Medal Mystery

[siouxie366]

I have been researching my husband's family lately and discovered his Grandmother had a brother and a sister that no-one knew anything about.  The brother died in WW1 in Israel.  Here's the mystery!  "Granny" always wore a medal that had been adapted into a brooch, and we assumed it had previously belonged to one of her family members.  However, the brother who died in WW1 was H.H.Owens serving with the RWF.  The name given on the "brooch" (British War Medal) she wore is that of 310115 Gunner R. Edwards, Royal Artillery.  We have NO idea who this person might be, no date or place of birth, date of death etc.  Does anyone have any idea as to how, with this very scant information we might find out more regarding Gunner Edwards?
Thanks
Siouxie366

[mmm45]

He was called Richard and a Territorial soldier in the Royal Garrison Artillery.

Thats the info from his medal index card

Ady

[siouxie366]

Hello Ady,

Thanks for that.  I did try medal records - but quite obviously failed.  I will have another look at things.  Having a first name at least moves us a step closer.

Regards Siouxie

[forester]

Siouxie,

His service number, 310115, shows that at some point, (after the 1917 re-numbering of the Territorials), he was with 1/1 Welsh (Caernarvonshire) Heavy Battery.

Phil

[siouxie366]

Thank you very much Phil.  Very interesting to know that.  We are still very intrigued as to why Granny always wore his medal!  She, herself, was Welsh and lived in ne of the villages just outside Caernarvon.  I expect that the "why" will never really be known.
Regards
Siouxie

[KGarrad]

Probably they had some sort of relationship? Sweethearts?

[siouxie366]

Hi, thanks for your comment.  I guess all our speculation is heading that way!!.. I shall try to find out a bit more concerning the young man.  Granny did have a bit of a chequered history when it came to the opposite sex!  Don't you just love it when skeletons pop out of the cupboard?  This one hasn't quite popped out, but he's certainly pushed the door ajar!
Regards
Siouxie

[jim1]

Medals were awarded 1921/22 & went to the soldier or next of kin.
As there's no record of his death during WW1 one would have to surmise he survived & gave Granny his BWM sometime after 1922.
Not knowing her age at the time does that sound feasible?

[siouxie366]

Hello Jim1

Thank you for that information.  I have to confess I'm having a bit of a giggle now!!

Granny was born in 1891, so would have been 31 in 1922, so she would certainly have been a contemporary of Richard in regard to age.

Now, here's where I'm just having to giggle!!  Granny got married in 1917!!!

By that time Richard was serving with the 1/1 Welsh (Caernarvonshire) Heavy Battery.  I wonder if she was carrying a torch for Richard and when he went off to fight in the Great War, decided to hedge her bets and marry just in case he didn't come back.  Whisper it please - she had already had a child out of wedlock (as they say) in 1915.  Following her marriage she quit Wales and went to live in York, where her husband was originally from.

I wonder how she managed to receive Richard's medal???  I'm not sure of how much time elapsed between her marriage and her moving to Yorkshire, as her husband was serving in the Yorks and Lancs Regiment.  His address was one in York, and hers was in Penygroes in Wales!!

Aren't relatives just wonderful!!

Regards
Siouxie