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    Order of the Star of Karađorđe with Swords - British recipients


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    Don't mention it, my pleasure! Luckily names were written in English otherwise misspelling would be a big problem, hopefully there are not many mistakes.

    Is there perhaps a list of Serbian recipients of British decorations?

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    Photo found on neatemedals.co.uk, link is unfortunately outdated.

    Staff sergeant W. Goddard's decorations.

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2015/post-7937-0-68058100-1422634955.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2015/post-7937-0-26224900-1422634962.jpg

     

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    GEORGE PHILIPS 
     
    The people of Britain answered the government's call to support the suppressed of Europe. It was especially important that mine workers produced as much coal as possible to help the war effort. However, some miners responded differently and went to war. George Phillips a miner from Chatterley Whitfield who lived in Smallthorne, decided to do his bit by enlisting in the North Staffordshire Regiment.
     
    The Staffordshire Weekly Sentinel of the June 9th 1917 reported that George had been awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and the Serbian Cross of Karageorge (black George). This medal was introduced in 1915 for acts of conspicuous bravery by Non Commissioned Officers and soldiers in the field.
     
    At a ceremony in Derby, General Sir John Maxwell made the presentation to George. The official Record said, "he bombed the enemy continuously for 31 hours, later he deliberately bombed the enemy from the open to draw off the enemy's attention from another regiment. In doing so he showed great gallantry and determination".
     
    We would like to put on record our appreciation to George Phillips Junior who contacted us by email and sent us photographs of his father and his fathers medals. He stated "I was tremendously excited when I found your web site. I was aware of the citation for his DCM but to think that someone had taken the trouble to publish it was really something".
     
     
     
    Edited by paja
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    Flora Sandes, not in the list (probably because she earned her Karađorđe as a member of Serbian army).

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2015/post-7937-0-03961600-1422636979.jpeghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2015/post-7937-0-94927700-1422636986.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2015/post-7937-0-73022200-1422636989.jpg

     

     

     

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    A rare Great War Mesopotamia operations M.C., A.F.C. group of six awarded to Major J. O.C. Orton, Royal Air Force, late Norfolk Regiment and Royal Flying Corps.

    Source: http://www.dnw.co.uk/

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2015/post-7937-0-84356400-1422638358.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2015/post-7937-0-44440600-1422638408.jpg

     

    PS take a look at Karađorđe, looks like enameled soldiers' cross!

     

     

     

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    Nursing Sister Sallie Round, 1st Serbian Relief Fund Unit.

    3rd class Karađorđe with swords (?!).

    source: http://www.dnw.co.uk/

    http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2015/post-7937-0-69468700-1422640588.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_01_2015/post-7937-0-53694500-1422640593.jpg

     

     

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    Is there perhaps a list of Serbian recipients of British decorations?

    I did a little research online, now I can answer my own question, THERE IS!  :)

    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C10984821#imageViewerLink

     

    British decorations awarded to the following Allied armies: Belgium, China, Czechoslovakia, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, Nepal, Portugal, Roumania, Russia, SERBIA, Siam, USA

     

    Serbia starts from page 709.

     

    I apologize for going off-topic but I was very pleased to finally find list with my ancestor's name, DSO & CB recipient  :)

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    Decorations awarded to British and Dominion army personnel by the following countries: Belgium, China, Czechoslavakia, Egypt, Hedjaz, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Montenegro, Nepal, Panama, Persia, Portugal, Roumania, Russia, SERBIA, Siam, USA

    http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C11154712#imageViewerLink

     

    Serbia starts from page: 1852.

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    • 2 months later...

    A nice book, I picked one up some years ago at a street stall in Banja Luka - lots of photos of recipients, if only I could read the text.....

    I always planned on putting up this list of British recipients but never got around to it - I was planning on scanning the pages not typing all the names out - the lazy option  - and I still didn't do it.

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    I agree, I can only imagine how much time and effort it took to make such a book. 

    I used FineReader to extract the names from scans, one more lazy option.

    I was just wondering do French perhaps have lists of foreign recipients from WW1 era? If something like that exists I would be grateful if someone could point me in the right direction,

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    • 2 years later...
    Guest Voycey 72

    Hi all,

    I have been looking for a site like this!  I am the great, great nephew of Jack Nicholls 32746 Machine Gun Corel. I was fortunate to know Jack. I remember him being frail and I was scared of him. This was I was young (he died when I was 5 years old)and he had a sound box (early hearing aid) in the middle of his chest.  Jack spent a lot of his time with my Grandparents and I think he was the older (or younger) brother to my Great Grandmother. I was very fortunate not only knowing Jack, but also his two sisters (Aunt Kate) and Great Grandmother (Edith) and her husband my Great Grandfather Don were alive until I was 15. 

    Jack died when I was five so I never got to speak with him about his experiences, my Dad knew he won a decent medal for blowing up a machine gun post in France! 

    Due to being the oldest offspring of the oldest offspring gave me great opportunity to speak with a number WW1 and WW2 family and friend veterans over the years but I have struggled to know what Jack did to win his medals.  I have read a good book from the library called ‘Under the Devil’s Eye’, which is a great account of the Salonika Campaign. There is no reference but from my understanding as Jack was one of two Lewis Gun operators he won he medals for supporting the withdrawal of attack on 8th May 1917 at the battle of Dorian. It mentions in the book about how a lone machine gunner gave covering fire whilst the rememants of attack withdrew. The losses were huge that day some c550 British casualties with minimal Bulgarian losses. From what I know of Jack, sadly he has no surviving family. He wife and Son died before I was born. Interestingly he was mentioned a few times in London Gazette winning his medals. He won these medals at different ranks. He does seem to be busted down in rank a few times. This does not surprise me as my Dad knew him as full of fun, when he was growing up. Always mucking around.

    I enclose the pictures of the medals. Order of the Star of KaraÄ‘orÄ‘e with Swords (Gold) (front and back) and Miltary Medal.  The picture I believe he was in the middle as he was acting corporal when he won the medal in 1917, so would of been Lance Corporal (1 stripe). I also include his dispatches. As you will see in his dispatches it mentions him bringing back his Lewis Gun.  Crazy thing is if he did not bring his gun back he could of been punished!

    Anyone else have similar stories, I would be interested to hear. I did see there was another winner of the same medal from Ipswich. Not sure if that was the other Lewis Gunner or part of his team.

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    34B75F4B-24C9-4E21-B5C4-77E78A69B411.jpeg

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    Wonderful story. Many thanks for sharing it with us.

    Just to add that the same regulations applied to Serbian army, as the canon crew in the case of abandoning their canon could face military court.

    Just one more detail. I cannot with certainty  read years on the Karageorge GS. 1914-191?

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    Voycey 72, thank you very much for sharing that story and photos with us! The main reason why I started this topic was to provide some information to the people researching their ancestors, that's why I was very pleased to read your post.

    It looks like the Karađorđe star you presented was made by Arthus-Bertrand. I think Igor's right about the year, looks like 1916 to me as well.

    As you can see from the numbers above it was not that often awarded, less than 300 of them (all classes) were given to the British recipients. It was the highest bravery order a soldier could receive and for that reason the most appreciated one.

    Edited by paja
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    • 4 years later...

    Dear Paja,

     

    I see my great uncle in your list - Auberon, Lord Lucas

     

    Can I find out what he was awarded the medal for? 

     

    As far as I know he only saw service in France, where he died in 1916, and was never in Serbia, unlike his relative Auberon Herbert

     

    Yours,

     

    Ralph Lucas

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