I am a veteran of the British Armed Forces, but never claimed medals which I think may be due to me. How do I claim them?
You may claim any medals which may be due to you by writing to the Medal Office giving your service number, full name, date of birth, approximate dates of service and full current address. Alternatively, you may download, print and complete the Medal Application Form. The Medal Office will acknowledge your application in writing. A full assessment of your entitlement to any medals will then take place using your original record of service. Send your request to:
The MoD Medal Office
Building 250
Imjin Barracks
Gloucester
GL3 1HW
I recently received medals from your office, but believe I was entitled to more. What should I do?
A full and thorough assessment of your entitlement will have taken place using your original record of service and the official regulations. Should you wish to challenge the entitlement that has been provided, please write back in to the Medal Office, giving your service number, full name, full current address and the reference number from your first application.
I recently received medals from your office, but they did not come with a pin or brooch bar.
Brooches on which to hang medals are not provided by the Ministry of Defence. This allows the recipient to add the medal(s) to any that are already held, or to have the medal(s) mounted for either wear or display in a style of their choosing. Brooch bars to mount medals for wear may be obtained in the appropriate length for the number of medals to be displayed from any military tailor or medal dealer. Details of local tailors/dealers are available in Yellow Pages, local press or via the internet.
I recently received World War II medals from your office, but they were not engraved.
The two medals, the 1939-45 War Medal and the Defence Medal, and the campaign stars awarded for service during World War II are not engraved with the details of the recipient. The decision not to engrave these medals was laid out in the original regulations relating to World War II medals and must still be followed today.
Is there a ‘Victory Medal’ for World War II service?
No. The 1939-45 War Medal is sometimes mistakenly referred to as the ‘Victory Medal’, though this is not its official title. The 1939-45 War Medal was issued for 28 days continuous service in the UK Armed Forces anytime during World War II.
Who is entitled to receive medals?
Service veterans are entitled to receive medals, if they meet the qualifying criteria, in recognition of their service. If the serviceman is deceased, the immediate next of kin is entitled to receive any medals. In the first instance, the immediate next of kin will be the spouse. If also deceased, it will be the eldest child. If there was no marriage or no children, it could be a sibling or other relation. If a different family member wishes to receive the medals, written and signed permission must be given by the immediate next of kin.
I was in the Merchant Navy, am I eligible to receive medals and how would I claim them?
Merchant Navy personnel who served during World War II and as part of certain post-war operations or campaigns may be eligible to receive campaign medals. Applications should be made in writing to:
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency
MCA Cardiff
Anchor Court
Keen Road
Cardiff
CF24 5JW
Can I obtain replacements of lost medals?
The Medal Office only issue replacement medals to service veterans or, if deceased, the member of the family who now holds the medals, under certain strict conditions where the loss is completely outside the individual’s control in such instances as burglary, street theft or house fire. Only World War II medals and those issued subsequently can be replaced, provided that the criteria described here are met. The Medal Office is unable to replace medals issued before World War II, such as First World War medals, under any circumstances.
Should you wish to claim for replacement medals in these circumstances, you should please provide details of the incident (i.e. burglary, fire etc.) and submit supporting contemporary evidence from the time of loss, by way of a copy of a successful insurance claim, or a Police crime report, either/both of which should include reference to the loss of the medals. A crime reference number alone is not sufficient. A lost property report is also insufficient.
If these criteria are met then the Medal Office can issue replacement medals, but please note that there will still be a charge for the medals. The Medal Office will also check official records to confirm that the medals requested had been awarded to you or your relative.
In all other cases, you may wish to consider purchasing replica medals from a specialist medal company or reputable medal dealer.
I have already applied to the MoD Medal Office, or the former Army, Navy, RAF or Marine Medal Office, but have not heard from you since you first acknowledged my application. Why is it taking so long and how much longer will it take?
