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    Splendid Group - with a Small Mystery ?


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    Looks as if I have pressed the wrong button on my comments section - will try again. The penalty of getting old !

    This unusual group of seven medals has some very different combinations - I will run through them in order ?

    The WW1 pair for War and Victory are named to him as a 1st. Class Warrant Officer. His unit was the SAMC - South African Medical Corps..

    This is followed by the WW2 South African Medal. His rank is not shown - as was usual for Officers'. I think this ties in with the naming on the Officer's Decoration which shows him as a Major with Natal Rifle Association. I suspect he may have been an instructor for Recruits. The Award is for 20 years - however, War Service counted double.

    Next is his Meritorious Service Medal. We do not know - at this stage - why he received this - perhaps it is to do with the Dutch Award ?

    Next is the Decoration, followed by the 1937 King George 6th. Coronation Medal.

    Finally, the Dutch Award. Perhaps he assisted wounded from the Netherlands Army? I thought at first this was Greek - however, the Lion is Dutch. I look forward to your comments and thoughts ? Mervyn

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    I believe the last award is from Belgium not Holland.

    http://users.skynet.be/hendrik/index.html

    The Military Decoration and The Military Decoration (Article 4)

    Awarded to Belgian's armed forces noncoms or other ranks for either long service or for acts of bravery or distinguished service (Article 4).

    The Military Decoration was instituted on 22 December 1873 and early in the 20th century, a division into two classes was decreed. The 2nd Class decoration is awarded after 10 years of service, a further 5 years entitles the recipient to wear a gilt chevron on the ribbon, indicating a 1st Class award. If awarded for bravery or distinguished service (Article 4 of the decoration's statutes), the long service ribbon is changed to a red one bordered by the national Belgian colours. In case of an award for war-time related acts, a silver palm with the royal monogram is affixed on the ribbon.

    Kevin in Deva. :beer:

    Edited by Kev in Deva
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    Thanks to Kevin identifying it as a Belgian Award - I have read the links he gave and it would appear to be a Gallantry award with this ribbon.

    Chris rightly points out that he may have been in East Africa - but, until we see his record, he may also have been in France - only War and Victory were eligible to Sth. Africans. Also, to my mind contact with Berlgian troops would be more likely. We will see in due course.

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    Certainly a splendid group, Mervyn. Thanks for showing us.

    The MSM is certainly a mystery. Normally it's a Regular/Permanent Force long service medal, but in WWI it was also used as a gallantry award. I couldn't find any lists in the London Gazette ... but the LG does show that 295 S Sgt Charles Richard Tee SAMC received not one but two Belgian awards :

    LG 31039 (26.11.1918) : Ordre de Leopold II - Chevalier

    LG 31263 (28.03.1919) : Decoration Militaire - 2nd Class.

    So there's another mystery : where's his Order of Leopold II?

    Bisset's roll of the 1937 coronation medal recipients ( Military History Journal June 1975) lists C.R. Tee as "Member SA Mil[itary] Cont[ingent] (Ex-Servicemen)", which sounds as though he marched in the parade in London.

    The National Archives of SA database shows that C.R. Tee was a lieutenant-colonel in 1947, and that the SA Museum of Military History in Jo'burg has a manuscript about the service records of various members of the Tee family, including Charles Richard. Might be worth following up.

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    Just stumbled on this sorry for being late to the party

    His MSM was in the LG

    Gazette Issue 31167 published on the 4 February 1919. page 1945

    Nice group luckily a replacement leopold will be easy to get your hands on. I should post my ED group to a local veteran (just got it last week and it's the first one i've ever managed to find).

    Cheers

    Chris

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    • 1 year later...

    As an addendum to this post.. the group is now in my possession and, thank the stars, is in every respect complete.

    The confusing issue surrounding the 2 Belgian awards is clarified by the following entry on Tee's WWI record card

    "The award "Order de Leopald II Chevalier" is cancelled. Awarded the Decoration Militaire 2nd Class (Sup. Lon. Gaz. 1.4.19)

    My research into Tee is at an embryonic stage but I get the distinct feeling that he is the gift that keeps on giving!

    Regards

    Rory

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