WW2 identity tag?

Discussion in 'WW2 Militaria' started by Wobbler, Nov 22, 2020.

  1. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    Would anyone be able to say yay or nay as to whether this is from WW2, earlier or later?

    Basically, I politely asked a seller on eBay whether he could reunite some WW1 medals that he had split up for selling, rather than sell them individually and potentially have family medals separated forever. He said ok but could I do him a favour in return, which was help him with this tag he also has up for sale. I have no connection to the seller, I just want to keep medal groups together where possible, but I’ve never been asked for a favour in return before. He probably thinks I’m some sort of expert, which I am not.

    He says it came out of a tin marked “Boer War and medals” but I understand the British Army did not start issuing ID tags until 1907, post Boer War of course, and that the early ones were metal anyway.

    I can see the name, R W Wildman, and the religious denomination, CE, but I admit I find it hard to read the number. The seller, however, says it is 15101139.

    I can’t see such a number in the list on this thread, although one of the posts in that thread says that number “15313294” is a RA number, so could 15101139 also be RA therefore?

    Army Number Block Allocations

    I cannot find the name and number on Ancestry nor on the National Archives for WW1 Medal Index Cards, hence I don’t think it is from WW1.

    Any ideas gratefully received.

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  2. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Not WW1 as they included the unit, it does match WW2 tags and the number is in the RA block - I think the number looks like 13..... rather than 15...
     
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  3. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    Thanks for this. I think you are right about the number as I thought the last two numbers were possibly 39 but was not sure at all about the others. The penultimate digit does look very similar to that second, yes.

    I have only found three “R W Wildman” on another website but two are shown as being in the RAAF, and one in the RAF. No numbers are on display to me and I don’t have membership to that site so cannot look any further. That said, I cannot find 13101139 for any R Wildman on the their site search.

    Out of interest, the allocation list in that other thread shows that “13000000...” was for the (Royal) Pioneer Corps? Forgive my ignorance, it’s a family trait :D
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Nov 22, 2020
  4. AB64

    AB64 Senior Member

    Your right its Pioneer corps, I was a digit short looking at the list, I shouldn't rush these things.

    The publicly available WW2 details on the various sites only cover a small portion of those who served in WW2 so chances are you wont find an individual if you look, the only ones who have all the details are the MOD - so no hit on a search Findmypast, Ancestry or the other main (not recommended) site isn't a bad sign - for the time being the vast majority of lads are just a name and number and it'll probably stay that way til WW2 records are released
     
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  5. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    Cheers again, really appreciate your help.

    I’ll let the chap know. Just hope he now reunites and re-lists that medal group!
     
  6. Wobbler

    Wobbler Well-Known Member

    ...which he has. Great stuff, thanks again.
     
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