What is the correct protocol when an old soldier dies & leaves his medals & miniatures behind & dies without leaving a will or special wishes. Do they go to the eldest child, or the eldest son? Can anyone please advise?

I suppose it is like anything that is left, you just fight over them? Could ask the MOD I suppose but doubt there is a protocol for it.

Think whoever gets them can wear them on the right at remembrance parades on behalf of the owner?

What people should never do is pretend they won them because they will be found out, and ridiculed by the many ex and current serving members of the armed forces on their various websites. They are known as Walts a shortened version of Walter Mitty's.

Without a will he has died Intestate and the below may help.


Administration of estates acts provisions.

First, where there is a surviving spouse he or she takes everything unless the Intestate left certain relatives.

(a) If the Intestate also left issue (that is children, grandchildren and remoter lineal decedents) the spouse and issue share the estate provided the issue satisfy the requirements of the statutory trusts.

(b) If the Intestate left no surviving issue, but left a surviving parent or parents, the parent(s) and the spouse share the estate. The parent(s) take(s) the property absolutely or in equal shares. If no parent survives but the Intestate left a living brother or sister of the whole blood (or other issue) they share the assets with the spouse, provided that they satisfy the requirements of the statutory trusts.

If the Intestate left no surviving spouse, the estate is distributed as follows.

(a) To issue on the statutory trusts, but if none then to

(b) Parents absolutely (and equally if both are alive), but if none, then to

(c) Brothers and sisters of the whole blood (i.e. the children of the same parents as the deceased) on the statutory trusts, but if none then to

(d) Brothers and sisters of half blood, (i.e. those who share one parent with the deceased) on the statutory trusts, but if none then to

(e) Grandparents absolutely (and equally if both are alive), but if none, then to

(f) Uncles and aunts of the whole blood i.e. brothers and sisters of the whole blood of one of the parents of the deceased) on the statutory trusts, but if none then to

(g) Uncles and aunts of the half blood (i.e. those with one parent in common with one of the parents of the deceased) on the statutory trusts, but if none then to

(h) The Crown, Duchy of Lancaster or the Duke of Cornwall as “bona vacantia”

Section 46(1)(vi) of the administration of estates act 1925 gives the crown a discretion to make provisions for dependents of the Intestate whether they are related to the deceased or not. Similarly the Crown may provide for “other persons for whom the Intestate might reasonable have been expected to make provision”.

If the Intestate died resident within the Duchy of Lancashire or in Cornwall, the Duchy or the Duke of Cornwall respectively take the assets as bona vacantia subject to the same conditions.

It should be noted that each category must be considered in the order listed above and only if there is no one in a particular category is it necessary to consider the next category. Furthermore since a blood relationship is vital under the intestacy rules, the spouse of a person within one of these categories has no right to share in the estate.

Bert, sent a PM
Helles, Thanks

or just simply get banged out

Why would someone do that?

They would have to be pretty messed up to claim that!

You'd be surprised, when I first moved back here I was very happy to meet so many ex-submariners, Dolpins on the left shoulder, then turns out they're not, they're honorary(no such thing) submariners and should wear them on the right, if indeed they feel entitled to wear them at all. I say this because I had to qualify for mine and I am proud of them. It really offends me to see it but there's nowt I can do except tell them my opinion. Medals on the right are in honour of someone, medals on the left have been earned is the rule of thumb. Rant over.

BandyCoot,

Well said that man!

They do though Ste. There have been many occasions when this has happened. Deluded they may be but they are dishonouring the memory of those who earned them.

you get people like that, all comes crashing down when the nobber have got the ribbons or the medals the wrong way arround, then swiftly get told to leave

its always the men that never were

we were out in liverpool and some bloke was wearing a combat jacket with royal marines commando flashes on the arms, he was swiftly debriefed haha

so they were honorary because they knew the names of the subs or had seen one?

I doubt he was claiming to be a marine though, if he was in full dress then I will have that, probably bought the smock second hand in a booty or something and just wore it. The memorabilia on it is just that, like dress jewellery, pretend.

pretend, jewellery, memorabilia hey, fook you!
a lot of blood sweat and tear go into EARNING them.. have that hey

Sorry to digress, but to return to my question, does anyone have an answer or advice please?

Without a Will, no full blood child of his regardless of age or gender has more right to those medals or anything else he possessed than the other. If an amicable agreement can't be reached between all parties then it would have to go to law,
I'm guessing now that the outcome would be, everything shared equally. Where's Wench when we need her.

Thanks Bert