A recent bereavement in our family and the conversations that followed have thrown up a minor mystery that, of course, my grandfather is not around to solve. In short, we recently 'found' his original GSM with Malaya clasp, but another relative is convinced that she has his GSM. She certainly has a GSM, but she cannot be sure when it came into her possession. The newly rediscovered one is certainly his: it is engraved with his name, his service number and 'R.A.' and it features his Malaya clasp--it is also seemingly unworn since issued. The second, the one that we knew was 'in the family', has no inscription and no clasp and is relatively clean, so it could belong to another relative on the other side of the family, but the less-than-knowledgable relative isn't able to say for certain. For reasons too frustrating to go into, I'm not able to lay eyes on it, so I can't say whether it's an ultra-shiny 'modern' medal, although I'm told via my mother that it is 'clean'. In order to shed some light, I have returned to my grandfather's service records and found the following. From ARMY FORM B200 (Green): The first entry is the original issue of the medal. The handwriting matches that of most the record sheet as being from the 1950s. The second entry is the Canal Zone clasp, awarded to servicemen in this location from 16 October 1951 to 19 October 1954. Eligibility was not determined until October 2003, so I assume he applied for it on the date given: 6/1/05. I remember his telling me that he'd found out he was newly eligible for it and intended to apply. The last entry on 27/1/05 I cannot understand. Is that AMO or merely a fancy AO (Army Order)? 'AO' / GSM / 411336 - is there any chance that this could be a reissued GSM? I am doubtful that it is, because I know that the army is supposedly strict in its requirement that only medals verifiably stolen or destroyed by fire can be replaced, neither of which is true here. And if I'm wrong and it is a reissue, what am I to make of the dates: the medal being reissued three weeks after the clasp to it has been approved? Could he perhaps have applied for a replacement and the clasp on the same date, but they were approved separately? My last guess is that he applied for the clasp, received it and found the original medal he hoped to affix it to missing, but even then, would the MOD manage such a quick turnaround. Informed fact or intelligent speculation would be most welcome.
Potentially in my eyes your best bet is to: Contact the MOD Medal Office You can contact the Medal Office in writing or via email. DBS-Medals@mod.gov.uk MOD Medal Office Room G36 Innsworth House Imjin Barracks Gloucester GL3 1HW Telephone enquiries are handled by the Joint Personnel Administration Centre (JPAC). Freephone (UK only): 0800 085 3600 Telephone (from overseas): +44 141 224 3600 Especially as they will have been the department to deal with the recent issue, and therefore should know what all the abbreviations mean etc TD
A GSM with no recipient detail on the rim suggests a non official issue to me. I’m aware Medal Office do issue replacements for lost medals. The rim is engraved with the recipient detail and they usually also add “R” on the rim to signify a replacement. Steve
It's a replacement: said relative has found the box that included the word replacement--it's also far too shiny. The next mission is to persuade her that the Second World War Defence Medal that she has--and is 100% convinced is his--cannot be. I've decided to take a break before attempting the head-wall engagement again. On the bright side, biting my tongue has resulted in scans of his photographs, so I shan't curse too loudly.
There have been several cases (I know of at least two going through a major London auction house) where a Canal Zone medal has been issued to a recipient already in possession of a GSM, rather than just a Bar for attachment to the original medal. Don't know if this adds anything further to this mystery...
