trying to get medals won by Grandfather

[robertwilson]

hi there is there anybody that can help me get the medal that my grandfather won in the second world war l have his army number but don't know how to go about getting them.

[casalguidi]

Hi

If they weren't previously issued to your grandfather or his next of kin then they may still be available to the next of kin:

http://www.army.mod.uk/contacts/divisions/medals.htm

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[Nick Carver]

Isn't there a time limit? Neither my father (WWII) nor his father (WWI) claimed their medals and somebody told me a year or so ago that I was too late to claim WWI medals, but there was still time left for WWII. I always thought the limit was 50 years, but that doesn't fit the information I got (which was from a chap who gives tours round WWI battlefields),

[casalguidi]

Hi Nick

With regards to WW2 medals, I've not heard of any time limit and there is nothing about a time limit on their website (as in above post):

Issue of medals post WW1 to those entitled persons who have never received them

Some years ago (probably about 15 and when family history wasn't quite so "hot"), I enquired with Droitwich (as it was then) as to what WW2 medals a deceased relative had received and was surprised to receive a letter back stating that the relevant medal had never been claimed and was available to the next of kin.  They required copies of official documents ie. every birth/marriage/death certificate to prove the connection to the next of kin.

The next of kin (in our case) would have been the wife but she was deceased also so then it was the oldest son - note NOT oldest child.

Good luck

Casalguidi

[Nick Carver]

Casalguidi

Thanks for that. As I am the oldest son of the oldest son (WWI) I guess that puts me in pole position regarding a claim for those medals, but as my mum is still alive I would have to co-ordinate with her for WWII. She is not my grandfather's next of kin obviously. It's certainly worth writing a letter and I shall advise the board of the eventual outcome. Don't hold your breath - these things generally take ages.

I'll need to decide whether I really want the medals first, but as the genealogist in me wonders if my own great grandchildren would like to have them, then the answer looks pretty obvious.

Nick

[casalguidi]

Hi Nick

The above only applies to WW2 - I don't know that they can help with WW1 as the webpage advises to get in touch with Kew 

Best wishes

Casalguidi

[Nick Carver]

Casalguidi

I think I had heard that somewhere else. Never mind, I can still make the enquiry and let others know what happens although I suspect there will be rather fewer people that know for certain if one of their ancestors happened to claim their WWI medals. They could easily have gon astray over the past 80 years.

Nick