Decypher Medal index card??

[Hayden]

My great great grandad (John william bristow) from my knowledge served in the RFA which I found out from some research! Could you read this card and tell me-

- His brigade/unit and a link if possible?
- awarded medals?
-what the things in the remarks box says?
- anything i've missed off that seems interesting?
- what the cross means between medal and roll?


If you scroll down the card you will see another card for the same name! Is this the same card?? (my great great grandad still?) or is this his son who I know served in WW2, and has recieved a thankyou letter from the people of norway for the May 1945 liberation which he took part in (that's all i know about him)

Thanks!



http://imgur.com/a/1um9u

[kiterunner]

Hi Hayden and welcome to the forum!

I have deleted your other two threads as they were dups of this one.

The first card on your image doesn't mention the RFA, so it looks likely that the second one is your 2xg-grandfather and the first one is someone else. These particular cards are just for WW1, not WW2, so it won't be the son that you mention, but it's a fairly common name so probably not related.

More in a minute...

[kiterunner]

Okay, the cross between the column headings for Medal and Roll matches the cross next to Cpl written in at the top of the card above Gnr. (cut off on your image, but I looked it up on ancestry)


First off, a transcription of what it says on the card then we will have a go at interpreting it:
BRISTOW John Wm
Corps: RFA, Rank Gnr (Cpl written in above), Regtl No 759
Corps: RFA, Rank not filled in, Regtl No 800251
Medal:
Victory (TF), Roll RFA/139B, page 7853,
British ditto
15 Star: Roll (T)RFA/2A & B, page 210
SWB List: Roll RA/372 Deleted from RA/5220
Theatre of War first served in (1) France
Date of entry therein 6-3-15



Remarks: Dis 392 (xvi) 26-2-17

[kiterunner]

The medals he received were the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Allied Victory Medal, and the Silver War Badge. There is information about them on this link:
http://www.greatwar.co.uk/medals/ww1-campaign-medals.htm

The references to rolls and page numbers on the index card should lead to entries in the various medal rolls, which I am about to look up.

[Hayden]

Thankyou! I previously had ancestry but couldn't find this kind of information!

[Phoenix]

His war record also survives, and he was discharged under para 392 (16) of the king's regulations - basically because he was unfit for service.

He actually signed up before the start of WW1.

[kiterunner]

If you have access to ancestry (a sub, a free trial, or you may find that your local library has access) then this link will take you to the image of the Silver War Badge medal roll entry:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/2456/wo329_2966-00074/17622?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk%2 fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dSilverWarBadgeMedals%26gss%3d sfs28_ms_r_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1% 26gsln%3dbristo*%26gsln_x%3d1%26_F8007A65%3d800251 %26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

This is my transcription in case you can't view the image:
RA372 Roll of Individuals entitled to the "War Badge"
Regtl No: 800251
Rank: Cpl
Name: Bristow, John William
Unit discharged from: 1st N. Mid: Bde, RFA
No of Badge and Certificate: 166,831
Date of enlistment: 16-10-11
Date of discharge: 26-2-17
Cause of Discharge Sickness, King's Regulations para 392 (xvi)
Whether served overseas: Yes

The other medal rolls don't usually give any extra info but I will have a look at those later.

[Hayden]

His war record also survives, and he was discharged under para 392 (16) of the king's regulations - basically because he was unfit for service.

He actually signed up before the start of WW1.


Unfit, could this be due to injury or anything?

[Phoenix]

He was certainly in hospital. His record runs to a good many pages on Ancestry and contains several addresses.

[Hayden]

May I ask is there any links through him about his sons military campaigns?

My great grandad George Edward bristow (raf)
and John William Bristow (again) I know he was involved in the liberation of norway due to seeing a thankyou letter from the king somewhere!

[Phoenix]

We may be looking at the wrong man.

The father of the John William Bristow on the medal card Kate has transcribed is John Daniel Bristow.

He was a policeman and lived in Grimsby. Where was your John Bristow from?

[Hayden]

Grimsby haha! Bristows have lived here in grimsby in my family as long as my grandma can remember!

[Hayden]

Just so we don't get confused..

John William Bristow (first world war)
Sons: George Edward Bristow (Raf ww2)
John William Bristow (involved in Norway liberation 1945, also known as Jack)

All from Grimsby

[Phoenix]

Whoops! Showing my age there.

You won't find personnel records online for WW2.

