British Victory Medals

[RobW]

Hi David,

A nice example you have picked up. Did you manage to obtain all three of his medals or just the vic? The solder joint on the obverse of the suspension barrel is very noticeable.

Regards,

Rob

[Bilco]

HI David,

A nice pick-up - and nicer still to have an officer's MIC with the date of issue of the medals shown.

Bill

[davidck]

I actually got the MIC from Ancestry.com, because I was trying to make sure before I bought it that it was a Type 1. The medal was unaccompanied by the 1915 Star or BWM, but maybe I'll run across them some day.

[Jerry B]

An excelent thread, great to see all this information on the variations that I did not knwo existed. I have a few VM's, some in groups but most on their own.

[RobW]

Hello Jenny,

An excelent thread, great to see all this information on the variations that I did not knwo existed. I have a few VM's, some in groups but most on their own.

Welcome aboard. I am sure that you will find a range of information on the vic series to satisfy you.

Regards,
Rob

[Tony]

An excelent thread, great to see all this information on the variations that I did not knwo existed. I have a few VM's, some in groups but most on their own.

Jerry,

I've been on the look out for type 1 VM for a while, one day I'll get lucky although I wonder if any slipped through my hands before ever realising they existed.

Tony

[Jerry B]

Jerry,

I've been on the look out for type 1 VM for a while, one day I'll get lucky although I wonder if any slipped through my hands before ever realising they existed.

Tony

Indeed Tony, I assume I probably looked and thought the details a bit weak and they look tarnished, not for me!!!!

[RobW]

Hello Jerry,

Hello Jenny,

Welcome aboard. I am sure that you will find a range of information on the vic series to satisfy you.

Regards,
Rob

My apologies for mis-identifying you as Jenny. Fat fingers on the keyboard!

Regards,
Rob

[Jerry B]

Hello Jerry,

My apologies for mis-identifying you as Jenny. Fat fingers on the keyboard!

Regards,

Rob

I have left in a huff! No problem Rob, I assumed you just got it wrong, a typo or whatever. Thanks for the welcome to this section. I have as I mentioned a ew VM's though nothing very exciting perhaps, but all of interest and for men who served their country in times of war so all are special to me.

[Gunner 1]

Just purchased a 1914 Star trio with Type I Victory Medal to a 2nd Lieutenant, RFA (formerly BSM, RFA) from the online list of a well-known UK dealer. VM issued on 16 October 1920. There was no mention of the Type I VM in the dealer's description of the lot. He was wounded at Pilkem, Belgium (north of Ypres) on 23 October 1914 while serving with 43rd Brigade, RFA. The group also includes his officers' papers. Will provide some photos as soon as the group arrives in the mail.

Gunner 1

[Gunner 1]

Photo of the 1914 Star/Bar trio with Type I Victory Medal to 2nd Lieut. Thomas J. Gough, RFA that I mentioned in the previous post.

Edited February 25, 2015 by Gunner 1

[Gunner 1]

1915-1915 Star trio with Type I Victory Medal to Major Hugh Frederick Scudamore, RFA who was twice mentioned in despatches and three times wounded while serving with 91st Brigade, RFA. 

Edited February 25, 2015 by Gunner 1

[Gunner 1]

For some reason the photo of "Scudamore's trio did not appear in the last post.  Will try again.

[Herman]

For some reason the photo of "Scudamore's trio did not appear in the last post.  Will try again.

Is this a repro MiD emblem i see on the VM?

[Gunner 1]

It does not appear to be an 'official' MiD emblem but it is the one that was on the group when I purchased it so left it on.  Must say that the emblem looks completely different on the actual VM than it does in the photo - the lighting for the photo appears to have extensuated the lines in the emblem.

[Herman]

Okay, thanks for the info.

I own two VMs with a MiD emblem, both sold to me as originals, but the laurels differ from each other.

I bought two different known repro emblems and guess what... now i have four slightly different emblems. I'm stumped.

regards

Herman

[Gunner 1]

Herman: Harold Williamson in his The Great War Medal Collectors Companion illustrates what he calls an original MiD emblem and two photos of what he refers to as 'Good Copy MID emblems' but other than mentioning that 'the originals are of high quality' he gives no documentation or sources for his information; nor does he indicated how to tell the originals from the copies.  Jim Condon in his Mentioned in Despatches: the Evolution of Certificates and Emblems for British Mentions in Despatches states that four different contractors produced the 150,000 emblems required:

 

Wm Dowler & Sons Ltd (30,000 small emblems)

J.R. Gaunt & Sons Ltd (57,000 small emblems)

Smith & Wright Ltd (25,000 large emblems)

Firmin & Sons Ltd (13,000 each of small and large emblems)

 

but these manufacturers only account for 138,000 emblems rather than the 150,000 total he quotes.

 

According to Condon the large-size oak leaf emblem was 35mm long and was produced in prong-fixing and sew-on types. He estimates that 141,080 MiDs were awarded during the Great War. If 141,080 MiDs were issued during the Great War and each person mentioned received a large emblem for placement on the medal ribbon and a smaller emblem for the service ribbon then at least 282,160 emblems would need to have been produced - almost double the 150,000 Condon indicates that are documented as being produced.  Then there are all those who lost there emblems and would need replacements.

 

Gunner 1

[Paul Evenden]

my offering to this subsection is medal to :_ 29022 PTE H.H.SPENCE W.RID.R.

[Noor]

Henry H SPENCE was entitled only British War Medal and Victory Medal. He was later on transferred into Labour Corps (517329) and then Lancashire Fusiliers (60508).

[Paul Evenden]

Thanks very much for the Info Noor most appreciated

[Paul Evenden]

Dont know where to puit this one as there is no subsection specific for Canada :- 862019 PTE.F.AMATO 123-BN.CAN.INF

[Noor]

For Canadian medals this is your site to check:

http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/canadian-expeditionary-force.aspx

Frank AMATO

Born 15 January 1889

Lived 28 Mansfield Avenue, Toronto

Wife Mary Amato

Trade Builder

He was Roman Catholic

 

You can copy his first and last page of service papers on the site above.

 

[Noor]

Also, he enlisted 26 January 1916. Wounded 15 November 1916. But survived.

Son of Angeline Amato. He had five children ages from 1.5 years to 8 years of age.

Furlough in Canada on compassionate grounds 12 March to 4 June 1918. He failed to report to depot following authorized furlough, he was arrested and detained on 30 October 1918. Shortly afterwards was admitted to hospital and was discharged on 18 December 1918 as Medically Unfit.

[Paul Evenden]

wow thanks Noor looks like I luked out on an interesting story behind this guy .Once again thanks for your help

 

[Bilco]

Hi Gents,

I recently acquired a much-abused British vic with dings, dirt and verdigris. I've had a go at cleaning it and treating the verdigris - I can't do anything about the dings:

 

Obverse before and after treatment ....

 

... and reverse before and after.

The verdigris on the reverse has nearly all gone, but that on the obverse is quite stubborn in places, and I don't want to rub too hard in case I make shiny spots.

 

It appears to be a Type 1 from the soldered suspension ...

 

and I'm wondering if the reddish colour, which has been accentuated by the cleaning, means it's a Refurbished example. The medal is named to G-4778 Pte M.J.Simmons R.Suss.R., who turns out to be Harry J Simmons on the MIC. Unfortunately, I can't find any other records for his service.

 

All comments welcome

 

Bill