Help, when were WW1 medals issued

[ourgang]

I got Medal Roll for my granduncle Edward McGuirk, Royal Dublin Fusiliers , Private .8072. He was killed in action about 12 April 1915.

Would anyone know when medals were awarded and were they sent to the man's last known address?.
Edward was single and 26 at time of death, his four brothers were at war on various fronts and the family scattered.

[mmm45]

A vast majority of Stars were issued 1919-1920
British War Medals and Victory Medals 1920-24

On many medal cards if the Medals werent delivered to the Next Of Kin of the dead soldier it is written "Returned " or similar.

If the service records survive there are also reciepts in the records for issue of medals.

He will also have a Death Plaque and Scroll.

Ady

[millymcb]

He has a Commonwealth War Graves entry on their website

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_details.aspx?casualty=445050

He's spelt McQuirk - rather than McGuirk on there.

This does give information about his father: Son of Mr. E. McQuirk, of 2, Smith's Cottages, Temple Rd., Blackrock, Co. Dublin.
 
I should think that as his next of kin - this is where the medals  would have been sent.


Milly

[ourgang]

Thank you both.This is great help. Edward McGuirk was his father.Parents were estranged. Medals must have been lost, no details inremaining  family of their existance. I really appreciate your assistance.

Patricia

[km1971]

Hi Patricia

As he was awarded the 1914 Star (which was promulgated in 1917) it may have been sent out by the end of 1918. The other two would have followed a few years latter. Medals were sent out by registered post, and as his card does not indicate they were returned undelivered you have to assume they were received.

If he filled out a will they would be sent to whoever he recorded as his beneficiary, who may not have been his next of kin.

Memorial Plaques were a gift from the king to the next of kin, whoever his beneficiary may have been.

Ken

[ourgang]

Thank you very much Ken,

It is marvellous to have found out as much as we have to date and his medals would have been an unexpected bonus. However now that I am on the track who knows?

Patricia

[ourgang]

Thanks to all Rootschatters I found out so much about my Great Uncle Edward McGuirk.We went to La Plus Douve Cemetery, 10 kms South of Ypres, 100 years after his death on 12 April 1915, to visit his grave. It was an amazing experience to be the first member of his family to visit this tiny cemetery.The Commonwealth Graves Commission do such wonderful work keeping these cemeteries in pristine condition and having such a great site to help us find the grave.

[IMBER]

Great that you eventually managed to visit his grave. I see that the CWGC record has spelled his surname incorrectly. Did the headstone have the same error? If so then the CWGC will change the headstone and any records for you as long as you provide satisfactory evidence. They did that for me. Details here:

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty-details/amending-records.aspx

As regards the medals it's worth bearing in mind that at that period the arrival of British medals was not welcome in some Irish homes and they were discarded.

[ourgang]

Yes IMBER the headstone had the name as McQuirk, same error. I was about to offer to pay the CWGC to have it altered. Thank you very much for your information.I would say the medals were discarded as Edward's parents were estranged and family home split.

I felt so honoured to be able to visit the grave. Three of his brothers (my grandfather included) made it safely home to Ireland, but, I don't think they knew where Edward died, as you say the whole scene had altered in Ireland in 1918 and British Army soldiers did not discuss their war.. I still have to start research into one brother William McGuirk (after whom my late father was named).

Over the years Rootschatters have given me so much help and encouragement in my research.
I also have yet to tackle the intrigue of my maternal side of the family....