Help from our Military Experts please

Post by **MaryA** » 09 Jun 2011 15:00

Hello you guys, please could you interpret a Medal Card for me. I know from his Pension Records that Arthur Riley served at various times in Malta, India and South Africa. He was obviously entitled to the two medals as listed, but is there anything else this card can tell me? ie what does the PWB List H/2357/2 mean?

Unfortunately I have been unable to find his Service Records, however there are some damaged that might possibly be his.

Post by **daggers** » 09 Jun 2011 15:21

Mary
It's SWB, for Silver War Badge. This indicates that the soldier was discharged as unfit due to his war service. There is a separate medal roll for SWBs, which may give a little more info, but is only available at kew, not online.
The badge could be worn with civilian clothes as a mark of honour, and no white feathers should have been offered.
The Regiment was the Royal Lancaster Regiment, also known as the King's Own, sometimes shortened to KORLR.
Your man might have been a regular soldier.
Daggers

PS There is an excellent regimental museum at Lancaster, whose curator, Peter Donnelly, has helped many people I know or know of: their email is
kingsownmuseum@iname.com
D

Post by **Hilary** » 09 Jun 2011 17:15

Hi Pension records are on Ancestry. He is the Arthur Riley born in Kirkham. The papewrs give his number as 6613

He lied about his birth date!!!!!!!

Post by **Mark Abbott** » 09 Jun 2011 17:42

Interestingly his papers show the reason for his discharge as Kings Regulations 392 (vi)

http://www.forrestdale.pwp.blueyonder.c ... ara-6.html

I think this is very interesting having served over 18 years with the colour!

Mark.

Post by **MaryA** » 09 Jun 2011 20:35

Thank you everyone, I knew I would get some help on here.

Yes you have the correct Arthur, No 6613, I have confirmed this by his wife and children named on the Pension Records.

Interesting, I think that's the first time I've come across the Silver War Badge, he did spend a long time in Service, both Regular and Reserve.

Thank you for the links.

Post by **MaryA** » 10 Jun 2011 15:28

Can I be cheeky and ask for a "translation" of another one please? I do have his Service Records, but is there anything else that the Medal Card could tell us?

We believe he may have met his future wife on Guernsey while she was working on munitions, do any of the notations indicate that he may have served there please?

Thanks for the extra help.

Post by **daggers** » 10 Jun 2011 15:57

He was a Gunner, Royal Field Artillery. The right hand column shows his Victory Medal was returned under King's Regulations blah blah... for amendment. I do not know about the KR reference, but someone else may do.
I think the other notations are cross-references to other entries made by the army's Record Office, which are unlikely to have survived, unless anything shows in his records.
Is there anything on the back of the card?
Can't think of any Guernsey link, and if the Artillery were there, it would be more likely to be the Royal Garrison Artillery, not Field.

D

Post by **Hilary** » 10 Jun 2011 16:06

I can't imagine they made munitions on Guernsey but I have found reference to the fact that many women left for the mainland and were employed in munitions factories here.

www.greatwarci.net/journals/34.pdf

The RFA had home nases at Woolwich and at Charlton Park amongst others. These are very near an enormous munitions factory at Woolwich.

Is it possible that his future wife came from Guernsey to the mainland and worked at munitions near where he was based?

Post by **daggers** » 10 Jun 2011 17:18

The Great War Forum experts tell me that the King's Regulation cited reads:
' Medals which , at the end of 10 years, still remained unclaimed, will be sent to the India Office (If granted for India Service), or to the deputy director of ordnance stores, Royal Dockyard (Medal Branch), Woolwich (if granted for other services) to be broken up. A.O. 402 1913'.

This is a bit of a suprise, as you would think that if one medal was returned unclaimed, the other would be as well, but there you go!
D

Post by **MaryA** » 11 Jun 2011 07:54

Thank you once again.

So do you mean he didn't claim his medals?

He did live in the area for years afterwards so that would surprise me, but you never know people do you.

Thanks for the link Hilary, I know there's a Guernsey connection somewhere and not finding a marriage here in England, perhaps that scenario is correct but that they returned to her home for the wedding.