 12 May Share Posted 12 May @lindylou68 -- Sorry that I can't add anything about his war service or finding an image of him despite searching the newspaper archives. I did find one item that maybe of interest to you:- Cyril attended the Bury St Edmunds St James National School (boys section), entering school on the 20th May 1904. His entry in the school register shows that his father was called Percy and the family were living at 21 St Andrews Street South, Bury St Edmunds. The entry shows that his previous school was 'Private' and that he left St James' School on the 22d January 1908. (images courtesy of Find My Past) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 12 May Share Posted 12 May (edited) Isn't this him? 1/5th Suffolks. 'Enlisted prior to the war. He is at Belleview, Chesterton, Cambridge' Stowmarket Weekly Post 1/7/15. Charlie Image courtesy Findmypast newspapers Edited 12 May by charlie962 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allan1892 Posted 12 May Share Posted 12 May 12 minutes ago, charlie962 said: Isn't this him? Well found -- this didn't come up in my searches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie962 Posted 12 May Share Posted 12 May Whilst his Victory Medal was issued on the roll of the Suffolks, his British War Medal was issued by the the India Office on the roll of the 1st Lancers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindylou68 Posted 12 May Author Share Posted 12 May Oooooh wow you've bought me to tears. What can I say.......thank you thank you. Lindy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartyG Posted 13 May Share Posted 13 May (edited) Further to the helpful advice Matlock has given, and similar to The Saleroom, you can also set up name alerts on Easy Live, spread the net wide: https://www.easyliveauction.com I have name alerts set up on both of the above and also on eBay - I found my Great Uncle’s Victory Medal through eBay that way. I would also strongly back up kenf48’s recommendation above to sign up over on the BMF and post in the “Seeking Family Medals” section there, and also include some of the information you’ve obtained here. As he suggests, one of the members there may have the medals, you just never know. https://britishmedalforum.com/index.php?sid=4e4df8b0af3032c92c7134ec1bc55d8e Edited 13 May by MartyG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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