WWI medal information card
Most who served abroad in WW1 were entitled to at least one medal. There should be a medal information card on TNA website of Ancestry and at least one medal roll (with more detail on) for each soldier
1 SURNAME AND GIVEN NAMES
Not all declared middle names on enlistment so these are sometimes missing (or for officers there are often just initials).
2 CORPS
( Regiments served in, in date order, earliest at top). Many soldiers changed regiments, sometimes several times, during the First World War.
3 RANKS HELD IN EACH REGIMENT
This man is just a private, but many were promoted or commissioned (made an officer) which would be shown here.
4 MEDAL ENTITLEMENTS
The Star means the 1914 Star or 1914/15 Star depending on when / where the soldier first went abroad. A man with a Star should also have the Victory and British War Medal (but if he went abroad in 1916 or later only the Victory and BWM). SWB (Silver War Badge) means a man was discharged wounded or unfit.
5 THEATRE OF WAR
Number 1 is France & Belgium. TNA lists other fronts (nationalarchives. gov.uk/help-with-your-research/ research-guides/british-armymedal-index-cards-1914-1920/).
6 REMARKS
This is unusual: Private Smith’s medals were forfeit as he was shot for desertion. More often you’ll find ‘KIA’ (Killed in action) or ‘POW’ ( Prisoner of War).