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British General Service Medal inquiry

Started by brandm24, June 18, 2021, 03:39:52 PM

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brandm24

This GSM with attached clasps (bars) from campaigns in Northern Ireland, Borneo, and the Malay Peninsula was given to me by a collector / dealer friend of mine. It was included in a large collection of various types of British medals and coins bought as a lot recently by him.

This type of medal, which replaced the GSM (1918) and the Naval General Service Medal (1915), was awarded to those military personnel who served in various minor campaigns from 1962 to 2007. The campaigns include those of Cyprus, Lebanon, Northern Ireland, South Vietnam (Australian forces), Kuwait, and nine other theaters.

The medal is 36mm and struck in silver. None were ever awarded without clasps and the maximun number of clasps awarded to one armed forces member was six. The name, rank, service number, and regiment or corps of the receipient is engraved on the edge of the medal.

The engraving on this example reads "24023075 / Gnr. C. W. Bradshaw Ra." I'd like to know more about this man or woman so I can include the information with the medal. I think it's important that they be identified. Since I don't have access to British military records here, I'm asking someone who does to help in the identification. Any help is much appreciated.

Bruce
Always Faithful

eurocoin

#1
Obtaining military records is going to be very difficult. Military records can be obtained from the British government but you will need to have the person's full name and date of birth to be able to do so, which you do not currently have. To be able to request records, the person that was awarded the medal also has to be death, which is uncertain. Once you do have all of that information, you will also have to pay a fee to the British government that is not cheap (which is a disgrace). The first 25 years after the person's death, the government will not provide certain records. So you will then only be provided a limited amount of records.

Based on the service number there can be concluded that this person enlisted in the Army at some point in the period from April 1964 until October 1964.
The service number 24023075 is namely part of the number block 23969620 to 24033484, which was being assigned during that specific timeframe.


FosseWay

Eurocoin is basically right that finding this person will be difficult, because there is a high likelihood they are still alive or have died in the last 20 years or so. Also the surname is common, we only have initials and we don't have even an approximate DoB (though it can't really be later than about 1945 given the campaigns listed).

You might strike lucky with one of these search functions:

The UK Roll of Honour - covers military and police/rescue personnel KIA since 1945

The London Gazette - military appointments and awards for valor are posted here. The link points to a search for "Gnr C W Bradshaw" which yields 150-odd results. Most of those will be from the World Wars but as said you might strike lucky. I didn't get anything from his/her number, though.

Sorry I don't have time to dig further just now, but the links may lead somewhere, and they're free :)

brandm24

Thank you both for your helpful information. I hadn't thought that the soldier in question is likely still living so his records would be confidential. Reminds me of Federal Census Records here. Any data less than 70 years old is never published. Right now I can only get access to all records from 1950 or earlier.

I'll check out some of the links you've provided and see if anything turns up. I just think it's a shame that this person's history isn't with the medal. It would probably make for an interesting story.

Thanks again.

Bruce
Always Faithful