My Grandfather's WW II medals

[Mark S.]

Well, it has taken me a few years, but finally stuff is starting to come together.

Today I received a package in the mail with a couple of my grandfathers medals. I am still waiting on a picture of him in uniform (one great aunt says my uncle has it, he says my mom has it, etc..)

My mom has been really been helping me out with this a lot, and in the process I have been put in contact with family members for the first time, which itself is rewarding in its own way. I'm trying to get the word out that having to do with my grandfather is appreciated, not just his medals.

There are still many peices of the puzzle missing, and in time (hopefully) I will be able to fill in the blanks. As it is, whenever someone dies, the stuff gets passed around, and it becomes harder and harder to search out. I should have done this twenty years ago.

I do have some questions I hope someone can help me out with, at least in regards to what I am presenting here. My biggest question is that the paperwork says that there should be 3 medals or devices in the box, but only two arrived. I am wondering what the missing item would be? The best I can figure out would be a 1939-45 star or maybe a device of some sort. I am pretty much blank slate when it comes to British awards.

All I know so far is that he was on the invasion beaches a day or two after D-day, so he was definatly in France, and he was just a regular soldier. No heros in my family I dont think. Eventually I hope to get the photograph (or a copy) and find out what unit he was in to source a cap badge for what later be a mounted display.

Offers to help in researching my grandpa would be appreciatively accepted.

[Mark S.]

Here are the medals, neither are engraved with his name.

[Mark S.]

Here is the mailer box. My son carries on the Holden surname in the form of his middle name. I dont think it ever actually clicked about the significance until I showed him this mailer box.

[Darrell]

Mark,

My Guess is the missing medal is either the Defense Medal OR like you think the 1939-45 Star.

[Mark S.]

Here is the paper that came in the box. A pencil written 3 tells me that there should have been something else in here..but what?

[Mark S.]

Mark,

My Guess is the missing medal is either the Defense Medal OR like you think the 1939-45 Star.

thanks Darrell..is this based on what everyone else got or process of elimination?

I dont have any idea what the rules are.

[McCulloh]

39-45 star

It must've been a 39-45 star. The qualification was 6 months in an 'operational command' between Sept. 3, 1939 and September 2, 1945 and there's almost no way he got a France and Germany star without one. Even if he'd been mustered in, done training, gone to Germany and arrived on May 5th, 1945 (in time to (barely) technically qualify for the F&G star, he'd still have been in an "operational command" for at least 6 months total. Wounds gave it to him automatically. If he was in Normandy, then he easily qualified by surviving the war.
The Defense Medal required a much longer time, @ 3 years.

[rexmundi]

What regiment was your grandfather in ?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Mark, great that you are starting to progress with your quest on getting your Grandad's medals together. I agree that the missing one has to be the '39-'45 Star.


Cheers, Ade.

[Adam H]

Nice Stuff Mark,

I agree that the most plausible missing medal is the 1939-45 Star...although the Defence Medal is possible the chances are much, much greater of it being the Star.

A check of his service records would confirm this.

Cheers,

Adam

[Mark S.]

Thanks so much for the repsonses. It would appear that I will be chasing down a 1939-45 star, either through family or outside sources.

I dont know what regiment he was in, but I have made inquiries to family members. When I find out what it is, I will probably be looking for one of those hat badges. Did all the various units have their own badge, or only specific regiments?

Is there any way my grandfathers servce records can be found with his name? Anywhere to write? What info will they need other than a name?

[yellow]

To ID the unit simply flip the box over and read off the unit on the reverse. If it says "Infantry Records" your man was in an infantry regiment. It is that simple.

BUT....as your a relative why not draft a letter get a direct blood relative to sign it then send it off for his service record.

You can pick up a good 39-45 star for about 8 Brit.

Steve.

[Mark S.]

My life is never that easy..here is the reverse of the box. Tape. I figured the abbreviations is an address.

What address should I be writing to for records? How far will I get with only a name? I can get my mom to sign any papers I need.

To ID the unit simply flip the box over and read off the unit on the reverse. If it says "Infantry Records" your man was in an infantry regiment. It is that simple.

BUT....as your a relative why not draft a letter get a direct blood relative to sign it then send it off for his service record.

You can pick up a good 39-45 star for about 8 Brit.

Steve.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Mark, he was in the Royal Army Service Corps or the Army Catering Corps.

Here is where you need to write to:

http://www.veteransagency.mod.uk/ser...rvice_recs.htm

Cheers, Ade.

[yellow]

It really is that simple!

Steve.