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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2000-06 > 0960317728


From: Iain Kerr <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] (WWW1) R.A.M.C.
Date: Tue, 06 Jun 2000 19:55:28 +0100


At 12:36 06/06/00 , bob land wrote:
>Can anyone please point me in the right direction on the following. A
>relative of mine served in the R.A.M.C. during the First World War, and he
>was awarded a medal for bravoury, the details of which I would dearly like
>to found out, are there any websites or other lists which could throw some
>light on this?
Bob,

Unfortunately there are no web sites or easy sources of information. You
will need to do some research at the Public Record Office, Kew (or have a
researcher do it for you).

Firstly, the World War I Medal Rolls

If the serviceman or woman survived World War I and served long enough
overseas to qualify for campaign medals, then they should be found in the
Medal Rolls held at the PRO Kew. The rolls record service (campaign) medal
and honours and awards; the lists are kept in class WO 329. These rolls
however give little or no personal information being confined to the unit,
service number, theatres of war in which the individual served, and the
medals awarded. Those who served in France and Flanders between 5 Aug and
22 Nov 1914 received the 1914 Star (the "Old Contemptibles" medal). Those
who served in any war zones between 5 Aug 1914 and 31 Dec 1915 were awarded
the 1914-15 Star. All British and imperial servicemen and women who served
outside the UK between 1914 and 1920 were given the British War Medal and
British forces over the same period also received the Victory Medal. [The
three medals 1914 or 1914/15 Star, the War Medal and the Victory Medal
became known as "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred" to old soldiers.]

Before searching the Medal Rolls in WO 329, you should check the Medal
Index Cards in WO 372. These are held on microfiche in the Microfilm
Reading Room. It is arranged alphabetically and in regimental order of
precedence. The alphabetic listing is slightly odd in that it lists those
with one initial first, then one Christian name and then two initials, two
Christian names and so on. The card when found will provide Surname,
Christian Name or initial, other Christian names or initials, rank,
regiment, regimental number and the medals to which the individual was
entitled and usually the Army Medal Office reference. To find the actual
entry on the Medal Rolls, the Medal Office Reference must be transformed
into the WO 329 reference using a key found in WO 329/1.

Next the personnel records:

The British armed services personnel records for those serving in 1914 up
to 1921 are currently being released from the Ministry of Defence to the
Public Record Office, Ruskin Avenue, Kew, Richmond, Surrey TW9 4DU, United
Kingdom; (Telephone: General Enquiries, ++44 (020) 8876 3444; Records
Information, ++44 (020) 8392 5200; Fax: ++44 (020) 8878 8905). There they
are being microfilmed to occupy a number of new archives. This is a major
project that is forecast to take a number of years to complete from the
start of the work in 1997. The original documents cannot be viewed due to
their fragile condition. It will be some years before all surviving
information from these documents will be available remotely due to the
complexity of the information and volume. The following are now available
in the PRO microfilm reading room:

British Army commissioned officers whose service ended in 1920 or before
(in WO 339) and Territorial Force officers (in WO 374);

Burnt British Army other ranks records for surnames beginning with A, B, C,
D, E, F, N, O, Q, U, V, W, X, Y and Z. These are in WO 363 - First World
War Soldiers' Documents. Those beginning T will be available in May 2000,
S in Summer 2000, R in Autumn 2000 and P in Winter 2000. The year 2001
includes those beginning K, L and M. In 2002 those starting H, I and J
will be released. The programme concludes in Summer 2003 with the letter G.

You should note that there is some risk that the official archives of more
recent British Army personnel records are incomplete. It is reported that
up to half of the original pre-World War 2 British Army soldier's personal
records were badly damaged by fire and water following a German bombing
raid on the Hayes Record Office during World War II. Those that survived
are often in a poor condition.

The records will be open for personal search by the enquirer or a nominated
agent. Details of the PRO can be found at their website URL:
http://www.pro.gov.uk/

The PRO do not have an on-line searchable archive. Nor do they usually
undertake any research for personal or postal enquirers. However they
have a list of independent researchers, with a useful search facility. The
address is: http://www.pro.gov.uk/readers/irlist/default.htm

and for RAMC information, but not personnel records:

Regimental Museum:

Royal Army Medical Corps Historical Museum, Keogh Barracks, Ash Vale,
Aldershot, Hampshire GU11 5RQ; Phone: (01252) 340212; Fax: (01252)
340209. This is a museum covering medical care of British soldiers,
starting in 1660, through the formation of the RAMC in 1898 and onwards,
including the Gulf and Falklands Wars. The museum has some archives, but
limited personnel records. It is planned that the new Army Medical Services
Museum being developed at Keogh Barracks will include exhibits for the
Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, Royal Army Dental Corps and the
Royal Army Veterinary Corps whose museums have been closed.

Regimental Histories:

"The Royal Army Medical Corps"; by Redmond McLaughlin; Famous Regiments
series; published Leo Cooper Ltd 1972.

"The Royal Army Medical Corps 1898 - 1998- Reflections of One Hundred Years
of Service"; Blair/Ticehurst; (ISBN 0 9532183 0 9 1998).

Unofficial Web Site

There is an unofficial but comprehensive web site for the RAMC, its history
and people at http://www.barmy.co.uk




Yours aye,

Iain Kerr
In Windsor, Berkshire
Web Page at: http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/index.htm
Rootsweb Sponsor Listowner for the World War II list.

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