Genealogy Chat

Hi Every one as any body out there had any ancestors that served in
ww1 or ww2 not recieved their medals,Tried to find my grand dads no one
in the family knows anything at all. A cousin of mine says her Dad never got
his is there any way of finding out if they have been issued.
Cheers All





researching The King Family and The Grimshaw,s

Have a look at the National Archives website. There are medal cards for WW1 soldiers available to download.....he may be listed........not sure if that means he actually received them though.......but it is a starting point.

Ann

Hi Ann many thanks for your reply .yes I have done what you
have suggested got his medal card off Ancestory
thats how I know he should have 3 medals Cheers pauline

Further info which may apply??


You might find information regarding the theatre of war first served in and the date the individual entered that theatre. If this part of the card is blank, this usually means that the individual went to France in 1916 or later.

You may see remarks concerning the career or fate of the individual, such as date of death and the date a soldier was discharged. The original medal issue and medal receipt may also be noted.

"Clasp and Roses" or "Cl" means the soldier received the dated clasp to adorn the ribbon of the 1914 Star, or a silver rosette to go on the ribbon when only ribbons are being worn.

"EMB" or "Emblems" denotes that an individual had been "Mentioned in Despatches" (MID) and that at least two "oak leaf" MID emblems had been sent to the recipient.

Occasionally the medal card will confirm that the individual did not receive any medals, including many soldiers who went to France after 11 November 1918. They thought they were entitled and applied, but had their application refused. Others failed to meet the required criteria for certain awards, had not served abroad, or forfeited their campaign medals due to a disciplinary infringement.

Some forfited theirs,,,,that means they refused to accept them.perhaps they were lost or thown out during an event?

you can get minature copies but these are not named,a re-issue cant be given for the originals.

Kay

I think "forfeited" in this case, means that they were either not allowed to have them, or the medals were taken away from them ........ because they did something that led to disciplinary action.



sylvia

My father in law passed away in 1992 and we never found any medals from his service in WW2 when clearing the house.. In 2000 approx whilst at a collectors fair I got chatting to a gent on a stall selling medals and told him we never found any for FIL.
He told me lots didn't bother to claim them and he gave me an address in DROITWICH to write to. This I did and sure enough the medals had not been claimed. We had to prove next of kin and death etc and they were then sent to my husband in a little box.
They will go to his grandson eventually. I will see if I can find the Droitwich address.

It seems - at least for my late uncle - that WWI medals were signed upon receipt!

My father's brother was killed in September 1916 at the Somme. In his army Records are copies of the receipt in July 1919 for his Star Medal signed by his sister, and in September 1921 the receipt for his British War Medal signed by his father. (The same sister's initals are underneath the signature - perhaps she signed for it.)

It seems logical there is a trace / receipt of medals sent to the deceased's family otherwise the authorities would be innudated with queries.

Sadly, I have never seen Uncle Samuel Barnes' medals, so I don't know what happened to them. Another piece of family history lost forever!

My grandfather was in WW1

His war record shows that he received his medals

They went to one of his sons ... the only other child of his who married.

My brother and I were the only grandchildren, but my brother died in 1990, leaving a widow and 3 children. I have one child

My uncle died in 1992. I waited about 6 months .......... not wanting to cause grief ........... then wrote to his wife and said that I would love to have any of my grandparents' things that they might have had.


Her response ................... "I thought no-one would be interested so I burnt everything belonging to that family after "Jack" died"


Not one of us had been asked if we wanted anything, either before or after his death

To Every one out there many thanks for your replies it seems that Grandad
was never issued them ,but I know my Dad received his long after his discharge
I remember them arriving in a little box,They are now proudly on display
in our home and will be passed on to my son To SylvianlnCanada my heart goes out to you to find that some one can just dis regard Family keep sakes

Thanks, Shipshape


I was so upset when I got that letter!

Oh dear, Syliva, what can one say!! Devastated - and such great sadness for this wanton, needless destruction comes to mind.

Similarly, I have six photos taken 1870 / 1880 in the shires of Lincoln and Northampton. (What a lovely forgotten medieval name - Shire.) Five ladies in their Sunday best - and one man - are my wife’s ancestors. Sadly, none of their names is on these photos and so these folk are unidentified.

However, there is an elderly lady I believe holds the key but she has refused several times to speak about ancestors and divulge who is who. I spent pretty well all their lives ‘chasing’ these six - and I so wish I could insert the last piece of the puzzle and put the correct name to each photo. Frustrationville! BIG sigh.

Medal-wise, however, and still with my wife’s family, I had recent good fortune, I’m so pleased to say, which I’d like to share.

I had been seeking for ages the death certificate for the wife of my wife’s Great Uncle, Lionel Gent. I didn’t know she changed her Christian name just before their 1907 marriage - by which she would be known until her death 40 years ago.

I bought what I believed her death certificate to see potential information about the informant. It was the correct certificate and the informant’s name and address was clearly stated. A quick search and one phone call and I was talking with the informant; it doesn’t get much better than that!

Although neither of us was directly related to the family we both spoke for some time about these folks (I knew so much after years of research.) She told me the wife lived with them until about three years before her death when she moved into a home. This deceased lady left husband Lionel’s medals and some photos behind which were gathering dust in a drawer. Would I like them? “Yes please” - and “Thank you very much for your help.” I had them within two weeks.

They are the two usual WWI medals, and his name and number are on the rim. Lionel was a Sgt in the Royal Welsh Regiment and I was told he served in Egypt. Regrettably, I have been unable to find his service record; it seems it is one of the many records lost or destroyed. Regardless, these medals are with family.

Thank you, ShipShape, for allowing me post this story on your thread.

Barry

Barry

what a great story!



sylvia

My mother recently applied for her fathers WW2 medals. she knew they had never been uplifted as her father and ,after his death, her older brother refused to get them.
Now that she is the only one left, she sent application stating that she was 'next of kin' and attached her fathers death certificate now she has his medals. They are proudly displayed with his photo.

this is the site

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/DefenceFor/Veterans/Medals/ApplyingForMedals.htm

To Barry. What a lovely story and Good Luck on any
further research and to Jeannie for the medal site do you know ? if it
covers ww1
Cheers Pauline

No, the MOD won't issue or re-issue WW1 medals.