Lost BEM

[ralphmalph]

My dad was awarded the BEM in the seventies whilst serving with the RAF.
My dad died some years ago and I am in the process of sorting out all his military history etc.

Unfortunately his medals have gone missing.......

is there somewhere that I may contact to get a copy of the citation/award???

I remember my dad telling me that when awarded with the BEM the were some privileges accorded??????

if any-one has any information however vauge it would be most appreciated.

yours

Ralph

[niknak]

Yes you can definately get a copy of all paperwork and the award as well.
I don't know who is directly responsible for this, but your local MP will definately be able to find out for you, as they are often involved in the nomination process itself.

Hope this helps.

[KENNYR]

Try contacting :- Royal Air Force Records & Medals Office,
RAF Personnel Management Centre
MOD
Innsworth
Gloucester GL3 1EZ

[Dimmer Switch]

Recently went through a similar thing with my grandfathers medals and dealt with the RN equivalent office. It's not a quick process, but they are EXTREMELY helpful and persevered on my behalf in spite of very little info. Presume the RAF system will be equally good. Good Luck

[Pontius Navigator]

In my case I had 2 enquiries. The RAF one was about my uncles. One was lost in the war and their response was very quick, basically nothing to report apart from the Runymede Memorial. I got more detail when I checked the F540 and F541 for 29 Sqn who were nearby.

The other was, if anything, even better. I wrote to Cardiff about my father in the merchant navy. I did not have the correct address. Almost by return, and without any supplementaries, the Marine and Coastguard Safety Agency sent photocopies of ALL my father's pre-war and wartime ships papers. They were sorted and indvidiually bound and accompanied by a comprehensive decode and specific explanatory notes.

There are lots of sympathetic civil servants out there who want nothing better than to provide a first rate service.

[ralphmalph]

Many thanks for the posts guys.

Ralph

[Zoom]

Interesting stuff as I have been wondering how to get a copy of my father's MC citation. Anyone know the Army contact details?

[teeteringhead]

Zoom
Good first port of call is London Gazette Online (http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/index.asp?webType=0) which may well have the MC citation available.

[Pontius Navigator]

I hope there is more luck with the London Gazette and the BEM. I searched for my grandfather who had both the MC and MSM in the First World War. He was not listed in the LG database.

I have primary evidence as I have the Times for 21 Oct 1916 that carries the listing for his MC copied from the gazette of 20 Oct 1916.

This suggests that the Gazette listings are incomplete. Possibly they suffered losses in WW2 as well as the Army archives.

[reynoldsno1]

Try http://www.documentsonline.nationalarchives.gov.uk
They have more than 5 million WW1 medal records online. Search is free, download GBP3.50 I believe