British World War One Medals

[David Dunlop]

I have been doing some family research and discovered a Great Uncle who served with the 228th Field Company, Royal Engineers (Barnsley), part of the 41st Division during the First World War. His Service Records show him being awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal at war's end.

These medals have long since disappeared from the family and I am wondering if replacements can be obtained from somewhere in England these days, or would I have to resort to tracking them down in a local military collector's shop?

I am assuming as these were service awards they would not be individually named to the recipient.

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

Hi David - a simple Google search revealed many sites. Try

www.mycollectors.co.uk

You should find what you are looking for.

Bob

[maple_leaf_eh]

A previous boss of mine has the great URL www.vimy.ca and he has a medals business. He can find things through his collectors' network. Loose standard WWI medals are almost 'coin of the realm' commodities. When the medals are marked or in groups, the prices go up because they can be authenticated and researched.

[Clive_Dakers]

These medals WERE individually named. That's what makes them collectible. Assuming that they aren't in the possession of another branch of the family, it's highly unlikely, though not impossible, that you could track them down. Many War Medals were sold for their silver content and melted down, now many Victory Medals alone survive of the pair. The government have stopped issuing replacements now.Try asking on www.BritishMedalForum.com

[Dan Sicotte]

The Medals would have been inscribed with his service number, rank, name and initials around the bottom edge. If he died and was burried overseas, a dead man's penny would have been issued to the NOK.

I know what you're going through, as I was given a WW1 medal and dead man's penny from my grandmother who has atzheimers. My great,great uncle Charles Marchand served........long story. Have fun with the research!
Dan Sicotte

[David Dunlop]

Thanks, Gentlemen. Information much appreciated.

I will toss the information out here and check in on the Medal Forum Site as well. My Great Uncle was:

Edward Ryan
Sapper
Reg # 104379

He was wounded in November 1917, where ever in Italy the 228th Fld Co. of the RE in the 41st Div was located, suffering a GSW (shrapnel) to the inside right leg, just below the knee cap. Operated on in a hospital in Genoa he was returned to the Edinburgh War Hospital in Scotland for rehab and was discharged from there 2 November 1918 and pensioned out of the Army in Halifax a short time later with a "lame" right leg, returning home to Wigan, Lancashire.

Interestingly, upon completion of training at Aldershot, he was promoted to Corporal, becoming entitled to " 2 blue chevrons and a gold braid ". Not sure what the gold braid was all about, but it didn't seem to matter. Within a month, he was demoted "severely disiplined" back to Sapper with all sorts of pay loss, because men under his charge were observed detraining in a public rail station "in an unruly manner" by some officer. Gotta love the British Army in World War One!

Best regards to all in 2011!

[servicepub (RIP)]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

becoming entitled to " 2 blue chevrons and a gold braid ".

Each blue chevron indicated a year's service and the gold braid is also known as a wound stripe, awarded for having been wounded.

[David Dunlop]

Were these worn on the forearm of the tunic by any chance, below any Rank Identification?

[servicepub (RIP)]

The service chevrons were worn, point upwards, on the right sleeve and the wound strip was worn, vertically, on the left sleeve. Both insignia were worn approx 4 1/2 inches from the cuff (refernces not at hand but I am sure that somebody will correct me).
If you have a copy of "Khaki - Uniforms of the CEF" see Figures 16 and 17.
Clive