The awarding of medals has become an invaluable part of military history, as well as the personal history for those who won them. Many family historians have collected the medals of their ancestors as family heirlooms. However, how many genealogists are aware that for every medal there is a medal roll kept and, possibly a war office medal records card? Information on theses cards included name, units and regiments, and theaters of war. Records may also contain place and year of birth along with other information. Utilizing these records one can trace their ancestors through their military service and war efforts. The research may also find clues to their lives before and after individual service. Medals: The Researcher’s Guide, by William Spencer, examines British military service through awarded medals. This volume can help the family historian navigate unique sources at the National Archives and the India Office records at the British Library.
Records from 200 years of conflicts, wars, and events involving British military around the world and the medals, decorations, and awards service members received are available for research. This book breaks them all down. Medals given during and between major conflicts are described. Records are sampled and explored. 20 case studies help break down the process and demonstrate the usefulness of these resources.
Author William Spencer is a leading medal expert and military specialist with the National Archives. Along with detailed information on sources, both traditional and online, Spencer also provides tips and practical advice; including, tips on extending research into the census and war diaries.
As the book covers records that go back as early as 1793, anyone whose British ancestors migrated after that time, or for those still living in Britain, may find value in searching these military records.
Medals: The Researcher’s Guide is available from Family Roots Publishing; Item #: TNA18, Price: $19.55.
Contents
Foreword
About This Guide
Using The National Archives and the British Library
Acknowledgements
PART ONE
SECTION ONE: Campaign Medals
1 Introduction
1.1 Identifying The Medal(s)
1.2 Creating Medal Rolls
1.3 Using Medal Rolls
2 Naval General Service (1793-1840), Military General Service and Waterloo Medals
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840
2.3 The Military General Service Medal 1793-1814
2.4 The Waterloo Medal
2.5 Gold Medals
2.6 Case Study: John Scott Lillie
3 Campaign Medals by Operational Theatre
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Africa
3.3 Case Study: Ali Wadi Songoro
3.4 India, Afghanistan, Burma and South East Asia
3.5 Case Studies: John Buxton, Michael Dowling and James Moore
3.6 China
3.7 New Zealand
3.8 Baltic and Crimea
3.9 Canada
3.10 Middle East
3.11 Rolls to Come
4 First World War Campaign Medals
4.1 Introduction
4.2 The Admiralty
4.3 The Air Ministry
4.4 The Board of Trade
4.5 The War Office
4.5.1 Introduction
4.5.2 Medal Index Cards on Microfishe
4.5.3 Medal Index Cards on DocumentsOnline
4.5.4 Interpreting a Medal Index Card
4.5.5 Operational Theatre Alpha-numeric Codes
4.5.6 Medal Rolls in WO 329
4.5.7 New Records
4.6 Case Study: Thomas Bryan
5 Second World War Campaign Medals
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Air Ministry
5.3 Board of Trade
5.4 Colonial Office
5.5 Foreign Office
5.6 SOE
5.7 Records Still Retained by the Ministry of Defence
5.7.1 Admiralty (RN and RM)
5.7.2 Air Ministry (RAF)
5.7.3 War Office (Army)
5.8 Other Files
5.9 Case Study: Stanley Berry
SECTION TWO: Gallantry and Meritorious Service Awards
6 Introduction
6.1 The Process
6.2 Citation and Recommendation
6.3 The Records
7 The London Gazette
7.1 Introduction
7.2 The London Gazette Index
7.3 The London Gazette Online
7.3.1 Using the London Gazette Online
8 Colonial, Dominion and Indian Gazettes
8.1 Introduction
8.2 National Archives Gazette List
8.3 India Office (British Library) Gazette List
9 General Advice
9.1 Orders of Chivalry
9.2 Admiralty
9.3 The War Office
9.4 Police Awards
9.5 Recommendations for Awards in Colonial Office, Dominions Office and Foreign Office Records
10 Civillian Awards
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Pre-1914
10.2.1 Records of the Board of Trade
10.2.2 Home Office
10.2.3 Ministry of Transport
10.2.4 Ministry of Power
10.3 First World War
10.4 Between the Wars
10.5 Second World War
10.6 Since 1945
10.6.1 Board of Trade
10.6.2 Home Office
10.6.3 Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
10.6.4 Prime Minister’s Office
10.6.5 The Treasury
10.6.6 Other Records
11 Award by Operational Theatre (except WW1 and WW2)
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Operational Theatres