The Medal Office still receives hundreds of applications every week from veterans and their next of kin, applying for medals that have not been issued. The Medal Office is also assessing and processing medals such as the Iraq Medal for our currently serving personnel. The assessment of medal claims is a skilled and time-consuming task requiring a close reading of the original record of service and often complex regulations. It is important that each case is assessed totally accurately to ensure that each individual receives the medals to which he or she is entitled.
The Medal Office assesses applications strictly in order of receipt, with only one exception. For veterans aged 90 or over, or for those with a terminal illness, the Medal Office will process your application as a matter of priority. If this applies to you, please write to the Medal Office bringing this to their attention and, in the case of terminal illness, enclose a doctor’s note.
As part of the aim to award medals to surviving veterans or their spouses during their lifetimes, the Medal Office is also currently prioritising applications for veterans or their spouses ahead of applications from second generation next of kin.
The Medal Office has expanded their team of assessors and is quickly reducing the backlog, but in the meantime ask for your patience.
I was enquiring about an on-going application, but my call was answered by someone in Glasgow, can I call the Medal Office directly?
No. Calls are answered for the Medal Office by the Joint Personnel Administration Centre (JAPC) Enquiry Centre, which is split between two sites: Glasgow and Gosport. This allows the staff at the Medal Office to concentrate on the assessing of medal entitlements. The Enquiry Centre will be able to answer most questions that you may have. If they are unable to answer your question, they will send the details to the Medal Office and a member of staff will contact you within 24 hours. The Enquiry Centre number is 0141 224 3600. Please note that if you have the ‘Caller Protection’ facility on your telephone, which blocks calls from unknown numbers and switchboards, then the Medal Office would be unable to call you back. If you use this facility, please advise the staff at the enquiry centre when discussing your query.
What is the difference between ‘official’ and ‘commemorative’ medals?
The term ‘official’ could be used to describe any medals for which Her Majesty, or her predecessors, has given approval. Only these medals are permissible for wear on a service uniform. Commemorative medals are those which have been produced by organisations or private medal companies to commemorate particular branches of service or areas of operations. Examples of popular commemorative medals are:
- The National Service Medal
- Allied Ex-Prisoners of War Medal
- The Dunkirk Medal
- British Forces Germany Medal
Commemorative medals such as the examples listed are not issued by the MoD Medal Office and may be purchased from either the private medal company that produces them or from a reputable medal dealer. The Royal British Legion or other Veterans Associations may also be able to offer you further advice should you wish to purchase commemorative medals which cover your time or areas of service.
What is the Veterans Badge and is there a Veterans Medal?
The Veterans Badge is a lapel badge for UK Armed Forces Veterans who enlisted in HM Armed Forces between 3 September 1945 and 31 December 1994. There is no qualifying length of Service. The badge is issued by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency. More details can be found on their website or by calling 0800 169 2277. There is no official medal called the ‘Veterans Medal’.
I have received an engraved medal (such as the General Service Medal ‘Canal Zone’) but believe my rank to have been engraved incorrectly.
All medals are engraved with the substantive rank held by the recipient on the date of qualification, not that rank which may have been attained prior to leaving the service. When assessing each case and calculating the date of qualification, the rank record from the record of service is also checked to ensure that the correct substantive rank is engraved on the medal.
I am a veteran of the Armed Forces of another country, but now live in the UK. Where can I apply for any medals which I may be due?
You are advised to write to the Embassy of that country. You could find their addresses or telephone numbers from a directory enquiries service.
How do I find out if any of my ancestors were awarded medals for World War I?
After the 1914-18 War, all campaign medals were automatically issued to the medal earner or, if deceased, to the next of kin. Records of the medals awarded to each serviceman are held in the National Archives at Kew and are available to the public. For a small fee these medal cards can be viewed online at the National Archives website.
Can I obtain replacement World War I medals?
The MoD Medal Office is not able to provide replacement World War I medals. You may wish to purchase replicas or original named medals from a reputable medal dealer or a private medal company.