These records are a transcription of The National Archives document classes ADM/171/89 to ADM/171/93 (inclusive) and ADM/171/139, which comprise the complete WW1 Campaign Medal Rolls to 53,000 Officers of all branches of the Royal Navy. Added to the transcript are service details for a large number of Officers, particularly those killed in action or died of wounds during WW1 and in many cases post-war deaths and WW2 deaths are noted.

The medals covered by the rolls are: The 1914 Star, the Clasp to the 1914 Star, the 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Each Officer's entry is linked to display the original Medal Roll page image. For recipients of the 1914 Star, two or more images are provided, from the original handwritten 1914 Star Roll (ADM/171/139) and the later typewritten Rolls.

Qualification for Naval Campaign Medals

The 1914 Star was authorized in April 1917 and awarded to those who served in France & Belgium on the strength of a unit, or service in either of those two countries between 5th August 1914 and midnight on 22/23 November 1914. Recipients of the 1914 Star automatically qualified for the British War & Victory Medals, but were ineligible for the 1914-15 Star.

The Clasp to the 1914 Star was sanctioned by King George V in October 1919, to be awarded to all who had been under fire in France or Belgium between 5 August 1914 and midnight on 22/23 November 1914.

The 1914-15 Star was authorized in 1918 and awarded to those who saw active service between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915. Recipients of the 1914-15 Star automatically qualified for the British War and Victory Medals. Recipients of the 1914 Star were ineligible for the 1914-15 Star.

The British War Medal was authorized in 1919 to mark the end of the Great War. The Admiralty differed from the War Office in their allowance for qualification to the British War Medal. The Admiralty granted the issue of the British War Medal to all ranks who had completed 28 days' mobilised service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918.

The War Office would only issue a British War Medal for UK Home Service in exceptional circumstances, such as the men killed in the German Battlecruiser bombardments on the East Coast in 1915. Normally, UK Home Service in the Army did not qualify. As a result of this 'kindness' on the part of the Admiralty, the Rolls were increased to a very large extent in listing those men entitled to the British War Medal only.

The Victory Medal was authorized in 1919 to commemorate the victory of the Allies over the Central Powers. It was awarded to all who embarked on active service at sea or on land in a Theatre of Operations between midnight 4/5 August 1914 and midnight 11/12 November 1918. Recipients of the Victory Medal automatically qualified for the British War Medal.

Those mentioned in despatches between 4 August 1914 and 10 August 1920 were entitled to wear a bronze oak leaf emblem on the ribbon of their Victory Medal. Only one oak leaf emblem could be worn on the ribbon, regardless of the number of times mentioned in despatches. For those mentioned in despatches but not entitled to the Victory Medal, the oak leaf emblem was worn on the ribbon of their British War Medal. For those mentioned in despatches but not entitled either the British War or Victory Medal, the oak leaf emblem was worn on their jacket.

Explanatory notes for information fields

Service branch Information in this field shows which service branch of the Royal Navy the Officer was commissioned in. Please note that a large number of Officers transferred to the R.A.F. in 1918 and this Roll may, therefore, be useful in tracing R.A.F. Officers with former Naval Commissions.

Rank The Rank given on the Roll is not necessarily the final Rank achieved. Many 1914 and 1914-15 Stars carried a lower Rank to that shown on the British War and Victory Medals.

Forename The original Roll usually lists only the first Forename in full, with initials for other given names, but many are listed with initials only. The Author has in many cases found and completed full given names.

Surname Those who served under an alias are cross-referenced to their true name.

Awards Some gallantry awards are given on the original Roll, but the Author has added a large number of awards granted for gallantry, distinguished, or meritorious service. These are given in the standard abbreviated format (e.g., VC, DSC, DSO, DSM, etc.).

