Any help interpretting a card?

[adtrace]

I would appreciate any information whatsoever that you can give me, even if it's small or fairly insignificant. This is all of the information on the medal index card.

I understand a few abbreviations like Royal Field Artillery, Royal Garrison Artillery and Gunner. I'm assuming that 15 Star means he won the 1914-1915 Star? This also means that he would have received the British War Medal? (The family only has the Victory Medal now..). Is the 24/5/50 just a date of archiving or something? I have absolutely no idea what the values in the "Remarks" section means.

My biggest question is really what can I do with this base information to find out more? I now know that he served in the French theatre, but I can't find a way to use his regimental number (23308 is inscribed on his victory medal so does this one take precedence over 184130?) to get more information about where he may have been stationed, fought, etc. I genuinely appreciate any help you could give me, even if it's as simple on pointers on how to start my own search. I've been trying to dig through the British archives and war sites and google but had no luck at all.

Thanks very much,

-adtrace

[Kate Wills]

Try searching for Class Z via the search button on the light blue strip near the top of your screen. I believe Class Z defines demobilistion arrangements, so 20.1.19 is possibly his date of discharge.

1914/15 Stars were issued to men who were in uniform by a certain date, so this implies he was an early volunteer.

I'm sure our medal and artillery experts will help when they come online.

[adtrace]

Thanks so much Kate, I had looked up the 1914-1918 information but it only took me so far. I also didn't realize that the Remarks was "Cl Z", so I looked up that information and it does mean that he was either discharged or demobilized to the 'Z Reserve'. Thanks a million, even this firrst information really helps.

[Armoured Farmer]

... Is the 24/5/50 just a date of archiving or something? I have absolutely no idea what the values in the "Remarks" section means.

...

This date probably signifies a query made after the individual, perhaps by him or a member of the family. It shows that his medal records were consulted on that date.

As to the precedence of numbers, the one impressed on the medal is that which he had on first entering a theatre of war.

It is a bit difficult to tell you more as the image is not attached.

For more information on his service papers (if they survive) click on the Long Long Trail link on the top left of the page and look at 'how to research a soldier'

Best Regards

Farmer

[adtrace]

The image worked last night, not sure why it's now been killed (what's 'IPB Image' anyway?). Anyway, I'll try to attach it and failing that, will take up Kevin's offer.

[Armoured Farmer]

Thanks for putting it back up, I don't know what IPB image means either.

Anyway, you've got it right, he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War and Victory Medals. He first went overseas whilst serving in the RFA nad at some time after thet was transferred to the RGA. As he was in the RGA at the end of the war his entitlements are recorded on RGA medal rolls. The references next to the medal names are for the exact page of each medal roll.

The Class Z reference you know about.

The three dates, 24/5/50, 12/4/65 and 14/7/65 show that his medal records were referred to on those dates. As I've said, either he or a member of his family made enquiries..

There are pages on the Long Long Trail site that explain the medals. As to his service papers, a search at the National Archives would be needed, remembering that they may not have survived WWII.

Best Regards

Farmer

[adtrace]

Thanks very much, I appreciate the work you do here. I've been on the National Archives the past two days and haven't had any luck searching through the War Office (WO) records. I'm guessing it's fairly common for service records to have gone missing? This may be a dumb question, but would they have even kept one for people like my great grandfather who wasn't injured and as far as I know, wasn't involved in a pivotal battle..? I'm just not sure what is and isn't common so I don't know if I'm not looking hard enough or if there's nothing to be found..

[Armoured Farmer]

There are about 2 million First War sets of records for men at the National Archives. They were rescued from the fire at Arnside Street (the document repository) in August 1940. There is no discernable rhyme or reason as to which documents survived.

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalog...p?sLeafletID=18

The service records are not searchable online. You'd need to ask someone to do it for you at the NA.

Regards

Farmer

[adtrace]

Thanks Farmer, I didn't realize this had to be done in person. I was trying to search for files just using the general term "WO" thinking that would cover it. I guess I'd have been searching a long time