WW1 Medal cards

[jillruss]

Hi,

I'd like to ask 2 questions, if that's ok.

I've found a couple of medals awarded to my grandfather in WW1. With the help of Rootschat, I've managed to identify them. Now I want to know more!

I've been looking on the National Archives website and discovered I can send for his medal card. I did the search and it came up with 6 possibles. So, what I'd like to know first is what do these cards tell you?  How can you be sure you've got the correct one? Do they actually contain an address or birthdate - the information that comes up after the search doesn't give much away - is there more information on the card you buy?

Also, I've found a 'bar' - don't know it's real name! It's just under 4 inches long and half an inch deep with bands of different colours and an insignia of some kind in the middle. It's got a pin on the back and I think it was pinned onto the uniform pocket. Does it signify the battalion or something? (Sorry to be so thick!) I think it might be my father's from the RAF in WW2 - how would I go about identifying it? Is there a website for such 'badges' like there is for medals?

Can anyone help?

Jill.

[liverpool annie]

Hi Jill

This site has ribbons - hope it has your's .........!!

http://www.hallofmedals.co.uk/homepage.html

Annie

[Little Nell]

The National Archives site itself gives the best indication of what is included on the medal cards:
http://www.documentsonline.nationalarchives.gov.uk/medals.asp

Read down the whole page - it includes sample images of the medal card designs as well as lots of other useful information.  You can download the image to your computer for a fee - you will not be sent his medal card, however much you might want it!

The cards do not give dates of birth or addresses.  They are simply the record card of the man's name, his service number(s), regiments in which he served, which theatre of war, and any medal entitlement.  There are 6 cards per image.  If you pay your money, all of the 6 possibles may be on the same page and so it will only cost £3.50.  For most people, this is an easy way of identifying the regiment in which their ancestor served so that they can then look for the service record at Kew.

The bar you have found sounds like what you see on any military uniform and represents all the medal ribbons for the person wearing it.  No-one goes around with all their medals pinned on all the time, but this allows the bearer to show which medals he/she has been awarded by showing only the ribbons - which are unique to each medal.

Nell

[jillruss]

Thanks Annie and Nell.

I hadn't appreciated that you could download the medal cards. With it having a 'shopping basket' I assumed they sent you a copy of the card!

Thanks to the website that Annie recommended , I've managed to identify from the ribbon bar the 3 medals that my dad must have been awarded in WW2 - although I've no idea what happened to the actual medals. Still, it all fits , as one of them was the Africa Star and I know for sure that he was in Africa.

I'm now going to try and download the medal cards for my 2 grandfathers in WW1. This is really great!

Thanks again to both,
Jill.

[manmack]

jill can you post a picture,the bar you speak of is his ribbon bar,if he was in ww2 RAF,then one medal will be the defence medal another the 39/45 medal another the 39/45 star,you mention six ribbons,i will be able to tell you if i see them,manmack

[jillruss]

Thanks very much for the offer but I've managed to identify the 3 medal ribbons - there were only 3. You were right, they are the Defence medal, the 1939-45 medal and the Africa Star.

I've also downloaded  the medal card for one of my grandfathers but it's very difficult to home in on my other grandfather's because I don't know anything about his war record - not even which service he was in. At the moment I have 6 possibles. Impossible to tell without birth dates or addresses. All I do know is that he sustained an eye injury. Would that be on his war record?

Is it possible to send for a copy of their actual war records or do you have to go down to Kew in person?

Jill.

[manmack]

jill theres a medal missing,there should be a 1939-45 star,look on the rim of your g/fathers medal there are details on there,post what you have and i will do what i can,mack

[jillruss]

Hi mack,

Thanks for the offer.

I haven't actually got any of my father's medals from WW2 - the medals I have were  my grandfather's from  WW1.

All I have from my dad is the ribbon badge ( or whatever it's called!) and this denotes 3 medals ( whereabouts unknown) - Defence Medal, the 1939-45 Star and the Africa Star.

So I think I've sorted out the medals etc. but could you tell me if I can send for their war records or do I have to go to Kew in person?

Thanks,
Jill.

[manmack]

jill,you can apply for your dads records at the army records office in scotland,as next of kin its free of charge,but anyone else,nephews,nieces etc will have to pay £25,i will get you the address,your g/fathers records MAY be at the N/A but a lot were destroyed in the blitz,what info do you have about your g/father,even small details can be very helpful,mack