Lindsay See below... :-) -----Original Message----- From: Lindsay Graham <LDGraham@aapt.net.au> Sent Subject: [GREATWAR] WW1 MEDAL CARDS > I'm new to this list, so I hope I'm not asking questions that are just too easy or have > been covered before. I have obtained an > image from the WW1 Medals Cards database at the British National Archives, and I am > looking for some assistance to interpret it. > The left hand side of the card says: > Medal Roll Page > -------------------------------------------------------- > Victory RGA/118B 1480 (or 1780?) > British do. do. > 15 Star RGA/1B/5 359 > The right hand side of the card, under Remarks, says Class 2: 23-2-19. > RGA is Royal Garrison Artillery, in which he was a Gunner, later Acting Corporal. > Does "15 Star" mean the 1914-1915 Star? Yes - there should also be a date of entry to a theatre of war. The qualification for this medal is that the individual entered a theatre of war by 31/12/1915. > What do the other codes under Roll and Page mean? Do they refer to other records that > are available? The medal index card (MIC) is simply a filing card and gives these references to the medal rolls themselves. These record the individual's entitlement to medals and sometimes contain information not held on the MIC. > What does "Class 2: 23-2-19" mean? Its more likely to be Class Z, short for army reserve class Z. This was the title of the army reserve to which volunteers were demobilised at the end of the war. 23-2-19 is the date he was discharged from the army. > The family believes that he was awarded a Military Medal at the Battle of Vimy Ridge, was > made a King's Corporal at Loos, was > Mentioned in Despatches, and was awarded the Croix de Guerre. Given the information on > the Medal Card, how likely does this seem? If he was awarded an MM it will likely be recorded on another card for gallantry medals. This should include the date of the London Gazette in which the award was announced. However citations are not normally given for Military Medals. > Where can I find records of these medals and awards? Look for another medal card on the National Archives website. Try searching on his surname and number only. It is likely that a card for his MM exists but will be listed on surname and initials only (rather than christian name). Sometimes MMs are recorded in the war diary of the unit but in the case of artillery you then hit the problem that the war diaries haven't survived to any great extent. I share this problem with you; my grandfather served with the RGA and was awarded an MM in January 1918 but few records survive regarding the circumstances of the award. I'm fortunate to have the citation published in routine orders for XIII Corps. Its also recorded in the history of his Siege Battery (135). > I'm sorry that there are so many questions, but I hope someone can help me at least some > of these queries. If it would help, I can > provide an image of the Medal Card (276KB) or provide name and other details of the > soldier concerned. Do - feel free to e-mail me and attach the medal card. I would be happy to help as far as I can. > Lindsay Graham > Canberra, Australia Greetings Lindsay! Kind regards Mike Shingleton London, UK > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > GREATWAR-request@rootsweb.com with > the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message