Awarding of WW1 Medals query

[P.F.]

Gentleman,

I hope this doesn't seem like a silly question but my knowledge in this field is limited.

Did all regular British Army soldier's receive the British War Medal as well as the UK Victory Medal?

My thanks
Pierce

Edited July 2, 2016 by P.F.

[Guest pikemedals]

Hi pierce if a  British soldier served in some part's of India he will only get the bwm.and if he only served in England only get the bwm as well. I got single bwm to the royal marines who only service in England. As well bwm to the royal navy air service Hope that help. At the end of the day you must see his mic to be 100% sure paul 

[P.F.]

Thanks Paul. I'm on the trail of my ancestors. Do you know if there are many online records available? As I say, this is a new area of research for me.

Pierce

[Gunner 1]

pikemedals wrote: "if he only served in England only get the bwm as welL"

Actually the vast majority of British Army personnel did not receive the BWM for service only in the UK.  British Army personnel had to leave their country of residence and go overseas to receive the BWM.

P.F. wrote: "are many online records available?"

Medal index cards for British soldiers are available online at Ancestry.com and/or The National Archives; these will indicate the medals that each soldier received.  Some papers for British other-ranks who served during the Great War are available on Ancestry.com but the large majority of them were destroyed by bombing during WWII.

[Odulf]

British Soldiers & Sailors who fought in Russia (1919/20) also received the single BWM..

Edited July 3, 2016 by Odulf

[QSAMIKE]

I have a group where the man stayed in the UK and served as a (BSM) instructor at an artillery school and according to his medal card he received a BWM with a notation not entitled to VM......

Mike

 

 

[james_harvey]

My great grandfather served uk and Ireland only in the army and did not receive any medals as you had to serve outside your country of origin to qualify for a medal

the Royal Marines were governed by the Navy and they awarded the British war medal for home (uk) service.

 

 

[peter monahan]

The BWM was issued for 'war service', so typically not for service in England onlyhowever, according to major Gordon's invaluable work on British medals 'was issued singly without the Victory Medal to certain regular and mobilized personnel who did not see any fighting.'  In the early stages the issuing of bars was considered - up to 70 for the Nacy and 80 for the Army - but that idea was abandonned as unworkable.

The BWM was awarded in bronze to members of the Maltese and Chinese labour Corps and others mobilized for war service and paid at military rates, such as many of the servant groups attached to the Indian Army.

Presumably Mike's example - single BWM, no VM - to an instructor was what was meant by Gordon's reference: men who spent the whole war mobilized but perhaps never left England.

 

[P.F.]

Gentlemen, thank you for your help with this.

[Gunner 1]

Mike:  What is the name and number of your man who served in the UK and received the BWM.  I would like to see what the medal roll states for his BWM.    Regards, Gunner 1