Medals

[Roboframer]

These just came in - woman had no clue what they were bar her grandfather's medals - the news clipping says there's a DCM, a MM and a Criox due Guerre 1st class there - so, 3 bravery awards - woman just shrugged!

The guy was a founder member of the RBL - we have his name and service No and by tonight we'll know more about him than his grandaughter does, as Mrs R is a geneaology whiz!

Anyway - I'm OK on the medals but there's a loose star which I'm assuming has fallen off the central one with the laurel leaf and I don't know what the brooch is either. Calling MIkey, come in Mikey ........!

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[Jonny2morsos]

I am sure Mikey will enlighten you but I did find this at http://www.greatwar.co.uk/medals/ww1-ca ... medals.htm

The Silver War Badge

The Silver War Badge was issued on 12th September 1916.

"The badge was originally issued to officers and men who were discharged or retired from the military forces as a result of sickness or injury caused by their war service. After April 1918 the eligibility was amended to include civilians serving with the Royal Army Medical Corps, female nurses, staff and aid workers.

Around the rim of the badge was inscribed “For King and Empire; Services Rendered”. It became known for this reason also as the “Services Rendered Badge”. Each badge was also engraved with a unique number on the reverse, although this number is not related to the recipient's Service Number.

The recipient would also receive a certificate with the badge. The badge was made of Sterling silver and was intended to be worn on the right breast of a recipient's civilian clothing. It could not be worn on a military uniform.

There were about 1,150,000 Silver War Badges issued in total for First World War service."

Each time I do some medals I mean to go and buy a reference book. Perhaps Mikey can recommend one?

Not an expert but is there a Defence Medal missing? and I don't think there was a star issued with the Victory medal just the laurel leaves which I think denotes Mentioned in Dispatches.

[Jonny2morsos]

Apologies! that's a British War Medal not a Victory medal ignore my last paragraph.

[Roboframer]

Cor - thanks for all that.

Seems I may have to use the replacement ribbons, the originals are glued on, but I'll try and rescue them.

Wonder what this set would fetch at auction - probably not as much as I think they should!

[fusionframer]

At auction, about £20-£40 would be a likely estimate. They come up regularly and these are not particularly rare ones. It always makes you feel awful seeing these sell for nothing.

Nick

[Tudor Rose]

The missing star should belong to the Croix de Guerre - a palm or laurel leaf was added to the ribbon for an army despatch, a silver star for a divisional despatch and for other despatches there was a bronze star.

The oak leaf on the War Medal, should actually be on the Victory Medal and again denotes mentioned in despatches.

[Roboframer]

Thanks for that I've put the loose star on the French medal but I'll leave the laurel leaf where is because something is wrong ......

We're thinking this guy is what's known in the army as a 'Walt' (Walter Mitty) or someone after him is. We can only find two medals in his records, (which are extremely sparse anyway) the British war medal and the victory medal, and guess what? They're the only 2 with his No rank etc on. Can't find any citations in his name.

The DCM and the MM are the same from the front but one should say 'For Bravery in the Field' on the back and the other should say 'For Distinguishd Conduct in the Field' - they both say 'bravery'.

All none of my business of course - just curious (nosey)!

[Tudor Rose]

What a shame if that is the case, although by the sounds of it the family were not that interested anyway. All a bit sad really.