Locating from medal

[torsofduty]

Not done this kind of research in a long time but I'm trying to locate the surviving family solely from a British War Medal... where do I even start?

[christanel]

Welcome to British-Genealogy torsofduty

Well you have taken the first step and joined us

Seriously though, you have the medal. Does it have the name of the recipient around the rim along with the medal number?

It does sound like mission impossible but if you would like to post every tiny skerrick of information you do have I am sure our sleuths will try to help.

Christina

[torsofduty]

Hello,
Thank you for replying
Yep, only got the medal to go on - iit's not even mine, an old friend dug it up in their garden.
There is a name and rank inscribed. He was a officer.
I've had a quick look at some the free resources and I think I've found a likely candidate but I'm not sure how to find out if he died in action or returned home, or where he lived/enlisted.
I'd be really grateful if you could give me some tips as I'd love to do the research myself. I really enjoy this kind of thing.
All advice welcome. I know my way around an archive but haven't had the pleasure of delving into military records.
Thanks

[Lesley Robertson]

Look for your candidate on the cwgc.org site to find you whether he died in the war. If he did, things are a bit easier as there are publications and databases about the casualties. If the name's unusual, you could check for him on the 1911 census.

There are databases showing which clumps of numbers were used by which regiments - unfortunately the URLs are on my pc at home, but someone else should have them

[Peter Goodey]

Practically all the records you need will be at the National Archives (and some may be online) or still with the Ministry of Defence.

This Research Guide should get you started.

[SueNSW]

There are databases showing which clumps of numbers were used by which regiments - unfortunately the URLs are on my pc at home, but someone else should have them

If he was an officer he would not have had a service number - but would likely have been mentioned at some point in the London Gazette

Working forward to surviving family is normally harder than working back - hopefully he had an unusual name!

[torsofduty]

Hi everyone,
Great news, I think I've found him in several records. If anyone can help me figure out how to trace his family from the info I have it would be a huge help.
So, my friend misinterpreted to inscription thinking GNR stood for general. So, I haven't found his British War Medal record but I have found his Star record. RFA GNR 1268 Sidney A Long. He's also noted as being in the AVC beneath the RFA note.
I then think I've found him in the 1911 census. Sidney Albert Long born around 1892 in Richmond Surrey. He's listed as single with occupation RFA and his location at the time of the census is Seaforth Lancashire with a huge male household - which I presume is Seaforth Barracks.
His BW Medal was found in Bedfordshire.
What next please? I'm loving this journey.
Thanks
T

[torsofduty]

Sorry, think the census info is a red herring as the regiment numbers didn't match when I started looking at service records. Back to the drawing board.

[christanel]

Looks like he has 2 regiment numbers

Medal Roll Index Card
Sidney A Long
Rank-Gunner
Regiment or Corps Royal Field Artillery, Regimental Number - 1268
Army Veterinary Corps, Regimental Number - SE29730

Christina

He received the British,Victory and 15 Star medals

[torsofduty]

That matches what I've found and marked as 'definite' so far.
The service record that matched the census info - the regiment number doesn't match either one.
It was too easy to be true, I should have known I'd have to work harder than that.
We know the medal didn't belong to previous residents of my friend's house as his wife's family have lived there since it was built in the 1930s. We believe it was farmland prior to that. So the medal is really and the medal card info are all we currently have to work from.
I haven't found him on the casualty lists so at the moment I believe he survived.