Searching for details of my father's WW2 MID

[rafbrat]

My father was Mentioned in Dispatches during WW2 and has the oak leaf but he never received any official notification of the reason for the MID (he was overseas at the time, in Egypt - I think). According to information on this site it was awarded in the New Year's Honours List and published in the Gazette dated 01/01/1942 but when I do a search for his name on the Gazette site, I get nothing.
If you know how to find out more, I should be very grateful. Thank you.

[christanel]

Hello rafbrat and welcome to the British-Genealogy forums.

As you have arrived here from FWR it may be helpful to read This

As I understand it the Awards were published in the Gazette but not the reason for the award. You may find this out if you actually apply for your father's WW11 service records which are still held by the MoD. It will cost you 30 pounds and a few months wait but will be worth it. You will also need his death certificate.
This 'sticky' explains and gives the links for the application forms.

I think the Gazette can be a little tricky when searching so widening the date and changing first names to initials may help. You have to work to the sites idiosyncracies.

Christina

[timbo58]

Chris is spot on IME, MID's almost never have individual citations, and in fact, the majority were not granted for individual acts as far as I can ascertain when they are awarded in NY honours.

They could be awarded for individual acts outside of these 'mass'/'good conduct' awards but these seem almost never to be then in the NY awards and are listed 'at the time' as far as I am aware.

The service record is the best bet to start with, then perhaps a unit war diary.

[rafbrat]

Thank you Christina. That is all very useful and helpful. My father is still with us (96 and going strong!) so I will print off the form for him to complete to obtain his service records.

[rafbrat]

Thank you so much for your explanation. I shall help him to obtain his service records and we'll take it from there.

He has always joked that he got it for "cooking for the C/O" when Air HQ Athens had to evacuate from the city in May 1941, after travelling south through the Peloponnese they were eventually taken off near Monemvasia, initially to Crete and then on to Egypt. He was still in Egypt in 1942 when he had a letter from somebody, congratulating him on being MID: the first he had heard of it!

Your input is much appreciated.

[christanel]

Hello
I do hope you don't have to wait too long for the records and how wonderful that your father is still with you to share his memories and experiences. I have a smile on my face as I type this.

Enjoy.

Christina