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Help me work out what medals

Started by kim, November 04, 2009, 07:58:15 PM

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kim

Hi, first time here. I'm trying to find out what medals my grandfather would have been awarded. We know he got the Burma Star but that's where it stops. My mother recalls he had three medals but they were lost in a house fire along with his kit bag years ago. My mother turns 70 in December and as a gift I would like to replace the medals if I can. I have written to the Ministry Of Defence but because I am not next of kin they won't tell me anything. My grandfather: Private John Ryan. Service No. 3527266. Was with the Manchester regiment 1st bn. Died on the 23rd December 1943 and is buried at Chungkai war cemetery. A friend of mine went to Thailand on vacation and went to the cemetery and took photos of the grave and my mother was so pleased, so I would like to get her some, or al,l of his medals if I could. Also, I would like to get the Manchester Regiment cap badge, so if anyone could help it would be greatly appreciated, thanks.                                                                                                                                                 

sphinx

Kim,

If your Grandfather was in the 1st Bn. Manchester Regt. & captured in Singapore and died as a POW he would have had the following medals:-

1939/45 Star
Pacific Star
War Medal
Defence Medal.

He would NOT have had the Burma Star.

I can provide you with all these ORIGINAL medals and a cap badge if you would like to send me a Personal Message (PM).

I have provided medals for several forum members before.

regards

rafboy

Hi Kim
sphinx's list of medals is accurate, these are the medals my father had, he was also a Japanese POW.
I am sorry I don't have his Japanese POW Record card amongst the ones I have photos of, it will be available from the National Archive at Kew.  If you cannot get there yourself you could ask themonsstar (Roy) if he could get it for you next time he goes.  I am sure he would get it for a donation to his favorite military charity.
You may not be the next of kin but you can get his army records with his next of kins permission, they will cost you about £30.00.
I have attached a list of web sites that may be of interest, at the bottom of the list is The Veterans Agency, this site will give you all the information you need to obtain his record including downloadable application forms.
Have a look at the "Photos and Postcards By Battalion" section of the Forum then the Fare East Photos where you will find two photos of groups of POW's taken in Singapore shortly after capture, the few identified so far have all been 1st Bn Manchester Regiment men.  I can send you higher resolution files of these which can be enlarged to see the mens features clearly, you may find him amongst them but not all of the Battalion are in them.
Finally this document available from the Manchester Regiment Museum for a small fee has him listed in the Roll of Honour on page 24 he is at the top of the page:  First Battalion The Manchester Regiment Malaya, Thailand, Burma 1939 ~ 1945 reference number MR1/3/1/18
Cliff
Cliff P Son of 3525679 Sgt Arthur Phillips 1st Bn Manchester Regiment and RAPC

kim

Quote from: rafboy on November 05, 2009, 01:24:40 PM
Hi Kim
sphinx's list of medals is accurate, these are the medals my father had, he was also a Japanese POW.
I am sorry I don't have his Japanese POW Record card amongst the ones I have photos of, it will be available from the National Archive at Kew.  If you cannot get there yourself you could ask themonsstar (Roy) if he could get it for you next time he goes.  I am sure he would get it for a donation to his favorite military charity.
You may not be the next of kin but you can get his army records with his next of kins permission, they will cost you about £30.00.
I have attached a list of web sites that may be of interest, at the bottom of the list is The Veterans Agency, this site will give you all the information you need to obtain his record including downloadable application forms.
Have a look at the "Photos and Postcards By Battalion" section of the Forum then the Fare East Photos where you will find two photos of groups of POW's taken in Singapore shortly after capture, the few identified so far have all been 1st Bn Manchester Regiment men.  I can send you higher resolution files of these which can be enlarged to see the mens features clearly, you may find him amongst them but not all of the Battalion are in them.
Finally this document available from the Manchester Regiment Museum for a small fee has him listed in the Roll of Honour on page 24 he is at the top of the page:  First Battalion The Manchester Regiment Malaya, Thailand, Burma 1939 ~ 1945 reference number MR1/3/1/18
Cliff

hi you helped me more than you know i cant thank you enough

kim

Quote from: sphinx on November 04, 2009, 10:34:18 PM
Kim,

If your Grandfather was in the 1st Bn. Manchester Regt. & captured in Singapore and died as a POW he would have had the following medals:-

1939/45 Star
Pacific Star
War Medal
Defence Medal.

He would NOT have had the Burma Star.

I can provide you with all these ORIGINAL medals and a cap badge if you would like to send me a Personal Message (PM).

I have provided medals for several forum members before.

regards
hi thank you very much you have helped e loads

kim

Quote from: rafboy on November 05, 2009, 01:24:40 PM
Hi Kim
sphinx's list of medals is accurate, these are the medals my father had, he was also a Japanese POW.
I am sorry I don't have his Japanese POW Record card amongst the ones I have photos of, it will be available from the National Archive at Kew.  If you cannot get there yourself you could ask themonsstar (Roy) if he could get it for you next time he goes.  I am sure he would get it for a donation to his favorite military charity.
You may not be the next of kin but you can get his army records with his next of kins permission, they will cost you about £30.00.
I have attached a list of web sites that may be of interest, at the bottom of the list is The Veterans Agency, this site will give you all the information you need to obtain his record including downloadable application forms.
Have a look at the "Photos and Postcards By Battalion" section of the Forum then the Fare East Photos where you will find two photos of groups of POW's taken in Singapore shortly after capture, the few identified so far have all been 1st Bn Manchester Regiment men.  I can send you higher resolution files of these which can be enlarged to see the mens features clearly, you may find him amongst them but not all of the Battalion are in them.
Finally this document available from the Manchester Regiment Museum for a small fee has him listed in the Roll of Honour on page 24 he is at the top of the page:  First Battalion The Manchester Regiment Malaya, Thailand, Burma 1939 ~ 1945 reference number MR1/3/1/18
Cliff

could you send me the higher resolution file please

rafboy

Hi Kim
I am not at home at the moment, I will send them to your email address Sunday evening if I am home early enough otherwise I will send them on Monday.
Cliff
Cliff P Son of 3525679 Sgt Arthur Phillips 1st Bn Manchester Regiment and RAPC

rafboy

I know you said at the start of this thread that you have a photo of your grandfathers grave but I thought you would like this one.  The Poppy shows that the photo is copyright of The Thailand Burma Railway Centre, I do have permission to share it with family members looking for information on their relatives.
Cliff
Cliff P Son of 3525679 Sgt Arthur Phillips 1st Bn Manchester Regiment and RAPC