Medal Index Cards
I am pleased to say that since this was written, the Western Front Association have agreed to take on the care of the records and are currently putting in an application to the Ministry of Defence, which is supported by the National Archives. Early negotiations are proving fruitful: the eventual aim is to make the records available to the public, possibly via the Internet.
The Medal Index Cards (or MICs) were used in the 1920s to issue the campaign medals for WW1. These medals were given to every soldier who served overseas. There are nearly six million cards, and they include such famous names as Lawrence of Arabia, Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Owen and Winston Churchill.
The original cards were compiled by disabled servicemen and women clerks in the early 1920s to issue the campaign medals for the First World War. In each case the soldier’s basic military details are shown, together with the medals awarded. They are the starting point for any research into the men and women who served in World War One.
The cards were copied by the National Archives (NA) in the 1980s, and digitalised in the late 1990s and made available on the Internet. However, only one side of the cards was copied: the reverse side, which in at least 10-20% of the records shows additional information, was never copied. The cards are now due for destruction by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
The latest edition of Your Family Tree Magazine carries the following editorial:
As we go to press, it has come to my attention that in April the MOD
intends to destroy some 6 million records of medals issued to WW1
personnel. I think you will agree that we cannot let them do so.
Our military expert Paul Reed has been looking into the matter and it
appears that the private facility used by the MOD to hold the records at
Hayes wants to relocate and charge the MOD for moving the cards. The
MOD's response is to get rid of the 140 filing cabinets that contain the
4-6 cards. The National Archives doesn't want to take on the cards
because it has already microfiched them and the microfiche has been
digitally scanned
This is the only complete and untouched record
of First World War soldiers left. Other service records were burned
during WW2. Only the fronts of the cards have been scanned and we
believe that written on the back of many of these cards is the address
that the medals were sent to
The MOD claims its holds copyright on the cards and that it can do what
it wishes with them. I'd argue that these cards are part of the
nation's heritage. They are public records, and I'd remind the MOD that
the descendants of WW1 soldiers pay their taxes.
I am pleased to say that since this was written, the Western Front Association have agreed to take on the care of the records and are currently putting in an application to the Ministry of Defence, which is supported by the National Archives. Early negotiations are proving fruitful: the eventual aim is to make the records available to the public, possibly via the Internet.
The Medal Index Cards (or MICs) were used in the 1920s to issue the campaign medals for WW1. These medals were given to every soldier who served overseas. There are nearly six million cards, and they include such famous names as Lawrence of Arabia, Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Owen and Winston Churchill.
The original cards were compiled by disabled servicemen and women clerks in the early 1920s to issue the campaign medals for the First World War. In each case the soldier’s basic military details are shown, together with the medals awarded. They are the starting point for any research into the men and women who served in World War One.
The cards were copied by the National Archives (NA) in the 1980s, and digitalised in the late 1990s and made available on the Internet. However, only one side of the cards was copied: the reverse side, which in at least 10-20% of the records shows additional information, was never copied. The cards are now due for destruction by the Ministry of Defence (MOD).
The latest edition of Your Family Tree Magazine carries the following editorial:
As we go to press, it has come to my attention that in April the MOD
intends to destroy some 6 million records of medals issued to WW1
personnel. I think you will agree that we cannot let them do so.
Our military expert Paul Reed has been looking into the matter and it
appears that the private facility used by the MOD to hold the records at
Hayes wants to relocate and charge the MOD for moving the cards. The
MOD's response is to get rid of the 140 filing cabinets that contain the
4-6 cards. The National Archives doesn't want to take on the cards
because it has already microfiched them and the microfiche has been
digitally scanned
This is the only complete and untouched record
of First World War soldiers left. Other service records were burned
during WW2. Only the fronts of the cards have been scanned and we
believe that written on the back of many of these cards is the address
that the medals were sent to
The MOD claims its holds copyright on the cards and that it can do what
it wishes with them. I'd argue that these cards are part of the
nation's heritage. They are public records, and I'd remind the MOD that
the descendants of WW1 soldiers pay their taxes.
posted by Hugh W at 7:59 am
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