Alan, Thanks for the lead to the MOD - I phoned the number you gave and they put me in touch with the Royal Navy Medals Office in Gosport. As Ernest is still living it's a relatively simple process. He has to write in giving his name and service number and asking to be issued with his medal entitlement. They will have a medal card on file for him, and if they are happy he hasn't already received them, they just despatch them to him. In many ways it seems sad that they just get sent in the post with no ceremony whatsoever, but I believe that was how they were issued even straight after the war. I still have my dad's little brown box that came through the post with his medals in. Do we have any of Ernest's ancestors on the list? I've told Leah that if they have a party in his honour when he receives his medals, I like a photo of Ernest with medals pinned proudly on his chest. Don