The World War One Medal Roll's at the National Archives,
(A brief description of the records).
If a serviceman survived World War I
or served long enough to qualify for medals,
then records of these awards, should be found in
the Medal Roll's at the National Archives
at
The rolls record
service medal and honours awards.
The lists are
kept in class WO 329.
The rolls give
little or no personal information for an individual.
The information
is confined to the unit, service number, theatres of war in which he served,
and of course, the medals awarded.
If you know the
service number and unit, you should first look up his medal index card (M.I.C.)
which summarises what is held in more detail in the
medal rolls.
NOTE: The
National Archives web site at www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/
contains a basic but free searchable database
for the WW1 Soldiers Campaign Medals index’s. Once the
basic information is located, the web site offers the opportunity to order (on
line for a small charge) a scanned copy of a specific Medal Index Card.
The Medal Index Card
should provide the following,
1. Full name and Decorations
received,
2. Regiments (if army) served with,
3. Service number(s) held (members
of the Territorial Force had their 4 figure service numbers
replaced by 6 figure numbers in Summer 1916).
4. Rank held after the entry into
the theatre of war,
5. Which theatre of war landed in
(for 1914 and 1914/15 Stars holders only),
6. Reference numbers for the medal
rolls from which the information has been taken.
7. Remarks, e.g., the date of
disembodiment (demobilisation) etc.
Once you have this information, you will
have the National Archives reference numbers that will allow you to look in the
medal rolls which are available at the National Archives.
The information contained in medal
rolls varies, but often contains additional information to the MIC..
The National Archives will, on
request, provide you with two names from their list of professional
researchers who undertake work at the PRO.
(Please note:
these professional researchers are not vetted by the P.R.O.)
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The World War Two Medal Rolls
The Medal Rolls for World War
II have yet to be released to the National Archives.
They are held by the Army Medal
Office, an official enterprise that holds the formal records
of campaign and service medals and other awards
to all British armed services.
The Army Medal Office is still
dealing with the issue of medals, including retrospective awards
of World War II to servicemen and women (or
their next of kin) who can prove non-issue.
The office address is: -
The Ministry of Defence,
Army Medal Office,
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