Genealogy Chat

You can get copies of medals, I enquired for my mum. My gramps medals went astray and she was very upset. The problem is that you do have to prove it. They want a police number if the medal was stolen. Also, I was told that many records from WW1 were destroyed in WW2, so there would be no way of checking that my gramps was at the Mons etc. I check ebay frequently, and also shops, fairs etc, in the vain hope that somebody is selling his medals! So if anyone spots a Mons Star with W H Naylor on let me know!(by the way, he survived, and his name was on it)

Ooh, sorry Shelli! I found one of the medals I want just 4 minutes before the end, so I snuck in and nicked it for £17. I also got the embroidered silk, with my grandfather's regiment on it. It was only £1.99 as its just the size of a cigarette card, but I thought it would be nice to have. I don't have anything belonging to my grandfather, and only a few photos, so its nice to have something connected to him, albeit indirectly. It is hard to explain to non-GR people quite why I want this stuff without sounding incredibly geeky (OK, I AM geeky!), so thanks to you all for letting me waffle. Carole

OOOHHH Carole hubby has been bidding I hope you're not bidding against him LOL I thought you could get replacements if the medals had been stolen or in a fire... but i also presume you'd have to prove it!!! for mini reproductions try this site.... www.westair-reproductions(.)com/mailorder/westair/mini_medals.htm remove brackets!!! they cost between £2.50 and £4.50

Aarrgh! Thanks to this thread, I have now spent half the evening on eBay, bidding for medals! I have just bought one, have a bid in for another, plus a bid for a piece of silk embroidered with my grandfather's regiment. As if I wasn't spending emough on this family research already! Obviously the medals I get won't be my grandfather's, but they will be identical (just engraved with someone else's name) Carole

I know how gutted some of you are feeling, but try not to be too upset with grandparents etc. who have thrown out medals and war memorabilia. They didn't know those things would be useful to you, and actually lived through that war, so probably didn't want to be reminded of it.

There are people that will make up sets of miniature medals which are much smaller than the original. I vaguely remember the name Spinks & Co (could be wrong though). You may find advertisements in Military or History magazines. Once the medals have been issued then MOD will not re-issue them for free though I don't know if you pay whether they would do it - think perhaps not or it would be too expensive. The medals sold on ebay could well be originals that people have decided to sell or people may have come across through second hand stores after they have been lost or stolen. One elderly lady I know kept her medals in the drawer and when she looked for them to show me they'd gone. I know what you mean about keeping family bits and pieces. We have nothing of husband's family papers, photo's or memorabelia as he was orphaned as a young boy and when his granny died about 40 years ago a friend of hers kept them for him but as he was away at sea never got round to collecting them. As she was elderly there's little chance they survive. It's such a shame as the earliest photo I have of hubby is when he joined up at 15.

Thank you Shelli I will go back and have another look. I would dearly love to have them made for me. I remember seeing my fathers as a very young child but now I suspect that they were probably pawned as there was very little money around and then not enough money to get them out of pawn. Eve

My gran always kept my grandads rosettes and trophys from his bird shows and gardening competitions in a glass unit on wall,then when she died my uncle claimed the lot,did let me have a pair of china boots at a push not letting anyone else have anything,recently my cousin has asked about these things and told oh in attick somewhere surely if was going to do that could have given them to those of us who gladly would have them on display,all the rosettes had dates on them and remember them being really lovely colours Kazzie

Eve has just asked hubbys about this he says... The medals are real ones that have come on to the market for whatever reason BUT there are also copies on there too. It should state if they are a copy but it doesn't always. With regard to the named medals he thinks all WW1 medals were named, with name, sevice number and regiment. WW2 medals weren't named unless the person who received it did themselves. The government named WW1 medals

