Liverpool & South West Lancashire FHS - Forum

Hi I am hoping one of our Military Genes could help decipher the medal details on my Great Uncle's medal card. I was told some years ago that his medals were taken away because he deserted.
His name was Patrick Ruddy Pte 56066 Liverpool Kings Regiment and died 15/03/1917 on the Somme.
I will try to add his card on photo bucket. I have his birth and death certificates. Also Katie was kind enough to send me a photograph of him from the newspaper. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
yappie

BW+V, British War and Victory Medals. Wondering if the Reat.R./ Rest.R.? is jargon for the medals being given back to Patrick?

Hi Bert - Many thanks for your quick reply and posting the Medal Card. It looks like the medals were taken away and then reinstated when he died. I have a 6 page report on his death. Short version - the unit was in a "rest camp" situated on ground taken from the Germans. Royal Engineers cleared the munitions but failed to find a 600lb bomb. Poor Patrick was walking by when it exploded - others were injured but Patrick was never found.
yappie

Typed too slowly! here's what I was going to say though....

My interpretation is:

he was eligible for the Victory Medal and British War Medal. However, when he was convicted of desertion as noted on the right of the card on 8/7/16 he forfeited his medals and the entries were crossed out.

His lost service was later reinstated and the medal entitlement restored so new roll numbers were added to the card. I'm told such reinstatements were made through the 1920s and 1930s.
He obviously returned to his unit and was later killed in action, that would usually be enough reason for reinstatement.

Amanda

Thank you Amanda for your reply. I assumed that he medals were reinstated after his death. I think I am going to dig deeper into Patrick as he was the only one of his family that went into the army. 1911 found him in the Liverpool Industrial school so I think he may have been "a naughty boy" as his other brothers were living at home. Unfortunately his army records did not survive.
yappie