Fathers medal

[Brian Chapman]

I wonder if you could help me, my Father was given the Italian Star Medal with an oak leaf on the ribbon and mentioned in dispatches for his service during World War 2 but I cannot find out what he was given it for. I hope you can point me in the right direction to find out this information. His name was Arthur Chapman Army No 10571181 in the R.A.O.C.

Your help would be much appreciated.

Regards

Brian Chapman

[Frank de Planta]

Brian.

The oak leaf shows that he was indeed Mentioned in Despatches but I have yet to come across such despatches at the National Archive.

Have you an idea what date he received his MiD?

Regards

Frank

[Frank de Planta]

Brian.

His name is published in the 23 May 46 edition of the London Gazette.

Regards

Frank

[Brian Chapman]

Frank

My apologies, I got the oakleaf on the wrong medal, it is on the war medal.

The other two medals are the Italy Star and the 1939-45 Star. You are right with the details in the London Gazette.

I have my Fathers service book and it says he was in the Munitiions but I do not understand the abbreviations.

The only thing I have found is his unit which was in Bitonto in Italy in December 1943.

Any further help you can give me would be much appreciated.

Regards

Brian

[Frank de Planta]

Brian.

If you know your father’s unit then you should get the War Diaries for that unit from the National Archives in Kew. These give a very detailed picture of where the unit was deployed each day and what they got up to.

If getting to Kew is challenging and impractical, I can recommend a few people who will source them for you for £0.10 a page. I use them a lot because I live in York. A very efficient service.

Does that help?

Regards

Frank

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