Medal Award Query

Latest update, have spoken to MOD again, who have spoken to their archive team who state that the files ARE with TNA, so I have raised a ticket for someone to actually check, rather than checking the catalogue.

I'm starting to wonder whether they even exist haha...

 

It never made sense to me for the file to be shown with TNA if it acutally wasn't - Defensively Equipped Merchant Ships (DEMS): Ships Cards | The National Archives
Defensively Equiped Merchant Ships (DEMS): Royal Artillery Maritime Regiments Medal Cards | The National Archives

Regards
Hugh

 

I wonder whether they just checked the catalogue and gave a stock response.

I messaged them with:

Good morning,

Can I please have clarifocation on the whereabouts and access conditions of WO 435 and 436.

The catalogue states that they are with the MOD, but having spoken to them, and having checked with their archive team, they have advised that these files have been transferred to you.

Can you please check and confirm whether these are with you and awaiting to be sorted ready for access? Or whether the catalogue is just yet to be updated? Otherwise I do not know where these files could be?


Many thanks

Mark

Will have to see what comes of it, if anything.

 

Response from TNA:

Thank you for contacting The National Archives of the United Kingdom.

Military service records from the early 1920s onwards, including for service during the Second World War, are currently in the process of being transferred to The National Archives as part of a six year project to transfer over 9 million service records from the Ministry of Defence. More information about the project, including details about access, can be found here.

The transfer of service records began with those of the British Army. So far The National Archives have received records for those who served in the Infantry (but not the Cavalry, Guards, Royal Artillery, or Royal Engineers). These records date from the end of the First World War up until 1939. However, these records are not yet available to view in our reading rooms as they are being processed and their condition being assessed.

This is likewise the case with these two series. These particular two are not part of the MOD Service Records transfer, but will be a separate transfer - though other DEMS records will form part of the main MOD transfer in the coming years.

Please contact modpersonnelaccessteam@nationalarchives.gov.uk to request access to a specific record. If we can identify the record you seek within the collection, its availability will be considered under Freedom of Information legislation to determine whether you can see all or part of the record.

More service records will continue to be transferred to The National Archives over the duration of the project, and regular updates will be published on our website about what is available and how you might access them.

Access to the service records of people who are still alive or, to a lesser extent, who died recently, is restricted. This is explained in more detail on the GOV.UK website.

 

Email sent, added the death cert that I used for the MOD request.

Will report back.

 

For god's sake...

Thank you for contacting The National Archives of the United Kingdom.

Apologies if you have been advised incorrectly by one of my colleagues, and/or by the Ministry of Defence about these two sets of records, but they have not yet been transferred to The National Archives and are still held by the Ministry of Defence. I have double checked this with our department responsible for government transfers and they have confirmed this to me, and there is currently no timeline for this transfer.

These two records series are not part of the MOD Service Record transfer currently being undertaken, and will be transferred to us separately, though this transfer project will eventually include DEMS service records, likely to include the record you already have a copy of.

I appreciate that this will be disappointing, but hope that this reply helps.

 

I think you have now reached the point that I am at with regard to these files - the MOD have them but they just don't know it.
TNA should also remove the empty WO 435 and 436 headers on their catalogue as it only causes confusion. If the file is listed on their site we expect there to be something there to access but alas not.
Regards
Hugh

 

Agreed.

I've pushed it back to MOD again, will keep badgering them

 

Ok, some good news, some bad....

"Yes the lady in the archives said they do still have the boxes but that card is not there. They thought all the boxes had been transferred to the National Archives which caused the initial confusion. These boxes will be getting transferred to the National Archives at some point.

This does not help the fact that your card is missing and unable to locate. Really sorry."

So the MOD have now actually confirmed that they still have WO 435 and WO 436, but Stanley's card isn't there. So it's back down the Port Alma route!

Thanks

 

That is not so good but good luck with PORT ALMA hope it is the correct man.
Regards
Hugh

 

At least we know that they're still there! Even if Stanley's isn't there