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British Campaign Medals, 19th-20th Century


Fritz

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Order of the Garter
One of the oldest orders of chivalry. Wire embroidered version on a dark blue cloth backing.
Probably as a blazer badge.

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A British Campaign Medal for the Crimea War, 1854-1856. A good example in excellent condition with much patina, has a single bar for "Sebastopol", on original, slightly aged ribbon. This medal has been awarded to a soldier serving with the French Imperial Army under Napoléon III. It is inscribed around the edge in capitals: MASTEIS OSTERMANN AU TRAIN DE LA GARDE IMle. - au Train de la Garde Impériale. These medals were frequently awarded to allies, in this case to a French soldier. The first name is probably misspelt, and should probably have been Mathaeus, German or French spelling, but such mistakes were commonplace in those days. Possibly researchable? This medal was from an auction in Berlin around 1994, and was certainly undervalued. The bearer was probably from Alsace, and therefore afer 1871 a German citizen, explaining how this medal got to Berlin.

A matching set of medals for the South Africa War 1899-1901, Queen's and King's South Africa to a soldier of the Middlesex Regiment.

The Queen's Medal has a single bar for Cape Colony, probably the most common type, the King's medal has the typical bars South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902. The edges of both medals have matching inscriptions, 2969 Pte.J.Chilton, Middlesex Regt.

This matching pair was obtained in Portobello Road market in the early 1980s. Both medals in very good slightly worn condition, with a lot of patina. Ribbons are most likely an older replacement. Unresearched.

 

 

 

 

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  • 11 months later...

Various awards and badges
Imperial Service Clasp, white metal on brooch fitting, possibly WW1 period
The Kings Badge 1914-18, silver, number to rear 386833, on pin brooch fitting
The Kings Badge, 1939-45, nickel silver on buttonhole fitting
ARP wardens/members badge, London hallmarked silver on buttonhole fitting

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386833  Silver Wound badge to 202984 Private Frank Cyril Thomas Walker, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, to badge illustrated.

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1914 Star - August-November 1914, awarded to 11615, L.Cpl.G.White, 1/L'Pool.R., not known if entitled to bar (known as Mons Star, probably awarded to the first "old contemptibles").
1914-15 Star, awarded to 55220, Spr.G.A.Rust, R.E., unresearched

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Medal card for Mons Star kindly sent by Paul Foster

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Medal cards for these stars, both soldiers were entitled to the War Medal and Victory Medal

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Silver War Medal 1914-18, awarded to 242288, Pte.J.L.Rose, R.West Kent R., unresearched
Mercantile Marine Medal 1914-18, bronze, named to Isabella Sturdy, unresearched
Victory Medal 1914-19, named to 242720 Pte.Cowperthwaite, Sco.Rif.

 

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Atlantic Star, 1939-45
Defence Medal 1939-45, mint, unnamed, probably unissued
War Medal 1939-45, not quite mint, unnamed, possibly unissued

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1939-1945 Star. The ribbons look a bit artificial and new.
The Italy Star.

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A guide to original British WW2 campaign bars can be found here, as there are many fakes around:

https://www.lancaster.ac.uk/staff/hartleyi/bobclasp.htm

BOB Clasp

(Internet photo)

 

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Very nice Paul, the Imperial Service Badge was worn by Territorial Force soldiers who volunteered to serve oversees and dates from 1910-1921.

It ceased to exist when the Territorial Force became the Territorial Army in 1921. it was made in white metal, silver, and also brass but I must admit I've never seen a brass one.

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I think I saw a brass one in the internet some years ago. In the late 60s and 70s I only remember seeing the white metal version. A school friend of mine had one, I was of the impression, it was his fathers, along with the other medals, but he also had the M.M. etc. of his grandfather, who had been with the Royal Marine Artillery on the Somme etc., could it have been the grandfather's? Or would this not apply to R.M.Art.? I was told, they wore a strange uniform, khaki breeches with puttees, dark blue tunics and a dark blue peakless cap.

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It could be if his Grandfather was in the Territorial Force and if his own regiment did not serve oversees then he could have volunteered

to serve in another regiment that was going oversees to fight.

 

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Here's a photo of Cpl Hinksman who volunteered to serve at Gallipoli with the 1st Battalion Hereford Regiment wearing his badge.

And a photo of the brass version I've found.

