This guide will comment on online sources available for you to research some of your official worldwide orders, decorations, and medals.  Generally, it will point you in the correct direction for your own independent research.  Each of the references can be easily found using a search engine.

• If you do various searches on eBay (try the various countries), you'll find a variety of resources available such as: guides, blogs, auction listings, discussions, groups, etc.  Many people forget about using the common search engines of yahoo, google, AOL, MSN, etc.
• The on-line National Archives of Australia has outstanding research material on Australian medals.  Of particular note is that you can print out statements of service for the medal recipient at no charge.  Outstanding!!
• The on-line National Archives of New Zealand provides ordering information with an overview of their holdings.  It does not provide immediate information on a medal recipient and is difficult to work with but is still better than most archives. 
• The on-line National Archives of the United Kingdom also contains the WWI Medal Index Cards (MIC) and I have another guide dedicated to this research as well as a section within my blog.
• To research medals to war casualties, two important online sites that should be noted are:  UK Commonwealth War Graves Commission  and the American Battle Monuments Commission.  If your medal recipient is listed, include all information with the medal(s).  Both sites are excellent but you will need patience and time because of the amount of data available.
• Highly recommended online is the Orders and Medals Society of America and medal.net.

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