MIC question

[LindaD]

Can anyone tell me what this means

A.O. 265/17

Para 2(a)1

Sick

Date of Discharge 22.6.18. Enlistment - 17.4.15

Action Taken: List AVC 318

Badge No 415384 lost

This appears on Medal card.

[shinglma]

The individual in question has been awarded a Silver War Badge. See this link for more on this award. For information on interpreting these entries see here.

Taking this bit by bit

A.O. 265/17

Para 2(a)1

is Army Order 265 which dealt with the award of the SWB. Para 2(a)i states:

"2. Under the amended conditions the badge will, subject in every case to the approval of the Army Council, be issued only to the individuals specified below, who have served with the military forces subsequent to the 4th August, 1914:

(a) Those who, having served as officers and being still of military age, have retired, resigned or relinquished their commissions:

(i) After service overseas in the armed Forces of the Crown, on account of disablement or ill-health caused otherwise than by misconduct"

Sick

notes that he was discharged due to sickness rather than wounds

Date of Discharge 22.6.18. Enlistment - 17.4.15

Self explanatory really. His discharge took place on 22/06/1918 whilst his enlistment was on 17th April 1915. The latter is useful as the ordinary medal card only give date overseas (and then only if prior to the end of 1915).

Action Taken: List AVC 318

The page in the Silver War Badge lists where his entitlement is recorded. It will give the following details:

Name

Rank at discharge

Unit discharged from (often limited to Deport)

Number

Number of SWB

Date of enlistment

Date of discharge

If served overseas

Age (not always given)

Reason for discharge; often just the code from King's Regulations 392 but occasionally quite graphic description.

Badge No 415384 lost

Unlike the campaign medals the Silver War Badge was not inscribed with the soldier's personal details. Instead each badge was individually numbered. It would seem that this badge has been lost (and therefore replaced?). There may be more details on the SWB list.

Hope this helps

Mike S

[LindaD]

Thanks very much for the information. I does help and is much appreciated.

[Stebie9173]

You won't get a better reply than that!

Just to add that the Silver War Badge was worn on civilian clothes, mainly during the war, but also afterwards, and being worn much more than medals was rather more liable to getting lost than the man's campaign medals that usually lived in a drawer.

Steve.

[shinglma]

Steve

Nice of you to say.

However I've been fretting over this ever since because that para 2a applies to officers and I have a hunch that this is a card for Private Joseph Apps who Linda raised another thread about.

Either the code on the card is wrong or I'm quoting for the wrong amendment of AO 265/17. The full version I have in my notes states:

"2. Under the amended conditions the badge will, subject in every case to the approval of the Army Council, be issued only to the individuals specified below, who have served with the military forces subsequent to the 4th August, 1914:

(a) Those who, having served as officers and being still of military age, have retired, resigned or relinquished their commissions:

(i) After service overseas in the armed Forces of the Crown, on account of disablement or ill-health caused otherwise than by misconduct,

(ii) After service at Home, and have been medically examined and finally discharged from liability to further military service under sub-section (5) of Section 1 of the Military Service (Review of Exception) Act, 1917, as permanently and totally disabled, otherwise than from misconduct.

(b.) Those who, having served as soldiers and being still of military age, have been discharged under the conditions set forth at (i) and (ii) in (a).

(c.) Those who, having served as officers and being now over military age, have retired, resigned or relinquished their commissions.

(d) Those who, have served as soldiers and being now over military age, have been discharged otherwise than for misconduct.

(e) Civilians who have served with the Royal Army Medical Corps under a fixed agreement for a period of service, or who have been employed with the army overseas (provided such employment received official sanction), who have resigned their military employment on account of wounds or sickness, and who, if of military age, have received a final discharge under sub-section (5) of section 1 of the said Act.

(f) Nurses and members of Voluntary Aid Detachments who have been discharged on account of old age, wounds, or sickness, such as would render them permanently unfit for further service."

As you can see it should be para 2b for other ranks. I think I will have to check the original at Kew next week or so. Perhaps another forum member can quote chapter and verse.

Linda - regardless of the precise wording take it that the AO 265 refers to award of the SWB following discharge from the army.

Regards

Mike S

[LindaD]

Hi Mike

Yes it is Private Joseph Apps that I raised a question about in another secton. The MIC does say para 2(a)i.

Thanks for the information that you gave me, it has helped greatly.

Also thanks to Steve for the information about the Silver War Badge being worn on civilian clothes.

[shinglma]

Linda

This Army Order was amended on a number of occasions; I suspect that the version I'm quoting from differs from that referred to on the MIC. I'm going to have a look at it when next at Kew.

Regards

Mike S