Rare R.N.A.S Mechanic War medal & RAF Silver Wound badge.

Single entitlement War medal correctly impressed F38457 S.C. SMITH L.M. R.N.A.S.

Also found with the medal was a very unusual S.W.B stamped RAF929 I can only assume that this was issued to Smith

Sidney Charles Smith, F38457

• 10 July 1876: Born in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire.
• Before the war: His trade was motor smith. That skill is almost certainly why he went into the air service as an engine mechanic.
• 22 September 1917: Joined the Royal Naval Air Service for the duration of hostilities, aged about 41. The "F" prefix on his number is the RNAS series.
• His description on joining: 5 ft 7¼ in tall, 37 in chest, brown hair, brown eyes, fresh complexion. He had a tattooed dagger on his right arm.
• From 22 September 1917: Rated Air Mechanic (Engines), most likely AM2 (the second-class grade isn't fully legible). He was shown on the books of President II, the RNAS accounting base. His actual posting appears to be Daedalus, which was RNAS Cranwell in Lincolnshire, the main RNAS training station.
• 31 December 1917: Character "very good", ability "satisfactory".
• Early 1918 (likely 1 February): Promoted to Leading Mechanic. This matches the "L.M." on his medal.
• 31 March 1918: His RNAS service ends here. On 1 April 1918 the RNAS merged with the Royal Flying Corps to form the RAF, and he transferred across. The remarks column has RAF notes at this point.

The medal

The British War Medal is named F38457 S.C. SMITH L.M. R.N.A.S. That matches the record exactly, so it is definitely his.

The Silver War Badge

This badge was issued to men discharged because of wounds or sickness. The "RAF" prefix means it came from the RAF series, so it went to someone discharged from the RAF. That fits Smith, since he became RAF on 1 April 1918. He was also in his 40s, and discharge through sickness was common at that age.