Inheritance of medals

My step grandson is getting my dad's 39-45 war medal and Burma Star when I'm gone. He was close to my dad and I would like him to have them as it means something to him. Not worth anything but they are to us. Dad refused them but I made him apply for them in 2016. He died in 2019. So proud of him.

to MilestOne.

You could do worse than to contact your nearest British Legion.

My MiL was adopted , Her birth father died in WW1 Her birth mother gave her the medals and "Death Penny" when MiL was getting married. I put the medals Penny and letters in a drawer but the Death Penny disappeared. Not any of the family but I suspect a workman was the thief .
Does anybody know If I can find where it is now? It has his name on it, quite an unusual name.

DH had miniatures that he wore on his mess jacket on formal occasions. They were taken in a burglary after he retired. Fortunately they hadn’t been kept with his full sized set, one of which is very special, or they would probably have gone too. He didn’t see any point in replacing them but I wish now that we had. Still could I suppose.

You can have copies made or miniatures.
I know it's not the same thing but many people have miniatures made of their relatives' medals which they wear on the right hand side of their coat or jacket on Armistice Day.

My dad promised his medals to anyone who cleaned them for him before the armistice parade. He promised them to me, I heard him promise them to my brothers son and to my brothers daughter all at different times. My sister was adamant her son had been promised them and would not accept every one had To be honest, he's a good lad and will cherish them. I didn't want to fall out over medals.

My father didn’t have any sons and gave me, his second daughter, his father’s medals. My sisters have been given other heirlooms like a gold watch and gold cigarette case.
Dad did ask me to respect his father’s wishes and to keep the medals in the same state. They are still in the package Grandpa received after the Great War. They’ve never even been put onto their ribbons. A moment in time preserved to my mind.

I’m not sure who will have them after me, my offspring will probably never have any children but I may give them to my niece for her children.

I had my Dads medals, badges, buttons and paperwork so decided I would frame them with photographs of him and his ship. But then thought my sister would probably like them too so bought another 6 original medals on eBay, then divided them so we had 3 of my Dads and 3 bought ones each. Luckily there were enough badges and buttons so we each have some. The finished product is lovely and was admired so much I have done another one for my son with mostly eBay purchases and my sister has done 2 more for her children! I am so pleased my grandchildren will be able to inherit these memories of their g grandfather.

RedRobin 15, I wonder if you could give them to the regimental museum if there is one, on a loan, if there is nobody in the family who would appreciate them. Then at least other people would be able to see them.

the husband threw them out//his /to many friends he lost

I inherited my grandfathers war medals. I was his only granddaughter, he had grandsons. He was very fond of me and he and grandma lived with us. He died when I was 6 and Dad gave them to me when 16 and I have treasured them ever since. I offered them to my male couisins some years back but they showed no interest. We have no children, and I am sad I have no one to pass them onto. That is the reason why I have never sent off for the war medal my Mom was entitled to. I think it should go to the one who would cherish them the most.

I inherited my Grandfather's WW1 medals and discovered the DCM was a fabrication. He had put a DCM medal ribbon on a Military medal which has the same face as a DCM and a different inscription on the other face. His regimental number was correct on the engraving on the rim, but the name was similar but different, and the same as someone who actually did get a DCM in the same regiment. He duped his whole family and many of his soldier friends.

I have my late husband's army service medals and my late Dad's National Service medal - they are very precious to me. My LH's were on top of his coffin alongside his Tam O'Shanter and Union flag which were presented to me at his graveside. My younger son wore his Father's medals on his right hand lapel on his wedding day. He will inherit the medals as I know they are important to him too.

But then again you are talking about war medals. Oops!

My dad had 2 medals from wrestling at the Commonwealth Games in the early 1950s. When he passed away and mum moved to a care home, I asked if I could have dad's medals. I've got them and am proud of dad for his achievements. If anything happens to me, I've asked that the medals go to my cousin or his brothers.

Any rules about medals probably depend entirely on which country you live in, so I doubt that anyone can state rules that are applicable everywhere.

I have neither inherited nor earned any medals, so I don't have any to leave. If I had, I would probably give them to a museum.

My DF inherited his father's war medals. They went as far back as the Boer War up to mid 1920 conflicts. These eventually went to my eldest brother then on to his eldest son. No Wills involved in first two owners then whilst 3rd owner hadca Will no mention who was to inherit them. Bit of a sore point as a female was eldest in family and who knew the GF very well, the others not so well.

A dear departed friend of ours gave all his military medals to our middle son because they both thought the world of each other. There's nothing wrong with that. Mizpah 123 making a mountain out of a molehill.

It's an American site so I shan't be taking any notice of it.
Not that I have my father's medals, someone else in the family does.
The DC can decide who has their other grandfather's medals.

I’ll be passing my father’s and grandfather’s medal on to a daughter who is most interested in our family tree

Allira

I can't post a picture but you can buy frames especially made to take a photo and military medals, with room for a short inscription too.

Yes, SiL has a nice one like that with his Royal Marines' beret folded in it too.

DH had , and so I have FIL’s medals including his DSO with Bar, Croix de Guerre avec Paume and others which I have had identified but won’t list and I know that his brother is not particularly interested, in fact he is a more than a bit funny about his father’s distinguished war record.
DH’s youngest sister wanted them to go to the Imperial War Museum, but it has recently been announced that the IWM are closing the Lord Ashcroft VC Gallery and that any unreturned medals will be consigned to a vault.
Well I don’t want “ours” to disappear into the depths of the IWM and have (unilaterally) decided they should go to D1 whose boys are fascinated by their “war hero” great grandfather and. I know D1 will value them.
If we’d had boys nobody would have questioned eldest son passing them to eldest son and I sincerely hope there is no objection as I am determined (but don’t want to fall out!)

It hurt me terribly that my mother gave my father's medals to my brother. I was the one who would sit up at night and listen to his war stories. I was the one who polished them every November for the parade that he never felt able to go to. I didn't care that he got the coin collection that was the only thing of value but his medals mattered.

I don't agree with the order given as I think it depends on the relationship not sex or ordering of birth.

www.empiremedals.com/collections/framing?gad_source=1&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI78mD1KTwiwMVR6JQBh1n1QE7EAAYAiAAEgJhzvD_BwE

Other retailers available.

I can't post a picture but you can buy frames especially made to take a photo and military medals, with room for a short inscription too.