Jon Shattock Posted 3 May , 2005 Share Posted 3 May , 2005 I have a trio which has written on the MIC "Forft for Dest: 16/6/'17" this has been crossed out and the original medal roll reference (which was also crossed out) has been replaced by another reference. Does this mean the medals were forfeited for desertion (with a date of conviction of 16/6/17?) and then reinstated? If so, would there be a record of his court martial in the PRO? Was it unusual for forfeited medals to be restored, or was there a general amnesty at some stage after the war? Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrandsonMichael Posted 3 May , 2005 Share Posted 3 May , 2005 Hi Jon, A lot of questions, which I cannot answer. I can tell you however that I have a copy of a Medal Roll, for the Victory and British War Medal, which is dated 23/12/19, the year in which he decision was made to issue these medals. On this copy a soldier is mentioned who deserted on 22-1-16. After his name the words ‘NO MEDAL’ have been added. So I would say that the date mentioned on the MIC is the actual date of desertion, not conviction. You don’t know if he was caught and sentenced... Cheers, Michael Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosemary Clarke Posted 3 May , 2005 Share Posted 3 May , 2005 Jon Do you have any identifying details? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 4 May , 2005 Share Posted 4 May , 2005 There may be further details in the medal roll. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 4 May , 2005 Share Posted 4 May , 2005 HAve you a name? John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 5 May , 2005 Share Posted 5 May , 2005 JON I HAVE DETAILS OF SOME SOLDIERS WHO DESERTED AND THEIR MEDALS FORFEITED BUT THEY WERE LATER REISSUED,PROBABLY, IN MOST CASES BECAUSE THEY REDEEMED THEMSELVES OR THE ARMY DEEMED IT NOT SERIOUS ENOUGH TO WITHHOLD THEM,BERNARD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Shattock Posted 7 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2005 Sorry for delay. Details are as follows 9829 Pte J W Ruttleton East Yorkshire R. I'll try and scan the MIC - not sure if my IT skills are up to it! Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Shattock Posted 8 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 8 May , 2005 I'll try again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SPotter Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 I have several medals to men who originally had them forfeited for 'desertion' but subsequently (obviously) had them re-instated. I do not know for sure, but I imagine that overstaying a home leave would also count as desertion, which, as it was not in the face of the enemy would not incur the wrath of the authorities to the same extent as those poor souls who could stand no more whilst in the line, but which would nonetheless initially be considered sufficiently serious for them to forfeit their rights to a medal. Perhaps there was not necessarily a general amnesty, but a realisation that to withold recognition was unduly harsh. There must be something written down formally which governed such cases - I just haven't come across it yet. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 jon,i have 7 medal ledgers and theres quite a few forfeits,many say,medal forfeit,resubmitted awarded eg 1921,one case was a soldier who deserted so he could join another unit,another ref was medal forfeit,still in a state of desertion in 1920,bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john w. Posted 24 May , 2005 Share Posted 24 May , 2005 Quite often men like these were returned to unit.. and given the worst jobs.. in some cases they survived in others the Germans killed them... May be your man was an RTU John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Shattock Posted 25 May , 2005 Author Share Posted 25 May , 2005 Many thanks for the helpful information. I'll keep my fingers crossed that his service record has survived. Since the MIC has a medal roll that is crossed out because of the forfeiting of the medals and then a reference to the roll where they were reinstated subsequently added, I assume the medals must have been reinstated some time after the mic was first completed. Does anyone know when the mic's were compiled? Was an mic written when the medals were first claimed, or when the swb was claimed or were all the mic's for a regiment compiled at the same time, or what? Jon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bernardmcilwaine Posted 25 May , 2005 Share Posted 25 May , 2005 the medal ledgers i have were written/typed out in 1920/21 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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