RootsChat.Com
General => Armed Forces => World War One => Topic started by: RossGillbanks on Sunday 09 January 22 16:27 GMT (UK)
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I have a 1921 census for my 2x great grandfather James Benjamin Gillbanks. I found out he was part of the Duke Of Cornwalls Light Infantry (Never knew that until this census). I found a MIC & medal roll on Ancestry for him, which he was awarded a GSM. However I cant find any other records! I was wondering if this was the first time he served and if this is the only medal he was entitled to, but I cant find anything apart from the MIC & medal roll but noticed forces war records has 3 records for him, One under James Ben Gillbanks and two others under James B Gillbanks all in the Duke Of Cornwalls Light Infantry. I dont have a subscription to them but wondered if these will contain different information or all 3 will have the same info on them?
The record year on one is 1923 which I suspect to be the medal roll I have. The other two are dated 1914. His service number is 5430460 if that is any help. I am questioning if this is the only medal he was awarded and if he had previously served?
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As he was serving after 1920 his records will still be with the MOD.
The website with the information for applying for he records.
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records
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The GSM was for service in Iraq (not the Napoleonic Wars as Ancestry suggests!)
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1686/images/31794_221547-00301
It's unlikely that Forces War records has anything for him that isn't available elsewhere.
However there is a good chance that his service records are still held by the MoD
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records
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As he was serving after 1920 his records will still be with the MOD.
The website with the information for applying for he records.
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records
Thank you Jebber, does that include any services before 1920? I had no idea he served at all until I got his 1921 census. I was a little confused regarding only having a MIC for a GSM but I dont know if its standard for someone to only receive a GSM and no other medals? Also the GSM was returned to the MOD so I can try apply for that but just wanted to find out if there is more before applying for that one.
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The GSM was for service in Iraq (not the Napoleonic Wars as Ancestry suggests!)
https://www.ancestry.co.uk/imageviewer/collections/1686/images/31794_221547-00301
It's unlikely that Forces War records has anything for him that isn't available elsewhere.
However there is a good chance that his service records are still held by the MoD
https://www.gov.uk/get-copy-military-service-records/apply-for-someone-elses-records
Indeed that Napoleonic war bit threw me off and I skipped that a good few times! I do wonder what the other records are that forces war have? I am tempted to pay for a subscription to find out but I don't know if I am wasting my time with that? The GSM was returned so I can try the trick others have done with MOD to get the medal but I wanted to make sure there wasn't other medals elsewhere that I am missing. Unfortunately medals aren't my strong point but I did wonder if this is the only medal he was awarded even though the MIC I have is only for the GSM.
Forces war hints it has records for a victory medal and a BWM but is that just a tactic to get a subscription?
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There is no record of him being awarded BWM or VM so he didn't serve in an overseas theatre of war before 12 November 1918.
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Yes, I would expect all his records to be with the MOD. Except if he had WW1 medals there should have been a medal card like the one for the GSM.
Yes you haven’t mentioned his year of birth, so have no idea how old he was for WW1.
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Yes, I would expect all his records to be with the MOD. Except if he had WW1 medals there should have been a medal card like the one for the GSM.
Yes you haven’t mentioned his year of birth, so have no idea how old he was for WW1.
Sorry he was born 1900
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There is no record of him being awarded BWM or VM so he didn't serve in an overseas theatre of war before 12 November 1918.
Thank you, I guess its just a tactic to try get me to sign up!
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His age would almost certainly account for him not being in receipt of medals. Only his service records would confirm this