The Annotations Found On The Reverse of The Military Medal Cards

The Military Medal was a British military decoration awarded to non-commissioned officers and other ranks for acts of bravery and gallantry in combat. Military Medal Cards were used to record details of the medal and its award, and were kept by the War Office from 1916 to 1920.

The reverse of the Military Medal Cards contained annotations that provided additional information about the award and the recipient. Some of the common annotations found on the reverse of Military Medal Cards include:

"London Gazette": This annotation indicated that the award had been published in the London Gazette, which was the official journal of the British government. The London Gazette published lists of military awards and honours, including the Military Medal, on a regular basis.

"Date of Gazette": This annotation provided the date on which the award had been published in the London Gazette.

"Authority for Award": This annotation provided information about the authority that had recommended the award, such as the recipient's commanding officer or a higher-ranking officer.

"Theatre of War": This annotation provided information about the location where the recipient had been serving when the act of bravery or gallantry had taken place, such as the Western Front or the Middle East.

"Regimental Number and Rank": This annotation provided the recipient's regimental number and rank at the time the award was made.

"Remarks": This annotation provided additional information about the award or the recipient, such as a brief description of the act of bravery or gallantry that had led to the award, or information about the recipient's subsequent military career.

Together, these annotations provide a valuable source of information for researchers and historians interested in the Military Medal and the soldiers who received it during the First World War.