Researching British Military Medals: A Practical Guide

Rating:
Summary: A solid guide to research
Review: Books on medal collecting tend to focus on the medals themselves - the criteria for their award, numbers issued, and the physical characteristics of the medal itself.

This book is entirely different. Its focus is on the records behind the medals. It was a tradition in the British military to inscribe medals awarded to soldiers with their name, regiment, and often service numbers. This means that these baubles of cloth and metal are not mere keepsakes, but actual links to an individual's past.

Medal collectors, military historians, and genealogists will all find this a very practical guide explaining how to flesh out the story behind the medal by consultation with the available records. Most of the records discussed are held at the Public Record Office but the author also discusses sources including those found with the medal (cases, telegrams, etc.) newspapers, and other libraries, museums and archives.

The volume is profusely illustrated in black and white with period photos, close-ups of medals, and examples of the records involved. It is a very good step-by-step guide for learning the history of a serviceman based on their medals.

Rating:
Summary: The Book I Wish I'd Written
Review: I agree with everything Mr. Howells above says in his review. However, to add to what he said above, I found this book not only a "how to" guide, but also a very enjoyable, relaxing read. In short, this is a friendly book. It is well organized and takes the reader step by step through the research avenues used (and available) for the authors' "example" medals. The results were surprising and interesting, especially for the medals' uses in geneological research. The beauty of British medal collecting is that the vast majority of awards are named to individuals. This book illustrates well that these medals represent not only historic events, but full, rich and sometimes tragic lives as well.