Quite often I receive returned from active service badges which are rather difficult to research. Each badge is numbered. However, the number is an issue number rather then the veterans' service number. The issue number has to be connected to a name in records which are often difficult to find.
In the case of the WWI Discharge Returned Soldiers Badge there are some hand written registers available on the National Archives of Australia website. These registers are not complete and to complicate matters further, the WW1 badges were issued on a state basis and not all states retained the registers.
I recently received a badge and other items as can be seen in the picture. Luckly, the badge number was in one of the registers and I could work out it was issued to Clement William Sawyer. I've been in contact with the family and all these items have now been returned.
The returned medal tally is now 2886.
