How comprehensive / inclusive are MICs?

[Grey Squirrel]

Questions for those more experienced than me...

Are those who were "shot at dawn", having already been awarded service medals, included in the MICs, or were they stripped of those decorations upon proven desertion so that they do not appear in the MICs?

Has anyone not found someone in the MICs who is known to have served in the war?

Or, more generally, are particular types of servicemen known to be missing, or are the MICs regarded as a nearly comprehenesive source?

Any thoughts and experiences gratefully received!

Thanks.

[gporta]

I recall going through a volume of the medal rolls. I had already located the soldier I was researching, and I gave a look to the rest of the volume to check if there were other soldiers with near regimental numbers and/or same Battalions and Regiments. While looking through the pages I noticed that some names were typed in red ink, and it was written that these soldiers were not to receive any of the Great War campaign medals. The reasons were varied, but, roughly, desertion and cowardice in the face of the enemy were the most common.

Checking other volumes I saw other similar cases, though in this case they were in the same black ink as the rest... and the notes also stated that they were not to receive the campaign medals, and I suppose that this also went for those unfortunate who were executed for some of the aforementioned reasons.

Since I saw these men in the Medal Rolls, and not in the MICs, I can't tell if a Medal Index card exist in these cases.

Gloria

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

I believe this was covered in the Book of those executed,some were granted Campaign Medals,others not,there are omissions in the MiCs of men whose Medals are extant,yet the Card is missing*{A small % were not put on line due to being missing,illegibility,damage,etc}Generally though they should be considered to be a fairly comprehensive listing of awards to the Army,RFC,& Womens/Civilian services,but like all research tools treated with a degree of caution{As they were transcribed from the original cards,there are a few errors in transcription}

* they would however appear in the rolls if you knew what Regiment he finally served with.

[Graham Stewart]

In the early days I took everything as gospel that the Medal Index Cards and Medal Roll Books were as near complete as you could get and then after a few trips you begin to realise not all is as it should be, especially the MIC's. These contain huge amounts of clerical errors or are missing and only the Medal Roll Books can bail you out, but it means trawling for hour on end.

Here is a typical example. I have the Discharge & Character Certificate of 350027 Pte William Jolley, Labour Corps yet there is no MIC for him. Among the copied PRO documents I have to him was a copy of an MIC to a 350927 Pte William Jolley, Labour Corps and formerly 65858 Kings Liverpool Regt. This MIC directs you to the Silver War Badge Roll where you find none other then 350027 Pte William Jolley.

Now are they the same person with a clerical error in the regimental number?? I think not, I actually think they're two different William Jolleys and why? Because the rest of 350027 Pte William Jolley's copied service papers, including his Statement of Services Sheet(A.F. B.200) show's no association with the Kings Liverpool Regt what-so-ever.

If we are to believe the MIC of Pte Willam Jolley then he originally served overseas with the Kings Liverpool Regt and was then transferred to the Labour Corps. According to Pte William Jolley's Service papers and Discharge Documents he did no such thing, but was enlisted directlly into the Labour Corps and with the 7th Infantry Labour Company, Labour Corps served overseas and not the Kings Liverpool Regiment. So as you see it's about as clear as mud.

As for the desrters and so on and forfeiting their medals, somewhere among my notes I have a note of a pardon being issued in the early 1920's from H.M.King re-instating the right of those individuals to their medals who had previously been struck off.

Graham.

[themonsstar]

Hi

The Medal roll 1914-15 Star for the 18th Batt Manchester says 10495 Pte Ingham A. NO (FGCM) Shot by sentence of FGCM 1/12/16.

10502 Pte Longshaw A. Discharged X out Shot for desertion 1/12/1916. Star return (1743KRx??12) ory.262/B-31/1/24-8149/???????:NW/9/2025.

In the rolls for the 19th Batt 26685 Pte E Holt shot for desertion 4/3/17 not there.

2nd Batt 2064 Pte W Wycherley desertion 12/9/17 not there. 1957 Pte WG Hunt 2nd Batt with 18 Batt the Roll as NO Medal Shot for desertion. Next to him is 1254 Pte Harney T NO medal forfeited cause desertion & 9190 Pte Howson W NO Medal forfeited for desertion.

[Grey Squirrel]

Thanks everyone for your very informative replies.