War Medal

[Greyhound]

Could anyone help with the following,

I have a silver circular First world war medal (British War Medal) on the front is King George V and on the reverse Saint George, on the rim it has the following.

82. PTE. M. BURKE.RIF. BRIG. is 82 his Army number? and what does RIF. stand for?

many thanks
Steve.

[M.T.H]

Hi Steve,

The RIF is for the Rifle Brigade,not sure about the number, I would have thought that it's to short to be his service number,unless some of the numbers have worn away .

Mick

[Manchester Rambler]

Looks like this guy:

Medal card of Burke, Michael
Corps: Rifle Brigade
Regiment No: 82
Rank: Private
       
Corps: Norfolk Regiment
Regiment No: 203630    
Rank: Private

You can download the medal card for £3.50 from the National Archives site http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/

Rambler

[Greyhound]

Thanks for your help,
the medal and writing on the rim is in  perfect order,   I was looking down the line of him being in an Irish Reg, but the mystery is solved. 
regards
Steve.

[harribobs]

edit....must read posts in full....

[manmack]

you need andys expertise on this,he looks like a pre war soldier with a number that small,and he was most likely to have been wounded/sick because hes been renumbered and posted to another regt,his victory medal will be named to the norfolk regt,mack

[Andy Pay]

Not an old soldier of the Rifle Brigade but probably of the Norfolks, 203630 number falls within the range of the Territorials for the Rifle Brigade which were formed from the National Reserve as Provisional Territorial Battalions in November 1915 - each started its Regimental numbering from No 1. In July 1916 (in common with all of the T.F.) nubering was begun from 200000 upwards.
Seven of these Battalions were formed in late 1915 and all placed under the Rifle Brigade banner, as the Guards, K.R.R.C. and The Rifle Brigade were the only Regiments with no Territorials. They had seperate Pay and Record Office from the Rifle Brigade and no men or Officers from The Rifle Brigade was placed in their ranks so had very little to do with The Rifle Brigade.
I will hunt through the medal rolls and find out what Battalion he was placed in.

Andy

[Greyhound]

Andy,
thanks for your help, much appriciated, regarding the Army number, the only number on this medal is No 82. sorry I don't have any more info.
regards
Steve.

[Andy Pay]

Steve,
I have many of the Territorials in The Rifle Brigade medals, most of which are marked with their early battalion number.
I will check the rolls for you and see what we can come up with as a couple of these battalions left good war diaries.

Andy