Medals and clasps earned Entries in this column, the primary function of the Roll, are limited to five basic entitlements:

1914 Star and Clasp, Victory and British War Medals
1914 Star, Victory and British War Medals
1914-15 Star, Victory and British War Medals
Victory and British War Medals
British War Medal

There are cases where an Officer qualified for both the 1914 Star and the 1914-15 Star. In all such cases, however, the initial 1914 Star entitlement was forfeited and the Officer qualified for the 1914-15 Star by subsequent service (between November 1914 and December 1915). No Officer could legally hold both the 1914 and 1914-15 Stars, as entitlement to the 1914 Star automatically disqualified the man from entitlement to the 1914-15 Star.


How issued or disposed of Entries in this column record brief details of to whom or where the medals were issued. If the medal or medals were unclaimed, the column is blank, but the transcription will give 'No entry'.

If an Officer claimed his medal entitlement after leaving Naval service, the entry reads 'Self' (issued to the man himself at a private address). If an Officer claimed his medals whilst still in Naval service, the entry will give the Shore Establishment or Ship to which the medals were issued (e.g., R.N. Barracks, Chatham, HMS 'Impregnable' or R.N. Staff College, Greenwich).

If an Officer died during service or after discharge and his Next-of-Kin claimed, then one of a large number of entries could be recorded: Mother, Father, Sister, Brother, Daughter, Uncle, Cousin, Widow, Executor, Executrix, Legatee, Universal Legatee, Administrator, Legal Representative, etc.

Entries which read 'Issued to War Office for disposal to man' indicate that the Officer was in serving in the Army after discharge from Naval Service, the medals being transmitted to him via the War Office.

Similarly 'Issued to Air Ministry for disposal to man' indicates the Officer was serving in the Royal Air Force after discharge from Naval Service, the medals being transmitted to him via the Air Ministry.

Entries which read 'Issued by War Office (for service in Army)' indicate that the Officer transferred to the Army during WW1 and the War Office became responsible for his medal issue.

Similarly 'Issued by Air Ministry (for service in RAF)' indicates that the Officer transferred to the Royal Air Force during WW1 and the Air Ministry became responsible for his medal issue.

'Forfeited' is self-explanatory and the reason for the forfeiture is given in the 'Remarks' column (usually by desertion). Remarks

Entries in this column are many and varied. In the main, the following standard entries will be encountered:

Victory and British War Medals issued by War Office (for service in Army): Indicates the Officer transferred to the Army during WW1 and the War Office became responsible for the issue of his Victory and British War Medals, but a 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star was to be issued by the Admiralty for Naval service.

Victory and British War Medals issued by Air Ministry (for service in RAF): Indicates the Officer transferred to the Royal Air Force during WW1 and the Air Ministry became responsible for the issue of his Victory and British War Medals, but a 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star was to be issued by the Admiralty for Naval service.

Run: Indicates the Officer deserted H.M. Service and his medal entitlement was forfeited.

I.C.1000/1914 (etc.): This entry is always applicable to a deceased Officer. It refers to the 'Index Casualty' number in the Naval Records for Wills and allowed reference to the Legatee named in the Officer's Will.

D.D. 29/12/15 (etc.): This entry always accompanies a deceased Officer's entry. It shows the date (sometimes in error) that the Officer died (Discharged Dead) and always accompanies entries where the medals were not claimed. Late claims by next of kin (post-1933), however, are found in a few of these cases and the 'D.D.' entry will be found together with the date and details of the late issue to the next of kin.

1914st. Ret'd Mint DNA 1428 35: This entry shows that the 1914 Star, held on stock and unclaimed since early 1919, was returned to the Mint in March 1934.

Notes This column contains all the Author's notes on the Officers' service history and any error corrections in the transcript or corrections to medal entitlement.

Unit Information in this column is exclusively for those who died in service. The unit in which they were serving when they died is shown.

Date of death Information in this column is usually for those who died in Military Service. Many post-war or WW2 deaths, however, were found during compilation. For deaths which occurred after discharge and where no exact date is known, the format of the 'month quarter & year' as given in the GRO indexes for civil deaths, is shown (e.g., 00/03/1922). It was not practical to purchase death certificates for all, but the full GRO death certificate reference is given in most cases.

Cause of death Shows all the known details of the Officer's death from original service records or death certificate.