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From: "Tom Tulloch-Marshall" <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] MM on medal index card
Date: Mon, 25 Oct 2004 17:10:03 +0100
References: <20041025074338.36851.qmail@web26005.mail.ukl.yahoo.com>


Michelle >

"...> If someone gained the MM, should it be annotated on the Medal Index
card? "

# Some are, but most arent. Ditto with the Military Cross and the DCM,
though the % of MC's which appear on the service medal index cards is much
higher than the % of MM's. There is a seperate series of index cards at TNA
for the MM awards.

"...> I also notice that some cards contain more details than others in that
for one relative, ......... How very frustrating that they don't all contain
the same info when appropriate! "

# Different records offices and individual clerks seem to have their own
"habits", so what you see is what you get, I'm afraid.

In my opinion TNA have pulled a bit of a stroke here because they are
selling service medal index cards on the www without explaining the
significance of and possible further information which may be found on the
actual medal rolls (which the index cards are simply the key to). It is
still quite a common occurrence to hear "advice" at the help desk at TNA to
the effect that retrieving the rolls is not worthwhile as they will tell you
nothing more than the index card tells you, - in some cases that is correct,
but it is a piece of "advice" guaranteed to make an experienced researcher
look skywards in despair, and if it turns out that the rolls being referred
to are from one of the outstanding information providers (the "TP" coded
London Regiment rolls for example) then you may see the odd researcher
rolling on the floor and laughing hysterically.

Mic's on-line have their uses, but they are definitely not the Holy Grail.
regards
--
Tom Tulloch-Marshall
Great War Military Research
Website > http://www.btinternet.com/~prosearch/index.html


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