I saw the advert about the Medals on Ebay and wondered if they were as good as they say, my father was a WW1 surviver but his brother died in 1918. Can you tell me if the names were put around the edge if they died? or should they be on it they survived the war. All I have is a photo of my father . All the records were burned during WW2 and only eight of the men with our name have survived. But not my fathers or his brother. Needless to say I copied everything I could about those eight men. It is such a pity that people just get rid of the medals as if they are rubbish, don't they realize that those men went through? I felt sick when I saw the TV Show. I would be very pleased if you could tell me if they are as good as they say. As I understand they also put something to say they are copies which is fine by me. Eve

Don't programmes like that make you so mad! I was born in australia to an english dad. On our first trip to UK when he was 70 the first thing I wanted to do was to see the photo of my grandfather in WW1 uniform, that hung over the mantel piece in my grans house. He had died when my dad was only two, and I was devasted to learn my gran had burnt all the old papers & photos including the one of my grandfather, I will never know what he looked like. She thought she would have a good clean up! All that history wiped out. And other people want money for their parents 'old stuff' - aaarrrggghhh!!!!! judy

Ann & Carole & Vivienne Have mailed you You can get duplicate medals from Ebay that is what my husband did for me. There is also a shop in epsom Surrey that deals in old medal amoungst other things. There must be others around the country.. I only know this as my Hubby collects old medals he has about 50 of them.... they are worth more if they are named and the person died!!!!!!!!! ALL about money and not the deeds which earnt the medals!!!!!!

Hi I agree with all the above & I am waiting to hear how we can get duplicate medals. Also, are they very expensive? I have my Grandads WW1 medals. I have evidence that he was entitled to Indian Medal & 3 Clasps,Queens SA Medal & 4 Clasps & Kings SA Medal & 2 Clasps but my Dad said his Mum had to sell them to feed the six children after he died in 1918. It's not always about the money. Vivienne

Frances It's so sad when a second marriage means that the 2nd wife has all that if no will is left. It is a very good reason for leaving a will so that treasured items stay in the family. With no will, all sorts of problems arise. My friend could not even renovate her own mother's gravestone because it was classed as part of my friend's father's estate when he died and therefore, without a will it passed to his 2nd wife.

This thread reminds me of my Gran. Her address and telephone book was a piece of cardboard from the back of a writing pad. She had everyone on there but when she died it got thrown away and I lost touch with thre quarters of the family.

Shelley Waiting on your reply as to how to get duplicate medals Sad to say my father (now decd) according to my mother (now decd) pawned his WW2 medals when they had no money to feed themselves these included The Burma Star and campaign medals On an even sadder note at an auction recently I found, in a dresser, the draws full personal possessions including a love letter of an obviously elderly lady judging by the date on the letter - how can relatives be so heartless. Also two watermarked photos in large old velvet frames with crowns on top of frames - I bought the photos purely so they would not be skipped - I have no idea of who they are but at least I am looking after them Ann

Cristina I must have missed the bit where he said they didnt belong to 'real' relatives, but still - I think I would have shifted heaven and earth to find out who they really belonged to.(Or probably hung onto them and somehow worked them into my real family history!) And what about the beautiful handmade blouse, skirt and petticoat, presumably from the same 'unreal' relative - sold for £45.the lot. When my Grandfather died in the 1970s, my Grandmother had a bonfire which reputedly lasted two days. I could weep when I think of what must have got burnt. And I could weep even harder when I think of what happened when SHE died - newly married, I hurriedly went to her house to help clear stuff and threw out two hideous flowerpots, which she had had as a wedding gift from her friend - SUSIE COOPER!!!!! Marjorie

You're lucky Patricia Neither my son or my brother are showing the slightest bit of interest at the moment I can't understand it!. Debby

Hi Shelley, How did you manage to get replica medals? I'd love to get my grandads! I've got the medal card already (well, I downloaded it anyway) Carole

My dad had his dads first world war medals. I inherited those along with my dads 2nd world war medlas, his army pass book, his discharge papers and I have all his Royal Antediluvian Order of Buffaloes stuff. All packed away for the day my son will inherit them and he knows what they are worth-not in monetary value but sentimental value.