12 First World War Awards
12.1 Introduction
12.2 The London Gazette
12.3 The Admiralty
12.3.1 Easy Sources (Officers)
12.3.2 Easy Sources (Ratings)
12..3.3 Researching Further
12.4 The Air Ministry
12.5 The India Office (British Library)
12.6 The War Office
12.6.1 The Recommendation Process
12.6.2 The Records
12.6.3 Using Unit War Diaries
12.7 The West African Frontier Force and King’s African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal
12.8 Other Government Departments
12.9 Records Held Elsewhere
12.10 Case Studies: Frances Maud Rice, George Williams, Aurthur William Sims Reeve and Sydney Fred Seward
13 Awards Given between the Wars
13.1 Introduction
13.2 The Records
13.3 The National Archives
13.3.1 The Admiralty
13.3.2 The Air Ministry
13.3.3 The War Office
13.3.4 Other Government Departments
13.4 India Office Records (British Library)
13.5 Case Study: Clarence Howells
14 Second World War Awards: Royal Navy and Royal Marines
14.1 Introduction
14.2 First Steps
14.3 Original Creation of the Records
14.4 Examples in ADM 1, ADM 116 and ADM 199
14.5 Files in Non-Admiralty Records
14.6 Name Index
15 Second World War Awards: Army
15.1 Introduction
15.2 WO 373
15.3 Other Records
16 Second World War Awards: RAF
16.1 Introduction
16.2 Index
16.3 Arrangement of Air 2
16.4 Content of Air 2
16.5 Using Air 2
16.6 Case Study: Percy Brown
17 Second World War Awards: Civilians
17.1 Introduction
17.2 The Records
17.2.1 The Admiralty
17.2.2 The Air Ministry
17.2.3 The Board of Trade
17.2.4 The Foreign Office
17.2.5 The Home Office
17.2.6 The Ministry of Transport
17.2.7 The Prime Minister’s Office
17.2.8 Railway Records
17.2.9 The Treasury
18 New Year and Birthday Honours Lists
18.1 Introduction
18.2 The Records
18.3 Detailed Lists
19 Foreign Awards to Britons and British Awards to Foreigners
19.1 Introduction
19.2 The Foreign Office
19.3 The Home Office
19.4 The Admiralty
19.5 The Air Ministry
19.6 Special Operations Executive (SOE)
19.7 The War Office
19.8 The Treasury
19.9 Other Government Departments
19.10 India Office Records (British Library)
19.11 Assorted Other Records
19.12 Case Studies: Alexander Stewart and Bernard Hunt
20 Military Awards Post-1945
20.1 The London Gazette
20.2 The Records
21 Gallantry (Life Saving) Awards
21.1 Introduction
21.2 Records Held at the National Archives
22.3 Records in the Oriental and India Office Collection
21.4 The Royal Humane Society
PART TWO
22 Long Service and Good Conduct Awards
22.1 Introduction
22.2 Armed Forces Long Service Awards
22.3 Admiralty Records
22.3.1 RN LSGC
22.3.2 RNR and RNVR LSGC and Variation
22.3.3 RFR LSGC
22.3.4 Other Admiralty Records
22.4 Air Ministry Records
22.5 War Office Records
22.6 Oriental and India Office Collection Records (British Library)
22.7 Civilian Awards
22.7.1 The Imperial Service Order and Imperial Service Medal
22.7.2 The Rocket Apparatus Volunteer Long Service Medal
22.7.3 Civil Defence Long Service Medal
22.7.4 St John’s Ambulance Service Medal
22.7.5 Special Constabulary Medal
22.7.6 Royal Household Faithful Service Medal
22.8 Using Online Resources
22.9 Case Studies: Thomas Sidwell, James Martin/Galway, Richard Richards, George Spencer
23 Coronation and Jubilee Medals
23.1 Introcution
23.2 Medal Rolls and Recommendations
23.3 Colonial and Dominion Gazettes
23.4 Case Study: Aurthur John Hill
24 Commemorative and Miscellaneous Medals
24.1 Medals for Arctic and Polar Discoveries and Exploration
24.2 The Hong Kong Plague Medal
24.3 Medals for Shooting
24.4 The Order of the League of Mercy
24.5 The Dickin Medal (The Animal VC)
PART THREE
25 Research Technique
25.1 Using the Medals
25.2 Using Documents
25.3 Making the Records Work for You
25.3.1 RN Ratings Records in ADM 188
25.3.2 RN LSGC Medals (Narrow Engraved Variety 1875-7)
25.4 Using ADM 12: The Admiralty Index and Digest
25.5 Using the Catalogue at the National Archives
25.6 Case Study: Henry Cooper
26 Online Information
26.1 Introduction
26.2 The Ministry of Defence
26.3 The Cabinet Office
26.4 The Times Digital Archive
26.5 Australian War Memorial
26.6 Canadian Archives
26.7 Medal.net
26.8 Dealer’s Websites
26.9 Forums
APPENDICES
Appendix A: Where to See Medals
Museums
Books and Magazines
Online
Appendix B: Medal and Other Societies
The Orders and Medals Research Society (OMRS)
The Orders and Medals Society of America (OMSA)
The Military Collectors Club of Canada (MCCC)
The Birmingham Medal Society (BMS)
The Life Saving Awards Research Society
Other Societies
Appendix C: Published Sources and Further Reading
Medal Books
Further Reading
Guides to the Archives and Museums
Key Primary Source Descriptions
INDEX
Glossary of Abbreviations
Acknowledgements