Hello all I was wondering if anybody could help me by pointing me in the right direction for where I can find my Great-grandfathers Medals card for what he was awarded as I am trying to buy replacements of them. I do have one photo of him after the war but I can’t make out what medal it is, although it looks like the France and Germany Star on the right and the 1939-45 star on the left by the white glitch on the photo. He joined on the 13/12/1939 to the 181 Railway Operating Company and was discharged on the 10/3/1946. Thanks Thomas
Hi lesley No i cant seem to find the Service record anywhere and i am stuck on were to look next Thomas
Have you applied for his records or just mislaid them? Here is the link to apply for service records https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-defence/about/publication-scheme The MOD link above is the only place you will get the records. They cost 30 pounds and there is a wait of 9-12 months, although a member recently received theirs within a couple of months. You have got the service number which is a good thing They should show his medal entitlement. Lesley
Thanks for that, no i never had his Records i only have his Soldiers Release Book which has everything except what medals he was awarded. Is there a better way of getting his service records? Thomas
It's the only way. You have to be patient, as the MOD have a small staff and a large backlog of queries. Don't try Forces War Records either for medals received or a service record. They don't have that information yet for WW2.
Hello That’s fine I just thought there might be an easier way but i will just have to be patient. My great-Grandmother (Jacks wife) is still around today and I read that the Next of Kin can apply for the service record for free, I doubt that you might know this but would it be legal to put my E-mail address on her application form? Thomas
Hi Just to say I started to research my grandfathers war service and ordered his service records It took 6 months approx to get them but we'll worth the wait once you get them it tells you what units they served in alot of it is in abbrieviation then you can order the war diaries which tell you what the unit was doing and where it was based with map reference number There is a website which works out the map reference coordinates and gives you a satellite picture of the location . Incidentally William also served in 181 railway for a short while . Kind regards Mel
Use her name and get her to sign.Just put your address on the form and the files will come to you. I've done that 3 times and it works OK.
I would be interested in anything you manage to find out about 181 Railway Operating Company as that was my Dad's unit also. I should be getting their War Diary sometime in the New Year. There is also a book about them by H N Moore which I am am currently trying to get a copy of. It was privately printed in very limited numbers. There is a thread elsewhere on this site. Chris