 

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Rare photo. Haven't seen one worn before. Perhaps the brass version was issued as an economy pattern, as were cap badges in all brass. There is a short article under Wikipedia, very little info.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_Force_Imperial_Service_Badge

 

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  • Fritz changed the title to British Campaign Medals, 19th-20th Century
  • 1 month later...

Have just purchased this latest medal
The Atlantic Star, probably the rarest of the series
after the Aircrew Europe Star.

atlantic-star.jpgGroßbritannien, The Atlantic star

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The Pacific is the rarest after the Aircrew, then there are also the clasp combinations such as a Pacific star with a Burma clasp which is rarer again.   

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Clasps are always rarer, but did not realise the Pacific Star was next rarest.
This RAF man, a signaler, had the Burma star. This ribbon bar was on the tunic as arrived,
however, a poor quality, early post war paper-type garn with a celluloid covering.
Interesting to note, he had the Defence Medal, but not the War Medal. Tunic dated 1944.

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Pacific stars are harder to find, I can sometimes go for months without having one in stock, where as all the others are pretty much in stock most of the time. The Atlantic star is next rarest, then the Burma, then France and Germany,  Africa, Italy and most common the 39-45  star.        

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I have a question on the Campaign/Star medals. How common is it for them to be named? I see a lot for sale that are just blank, with only a few named. Just curious

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Paul British stars were never named, the only countries who named their stars were India, Australia and South Africa  

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Ok, thanks. I was wondering about that. I appreciate the info. 

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As far as I remember, all the medals of a soldier, who served in North Africa, Italy and finally Austria, had all his medals named - these I saw around 1970, including the Military Medal and Medaille Militaire, fr. (reverse was engraved or stamped?), Africa, Italy, 1939-45 Medal and Star as well as Defence Medal, there was also the Territorial Medal with this. He lived in Chingford/Essex, was a post-war bank manager, he had the rank of "sergeant" and with the 8th Army  during the war. Name was CARTER, Sergeant, he was either Rifle Brigade or "Green Howards".
Also, his grandfather (mother's side), can't remember the name, was with the Royal Marine Artillery in France, on the Somme in 1914-18, at Albert, Pommera, etc., and he also won the Military Medal. So Carter jr. has two military medals in his family. I hope he has kept them till this day.

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It's possible he got his name engraved privately but they were never issued named. Also of interest are the Canadians, whilst their War and Defense medals were the exact same as the British they were actually made from silver rather than the British which were cupro-nickel. The Indian , South African and Australians also had there own Defense medals which were a totally different design.        

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I can't remember whether they were stamped or engraved. He never wore them, because they were never mounted, but still had the original box.

I recently saw an  example of a star, can't remember which one, I only remember it had on the reverse: W. GILL and his service number, can't remember unit. May have been a Commonwealth issue.

N.B.: Spelt as "DEFENCE", see same.

WW2 Defence Medal.jpg

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Yes it is still possible to get them stamped or engraved privately, your correct the British way to spell it is defence, my spell checker must be English American not sure how to change that on my browser, thanks for pointing that out, will take a look and try to update it :thumbsup:    

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I doubt if he went to the trouble to have them privately engraved, just kept as souvenir and never worn, also had a few bringbacks from North Africa and Austria, a Dienstglas, a Beretta pistol, which later fell to pieces! some banknotes from the Reich and the occupation money notes.

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That's very unusual I've never come across that before, as usual there may have been exceptions to the rule but generally they were issued unnamed, perhaps because he got the Medaille Militaire which was named the others were named at the same time? Another interesting fact is no more than five stars could be worn at any one time, those who qualified for more received a clasp to be worn on the appropriate star. Got the spell check changed it was set to English (United States) now fixed :thumbsup:   

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Possibly he got them engraved/stamped at his army workshop before he left the service.
The son also had the WW1 medals of his grandfather, who was with the Royal Marine Artillery, who also had the Military Medal (George V.), he had been stationed around Albert and Pommera (Somme).

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WW1 Memorial Scroll
I have noticed, these memorial scrolls are available as a reproduction and can be printed with the names, number, rank and unit of a recipient as per the originals

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Full size reproduction memorial plaques are also available, names can be added, same supplier as before.

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That would be a very nice family group, father and son both with Military Medals. The Second World War Military Medal is also much scarcer as 115,000 Military Medals were awarded during the First World War compared to only 15,000 in the Second World War. 

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