which is my Grandfathers brothers medal card?

[Valman]

l've just received my Grandfathers brother James Courts death certificate in 1952, it shows that he was an army pensioner which is news to me and l've checked the medal rolls and can only find 2 of that name, so l'm not sure which one it is, the first one is for James Courts Royal Engineers , regiment no 132125, the other shows LC HSE company ex 366 RE Regiment no 197834. ls there anyway l can find out which is his, his army papers seem to have been among those lost during the war so l can't find him that way, any help would be most appreciated.

Valman

[Peter Goodey]

his army papers seem to have been among those lost during the war

Hang on! You say he was an army pensioner. I don't know when he was born or anything else about him but doesn't it suggest he stayed in the army after WW1? Or specifically after 1920. In that case you wouldn't find anything among the burnt records because his service record would be with the MoD.

[Valman]

Yes, according to the death certificate it says he was an army pensioner, he was born in 1878, in Stepney and in the 1911 census he was a brewers labourer living in Hackney with his wife. You're right of course to have been a pensioner he must have stayed in the army after WW1, and l notice on the electoral registers that he's not mentioned at all after 1914 and his wife seems to be living on her own from 1920. lf he was a regular soldier would it mean that there would be no medal roll card for him at all? l'm not sure how l can trace him now knowing only his name and family details and nothing else. l don't think that either of the 2 cards l found are him as one l've now found was from Truro and the other was discharged in 1917. l think it's going to be one of those unsolved mysteries in my family.

Valman

[Peter Goodey]

If he was a regular there should a medal card if he qualified. Not all soldiers qualified. I suppose another possibility was that he enlisted for the duration, was discharged, didn't think much of the job prospects and re-enlisted.

I take it there were no children or any possibility of getting a BMD certificate showing his occupation?

[Peter Goodey]

one l've now found was from Truro and the other was discharged in 1917.

The one discharged in 1917 was discharged under KR para 392 xvi (no longer physically fit) so he would be unlikely to be back!

And the other one you say was from Truro?

[Valman]

There were no children unfortunately, but l do know that he was always a brewers labourer.
l found the other James mentioned on Ancestrys Pension records and he definitely came from Truro, so it wasn't him either. l was only interested because l can never remember him being mentioned as having been a regular soldier when he was alive so seeing it on his death certificate was a surprise.

Valman