[kiterunner]

And this is the link to his entry in the Victory and War Medals Roll (again, on ancestry):
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/5119/41629_611411_5406-00208/3176457?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk %2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dIWOServiceMedalAwardRolls%26g ss%3dsfs28_ms_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26msT%3d1%26 MS_AdvCB%3d1%26gsln%3dbristo*%26gsln_x%3d1%26_F800 7A65%3d800251%26_F8007A65_x%3d1%26MSAV%3d2%26uidh% 3dvm5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

RH & RFA (RFA T) Roll of Individuals entitled to the Victory Medal and British War Medal granted under Army Orders 266 & 301 of 1919:
Regtl No: 800251
Rank: Cpl
Name: Bristow John Wm
In sequence Units and Corps previously served with...; the highest rank...
RFA T 759 Cpl
Remarks: Disc: 26/2/17, para 392 xvi KR

[Hayden]

Thanks guys! So I'm right in saying he served with 1st north Midland betallion before spending almost a year out in France? Any other digging if you wish is always an interest! Going to compile it all and send it to my grandma haha! Is there a reason no ww2 records are online? Is it because of people still being alive?

We're any of the medals awarded for anything special haha just curious

[kiterunner]

As Phoenix said, John William Bristow sr's army papers are online. This is the link to them on ancestry but they will also be on Findmypast and it may be possible to find them on FamilySearch, which is free, but I don't think they are indexed on there so it may take a while to find them:
http://interactive.ancestry.co.uk/1114/miuk1914a_083480-00534/111362?backurl=http%3a%2f%2fsearch.ancestry.co.uk% 2fcgi-bin%2fsse.dll%3fdb%3dBritishArmy%26gss%3dsfs28_ms_ r_db%26new%3d1%26rank%3d1%26MS_AdvCB%3d1%26gsln%3d b*st*%26gsln_x%3d1%26msbpn__ftp_x%3d1%26msrpn__ftp _x%3d1%26msypn__ftp_x%3d1%26msfng_x%3d1%26msfns_x% 3d1%26mssng0_x%3d1%26mssns0_x%3d1%26mscng0_x%3d1%2 6mscns0_x%3d1%26_F8007A65%3d759%26_F8007A65_x%3d1% 26MSAV%3d2%26uidh%3dvm5&ssrc=&backlabel=ReturnSearchResults

Here are some of the important points, but you really need to read through it all for yourself.
Territorial Force attestation, 1st North Midland Brigade RFA
John William Bristow born Grimsby, Lincolnshire, age 20 years 6 months, Engine Cleaner, not married
dated 16 Oct 1911
Statement of services shows numbers 2061, 759, 800251.
1st Mid B, RFA, posted to AC 3rd Bty, rank Gunner
"Silver Badge on Roll" is stamped on the page.
Then it shows embodied service from 5/8/14 to 26/2/17, appointed A/Bdr (Assistant Bombardier?) 10/10/15, reverted to Gunner 9/12/15, with a promotion to Bombadier 22/4/16 and then to Corporal 30/4/16.
His "Military History Sheet" shows he served at "Home" (i.e. in the UK) from 16/10/11 to 5/3/15, then in France from 6/3/15 to 22/11/16, then Home from 23/11/16 to 26/2/17.
There is a change of address notice stamped with a date in 1921 where he has put "late Corpl No 759 230th Brigade RFA(T)."

Particulars as to character of a soldier serving with an Expeditionary Force who is sent Home for discharge or permanently for any reason
No 759, Name Corpl J W Bristow
Regiment "B" Battery, 230th Brigade RFA
Employment: Dock Policeman in civil life
Sobriety: Good
Is he reliable? Yes
Is he intelligent? Yes
Has he shown any special aptitude for particular employment in civil life? Policeman
Any other facts regarding him you wish to be noted? A good NCO, above average intelligence
Has he a good power of command and control, and is he tactful in his way of handling men? Yes
Date 28/1/17

[kiterunner]

Thanks guys! So I'm right in saying he served with 1st north Midland betallion before spending almost a year out in France? He was in France for nearly 2 years.

Is there a reason no ww2 records are online? Is it because of people still being alive? Yes, the reason why the WW2 service records aren't online is because many people who served are still alive, but there are some records available online, e.g. mentions in the London Gazette etc. I will have a look and see if I can find any mentions of George and John jr.

We're any of the medals awarded for anything special haha just curious No, they're the usual ones.

[Hayden]

You guys are gems! Can't thank you enough for helping me with this! I'm going to read it all
Through in detail! With the recent anniversaries I have wanted to do this! Thankyou so much

[kiterunner]

I will have a look and see if I can find any mentions of George and John jr.


I didn't find anything.