Family Bronze Plaque. Great Grand Uncle

[Emac44]

As I have already posted these photos in another thread I wish to share the photos with others on the World War 1 Threads. The Bronze Plaque is from the First World War. And it is for my Great Grand Uncle. Who was Killed in Action 6-8th August 1915 Gallipoli. His name was 2nd Lt John Younger MacKinnon serving with the 4th Battlion 1st AIF. And is buried at the Lone Pine Cemetry Gallipoli

[syscom3]

Thanks Emac!

[Emac44]

Thank you Sys. I believe the Plaque is a Grave Plaque. But I am unsure. I have sent an Email to the Australian War Museum in Canberra for confirmation to tell me exactly what the Plaque is. And have they any records and the significance of The Plaque. I have never heard of any other family receiving such a Plaque. And this Plaque has been in my family possession since 1915 . Which leads me to think if it is a rarity did my Great GrandFather have it made up intending to send it to Gallipoli to be placed on John Younger"s grave. But due to circumstances The Plaque remained in Australia. I will wait until the Museum contacts me Sys.

Been contacted by the Museum and my email has been passed onto the Museum Curators with photos attached. So will just wait and see. Will be interesting to see the Museum answer

[Wildcat]

Very cool Emac! Keep us posted as to what the AWM has to say.

[Emac44]

I am thinking of passing on the Bronze Plaque to the AWM on a loan basis only Wild. Yes I will keep you posted as to what the AWM says. I would like to know positively what the Plaque is. And for what purpose and why this Plaque exsists

[Emac44]

I do have an update of a type. The Plaque my family always thought was a Grave Marker Plaque turns out it may have been a Plaque given to mothers who had sons killed in action during the early days of World War 1. I was discussing the Plaque with a work mate of mine who up until recently was in the Australian Army Reserves and his brother collects Military Items both from World War 1 and 2. I still need to have this confirmed by the War Museum in Canberra. But if this is the case. The Plaque would have been presented to my Great Great GrandMother and has been handed down the family ever since

[Wildcat]

Very interesting Emac.

[Gnomey]

Interesting stuff Emac. An interesting piece of history to have as well.

[Emac44]

Thanks Gnomey. Which also set me to thinking how my Great Great Grandmother would have grieved to the loss of her son as any mother would have to have lost a son because of war

[grob]

I have seen a few of these plaques ,and as you say they were given to the nearest relatives of the soldier killed .I think they were only issued in the first years of the war until the losses became very bad.They were issued by the goverment and the ones i have seen were given by the british goverment

[Emac44]

Originally Posted by grob

I have seen a few of these plaques ,and as you say they were given to the nearest relatives of the soldier killed .I think they were only issued in the first years of the war until the losses became very bad.They were issued by the goverment and the ones i have seen were given by the british goverment

But Grob my uncle was an Australian with the 4th Battalion 1st AIF Killed in Action. I just don't know any other reasons why an Australian Soldier's Family would be presented as you claim by a British Government with a Bronze Plaque

[Maestro]

What you have is called a "Next of Kin Plaque", also called "The Dead Man's Penny". They were issued to the wife, children or parents of a British or Commonwealth soldier killed during the Great War.

More info :
WW1 Memorial Plaque & Scroll: The Dead Man's Penny

[Konigstiger205]

Interesting thing....I'd like to have a piece of history from WW1 but of course not at the cost of someones life...too little is know about WW1 in my country which is a bad thing because at the end of the war Romania was united again...

[Emac44]

Thank you Maestro the mystery is solved. A Next of Kin Plaque. Which was sent to my Great Great GrandMother in 1915. Of course I don't have the scroll or letter from the King nor the minitures. But I do have Photo Stat Copies of the Telegrams that were sent and also Telegrams from E&O as to my Uncle's Personal Effects being sent home to next of Kin and the contents of such items in a Duffle Bags and Trunk etc. I might copy these items to the site. Other more personal items I will refrain from doing so