Medal Rolls

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The medals article has details of medals awarded for various military campaigns. Most of the nominal medal rolls for these awards are at the British Library. Many of the rolls are reprinted in books on the open access shelves. Details of the India Office Records' reference numbers can be found at Your Archives - Medal Rolls in the India Office Library.

FIBIS resources

See also

The National Archives, Kew, England

Research Guides

WO 100 Medal Rolls

The National Archives records WO 100 Medal Rolls are available to download free of charge as pdfs. These records are available on the pay site Ancestry, (refer below) but those do not have access to Ancestry may find the downloads useful. They are large pdfs, which require a broadband connection . For full details refer the National Archives advice page Digital microfilm

The records are mainly in respect of British Army regiments, although there are some in respect of the Indian Army. Some medals do not appear to have rolls in the WO 100 records, and appear to be only available in the India Office records at the British Library, refer above.

The catalogue entry is WO 100 Campaign Medal and Award Rolls (General Series) The following subseries have been noted , following the order of the National Archive’s Discovery catalogue

WO 102 Medal Rolls

The National Archives records Long Service and Good Conduct Awards, Registers: WO 102 are available to download free of charge as pdfs. The records are Registers of candidates noted for, and recipients of, the Long Service and Good Conduct awards between 1831 and 1953. They are large pdfs, which require a broadband connection . For full details refer the National Archives advice page Digital microfilm

ADM 171 Naval Medal Rolls

The National Archives records ADM 171 Admiralty, and Ministry of Defence, Navy Department: Medal Rolls 1793-1995 are available to download free of charge as pdfs. These records are available on the pay site Ancestry, (refer below) but those do not have access to Ancestry may find the downloads useful. They are large pdfs which require a broadband connection. For full details refer the National Archives advice page Digital microfilm

First World War

Medal Index Cards

  • The National Archives research guide British Army medal index cards 1914-1920. Includes a Search facility, information about the medals and how to read the cards, and reference to the Indian Army Medal Index Cards, catalogue references WO 372/25 to WO 372/29, for the period to 31 December 1918. Note however, there are some Medal Index Cards relating to men in the Mesopotamian Railways, Indian Ordnance Department, Indian Mountain Artillery, and perhaps others, which are not specifically classified as Indian Army, and are catalogued outside this range.
  • Images of the medal index cards are also available on the commercial site Ancestry. The Ancestry database also includes the back of the cards which sometimes contain information. Additionally the Ancestry cards are in colour, whereas the National Archives images are in black and white. The Ancestry website advises some records including Indian Army cards are not included. However some Mesopotamian Railways (and perhaps other) entries which are not classified Indian Army may be included on the Ancestry database.
  • How to interpret a campaign medal index card The Long, Long Trail

Note

  • There are some Medal Index Cards for Indians belonging to the British Army. Lascars in the Royal Artillery and Inland Water Transport, Royal Engineers have been noted, together with some soldiers in Indian Artillery Mountain Batteries.
  • The Medal Index Cards appear to only contain some of the medal entitlements for soldiers, (both European and Indian), in the Indian Army. Some medals, such as the War Medal and the Victory Medal were issued by the Government of India.[1] Generally these are not included in the Medal Index Cards.

Medal Rolls

  • WO 329. The Medal Rolls for some records may contain information additional to that in the Medal Index Cards.
Catalogue reference: WO 329 War Office and Air Ministry: Service Medal and Award Rolls, First World War includes a free download Index and Key to War of 1914-1918 medal rolls. This guide was written prior to the current catalogue, and the relationship between the original index references and the modern WO 329 are described here [2]
The medal rolls for the Indian Army in this series include British War Medal and Victory Medal: officers and other ranks WO 329/2384-2391, Officers WO 329/2303 - Described at item level, WO 329/2304,W0 329/2347-2352; 1914-15 Star: WO 329/2940, WO 329/2941; Territorial Force War Medal: Officers: WO 329/3272- Described at item level.
Note: The WO 329 medal rolls available at the National Archives appear to only contain some of the medal entitlements for soldiers in the Indian Army. It appears that some of the medals may have been issued in India but although the the British Library appears to have a medal roll for the 1914-1915 Star, it is unclear what rolls for other medals are available. Refer "British Library records" below.
The medal rolls are available on the pay site Ancestry. Transcription of some/all of the WO 329 medal rolls are available on the pay site "Naval and Military Archive". See External links below.

