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Can I get WW1 medals reissued?

  • 28-06-2017 4:39pm
    #1
    Free-2-Flow
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭


    Hello,

    My Great Great Grandfather was killed in the Somme In 1916.

    He was awarded 3 medals which have vanished a long time ago.

    Is there any way to reissue his service medals?

    Or maybe there is a private firm out there making reissues?

    Thanks


Comments

  • #2
    Rashers
    Registered Users Posts: 907 ✭✭✭Rashers


    Free-2-Flow wrote: »
    Hello,

    My Great Great Grandfather was killed in the Somme In 1916.

    He was awarded 3 medals which have vanished a long time ago.

    Is there any way to reissue his service medals?

    Or maybe there is a private firm out there making reissues?

    Thanks

    My grandfather fought on the Somme and other parts. He died when I was small, but about 3 years ago the Royal British Legion sent me his medals, after I had been making an enquiry about something else and had mentioned that his medals were lost or mislaid. It might help if you can tell them you would be his living next of kin as I did. They are nice people, give them a try.


    I understand that you can also buy them privately from an Australian seller on eBay.


  • #3
    Free-2-Flow
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭Free-2-Flow


    Rashers wrote:
    I understand that you can also buy them privately from an Australian seller on eBay.


    His actual original Medals?


  • #4
    Rashers
    Registered Users Posts: 907 ✭✭✭Rashers


    Free-2-Flow wrote: »
    His actual original Medals?

    Ah no, these would be copies as far as I know.


  • #5
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,122 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    Rashers wrote: »
    My grandfather fought on the Somme and other parts. He died when I was small, but about 3 years ago the Royal British Legion sent me his medals, after I had been making an enquiry about something else and had mentioned that his medals were lost or mislaid. It might help if you can tell them you would be his living next of kin as I did. They are nice people, give them a try.


    I understand that you can also buy them privately from an Australian seller on eBay.


    that was very generous of them. If the OP wants to buy repros you can buy Pip, Squeak and Wilfred* for less than £30 for the set. Probably a lot less if you go to a militaria fair.


    *Pip, squeak and wilfred are the names given to the 1914 Star (or 1914-15 Star depended on when you served), the War Medal and the Victory Medal. You need to find out when he actually served as he may not have been eligible for the 1914 or 1914-15 Star.


  • #6
    Free-2-Flow
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭Free-2-Flow


    ohnonotgmail wrote:
    *Pip, squeak and wilfred are the names given to the 1914 Star (or 1914-15 Star depended on when you served), the War Medal and the Victory Medal. You need to find out when he actually served as he may not have been eligible for the 1914 or 1914-15 Star.


    He is eligible for all 3 as he landed in 1915, I have his Medal index card.
    I've been onto a guy that does good repos in England.

    He is also entitled to the KIA plaque


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  • #7
    Free-2-Flow
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭Free-2-Flow


    Rashers wrote:
    My grandfather fought on the Somme and other parts. He died when I was small, but about 3 years ago the Royal British Legion sent me his medals, after I had been making an enquiry about something else and had mentioned that his medals were lost or mislaid. It might help if you can tell them you would be his living next of kin as I did. They are nice people, give them a try.


    I've Emailed them, they have responded and are looking into it, Thanks for that.


  • #8
    ohnonotgmail
    Registered Users Posts: 40,122 ✭✭✭✭ohnonotgmail


    Free-2-Flow wrote: »
    He is eligible for all 3 as he landed in 1915, I have his Medal index card.
    I've been onto a guy that does good repos in England.

    He is also entitled to the KIA plaque


    So that makes him eligible for the 1914-15 Star plus the other two.


  • #9
    Free-2-Flow
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭Free-2-Flow


    ohnonotgmail wrote:
    So that makes him eligible for the 1914-15 Star plus the other two.


    Yes, the star, the British war medal and the Victory medal, plus the widow plaque


  • #10
    Rashers
    Registered Users Posts: 907 ✭✭✭Rashers


    Free-2-Flow wrote: »
    I've Emailed them, they have responded and are looking into it, Thanks for that.

    I found them most courteous and helpful when I rang them. Their Republic of Ireland website is : http://counties.britishlegion.org.uk/counties/ireland


  • #11
    Step23
    Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭Step23


    From reading your post it sounds like his medals were issued, had they been marked as returned you could have applied to the MOD to have them issued, other from that the best bet is to hope they appear some day. If you'd be happy with 'replicas' there are a number of places in the UK that specialise in them, some better than others.

    Hope this helps,

    Stephen


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  • #12
    Free-2-Flow
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭Free-2-Flow


    Step23 wrote:
    From reading your post it sounds like his medals were issued, had they been marked as returned you could have applied to the MOD to have them issued, other from that the best bet is to hope they appear some day. If you'd be happy with 'replicas' there are a number of places in the UK that specialise in them, some better than others.

    Thanks Stephen, I've ordered a replica KIA plaque off a guy in England and awaiting delivery.

    Poppy medal framing .com


  • #13
    Step23
    Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭Step23


    Great stuff! Have you considered getting some original insignia to display with it? Would help make it look the part.

    Stephen


  • #14
    Free-2-Flow
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭Free-2-Flow


    Step23 wrote:
    Great stuff! Have you considered getting some original insignia to display with it? Would help make it look the part.


    My plan is to get the Plaque, 3 medals and maybe the cap badge and put it all in a frame


  • #15
    Lex Luthor
    Registered Users Posts: 11,220 ✭✭✭✭Lex Luthor


    Did you get the medals?

    My aunt has my great grandfathers original medals but they are destined for her son so I was thinking about getting replicas...I'm not really sure though how replicas would stand up to the real thing...

    How do they look?


  • #16
    Rashers
    Registered Users Posts: 907 ✭✭✭Rashers


    Free-2-Flow wrote: »
    My plan is to get the Plaque, 3 medals and maybe the cap badge and put it all in a frame

    I have my grandfather's like that in a frame along with my father's and my own. You get people asking about them, leading to long chats.


  • #17
    Free-2-Flow
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭Free-2-Flow


    Lex Luthor wrote:
    My aunt has my great grandfathers original medals but they are destined for her son so I was thinking about getting replicas...I'm not really sure though how replicas would stand up to the real thing...


    Got replicas off a guy in England,


  • #18
    Lex Luthor
    Registered Users Posts: 11,220 ✭✭✭✭Lex Luthor


    Free-2-Flow wrote: »
    Got replicas off a guy in England,

    how do they look? Does it make you feel like you have replaced the originals?

    I guess in my head the fact I know the originals are out there makes be a bit reluctant to get a replica unless they were really good


  • #19
    Free-2-Flow
    Registered Users Posts: 442 ✭✭Free-2-Flow


    I was thinking the same but what if you never find them, Between my 2nd Great Grandfather and his 3 brothers there are 4 sets of Medals, none can be located.


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