Details inscribed on the medals

For First World War Medals, millions of which were issued, there was plenty of potential for errors in the inscriptions, given the many different clerical steps involved.[3]

Merchant seamen

Eligible Merchant seamen and officers were entitled to British War Medal and the Mercantile Marine Medal. There are Medal Index Cards available in the National Archives series BT 351/1/1, BT 351/1/2 and MT 9/1404. Refer Research Guides, above for a Search facility. Relevant records may be downloaded for a fee.

Members of the Indian Mercantile Marine were also eligible for the above medals[4], but it seems probable these medals were issued by the Government of India, and do not appear in the National Archives records.

British Library records

As stated above, many of the medal rolls are reprinted in books on the open access shelves at the British Library.

Catalogue references are

  • Medal Rolls IOR/L/MIL/5/42-141 1799-1911 with links to the sub categories. (These records are those covered in the "Your Archives" link above, but the catalogue references are given again, as the accompanying information may be slightly different)

Additional to the catalogue references for Medal Rolls IOR/L/MIL/5/42-141 the following list contains both medal roll catalogue references and some catalogue references which do not specifically mention rolls but which may possibly contain medal rolls, listed (approximately) according to date of the military action.

The Gazette of India, 1864-1947, and other Government Gazettes IOR/V/11 may be a possible source of information. For some online editions, see Gazette of India online.

Medal Rolls for Indian Native Troops

The information in respect of Medal Rolls IOR/L/MIL/5/42-141 1799-1911 states that the names of Indian recipients rarely appear (except, however, in L/MIL/5/87-103). These latter records are detailed Your Archives - Medal Rolls in the India Office Library, which also lists a few entries such as L/MIL/5/60 Nominal rolls of Indian Army native troops. 1870-1878.

For details of some medals awarded to Indian troops in the Boer War, see External links below.

Publications containing Medal Rolls

Books currently available

Books currently available (November 2012) which have been noted:

External links

  • The Fee Paying Website "Ancestry" (allows a free search) now hosts
    • UK, Military Campaign Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1949, based on the National Archives records WO 100 "This database contains lists of more than 2.3 million officers, enlisted personnel and other individuals entitled to medals and awards commemorating their service in campaigns and battles for the British Army between 1793 and 1949" Campaigns in India are included - but not WWI or WWII medal and award rolls. WWI medal information is available in the following collections.
    • British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920 Based on records from the Army Medal Office WWI Medal Index Cards. "The Medal Index Cards collection is the most complete listing of individuals who fought in the British Army in WWI, containing approximately 90% of soldiers’ names"
    • UK, WWI Service Medal and Award Rolls, 1914-1920. Based on the National Archives records WO 329. "The volumes in this series record the entitlement to medals and awards of men and women serving in some capacity during the First World War. Most pieces concern those serving in the Army". However there are other categories. Note: Silver War Badge records are in a separate dataset, following.
    • UK, Silver War Badge Records, 1914-1920 WO 329, 2958–3255. Awarded to military personnel who had been discharged because of wounds or illness.
    • UK, Naval Medal and Award Rolls, 1793-1972 Based on the National Archives records ADM 171. "The rolls include medals awarded for British campaigns and service in Europe, India, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and elsewhere during the height of the British Empire and into the 20th century. This database also includes medal rolls from the First and Second World Wars".
  • Anglo Boer War.com Select Forum- Main Forum- Medals and awards- Indian Contingent, for information about some of the Indian troops sent to South Africa, and the medals awarded.
  • Naval and Military Archive. A pay website associated with Naval and Military Press. Includes "Campaign Medal Rolls of the Great War", transcribed from National Archives Medal Rolls, for 1914 Star, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, Victory Medal 1914-19, Territorial Force War Medal 1914-19. Silver War Badge records are also available. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  • Medal Roll for India General Service Medal with clasps 1919-1935: RAF personnel. Surnames A-Brymer only. Includes the Squadrons present. html version pdf version naval-military-press.com. Retrieved 9 August 2014
  • The [London] Gazette Official Public Record for the U.K. Free Search for gallantry awards for both officers and other soldiers.
  • Geoff Sullivan’s Geoff's WO 373 Lists: Recommendations for Honours and Awards, Second World War includes

Historical books online

References

  1. charlie962 MIC indian army Lt J F Petrie North Waziristan Militia Great War Forum 20 March 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2015
  2. aussienoel WO 329 Medal Rolls - Index Download Great War Forum 6 August 2014. Retrieved 7 August 2014
  3. Russ T. Serial numbers on the Medal Roll Index Card and Medal Rolls not the sa… Great War Forum 04 July 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015
  4. The Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914 – 1918 defence.gov.au
  5. Moreman, Tim Indian DSM Great War Forum 12 February 2014 Retrieved 28 September 2014