British Victory Medals

[Gunner 1]

JerryB: Impossible to tell if it is a Type I or Type II based on the photos you posted.  Look closely at the barrel suspension; is it part of the planchet (Type II) or is it soldered to the planchet (Type I).  Also check the suspension ring; is it open or soldered by silver solder (Type I) or is it very neatly attached and the same color as the remainder of the ring (Type II)?

[Jerry B]

I'll try and take some better pics of the mount.  The ring appears to have a silver coloured solder/braze joining it together, but I cannot clearly see how the mount is joined to the edge.

I have 17 vm's in total, either parts of trios or pairs or split groups.

 

[Gunner 1]

JerryB:  You might want to compare your medal with the images I posted on page 3 of this topic which show the distinctions between a Type I and Type II VM.     Gunner 1

[Jerry B]

Thanks, I had a look and there is no sign of solder on the mounting area so it must just be a very poorly neglected example.

[Tim B]

Not sure if anyone seen this mini bar that sold this weekend but thought I would share it here as it has a nice looking mini Vic along with a nice Russian St Anna Order, something you don't see everyday!!

Tim

Moderator: We need a separate mini-section here where we can combine all the mini singles and bars.

[lambert]

I loved it

[Tim B]

Hello Lambert,

Yes, no kidding, how often do you see a bar with a Military Cross and Russian St Anna?

Had to be an officer (Captain or below) or Warrant Officer during WW1 and specifically for bravery as it was a gallantry type award.  The St Anna Order shown is for distinguished civil service (swords for military service), so maybe a guy that help Russia in some capacity?  One would think this bar could be traced back to a known recipient.

Great bar but I can only imagine the price had it been full size!

Tim

 

[Gunner 1]

A full-sized medal group to an RA officer with an Order of St Anne.

[RobW]

Hello Gunner1,

That is a particularly nice bar.  Is the clasp on the IGS WAZIRISTAN 1921-24 ?

Regards,

Rob

[Tim B]

Agree, a truly beautiful bar and interesting to see the St Anna with swords!

Any story you can share on this guy?

Tim

[Gunner 1]

Tim and Rob:  The DSO, OBE group was in my collection some time ago but I have since sold off all of the groups with orders and decorations.  It was awarded to Lt Col. Frederick William Richey, RGA/RFC and consists of the DSO (GV); OBE (Mil, Type 1); 1914-15 Star trio with MID; GSM clasp IRAQ; IGSM clasp WAZIRISTAN 1921-24; O St Anne w/swords, 3 Cl. 

 

 

Richey was born 21 August 1875, the son of Sir j. B. Richey, kcie and was educated at Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich.  He was commissioned a 2nd lieutenant on 15 June 1895 and went to India in December 1895 where he served with 22 Company, RGA in Rangoon.  He returned to England in August 1901 and served as adjutant, 4th Depot, North West Group, RGA at Seaforth Barracks, Liverpool until 1904. He then served with No. 3 Company, RGA in Bermuda  from October 1904 to September 1907;  as a captain in No. 76 Company, RGA in Karachi, India from March 1908 to 1910;  and with 27 Indian Moutain Battery in Bhamo, India from March 1908 to 1914.

At the beginning of the Great War he was battery captain of the 27 Indian Mountain Battery and went to East Africa with that battery in August 1914 as part of Indian Expeditionary Force “C”.

From 11 June 1915 until 23 January 1917 he served as a squadron commander and wing commander in the Royal Flying Corps.  During the

Somme operations in July 1916 he was officer commanding, 11th (Army) Wing, Second Brigade (20 and 29 Squadron) at Nieppe.  While with the RFC he was mentioned in despatches (26 April 1916) and awarded the Russian Order of St. Anne with swords.      

He returned to the Royal Artillery on 23 January 1917 and from 26 April 1917 to the end of the war he was officer commanding, 72nd Army Brigade, RFA.  For his service with this brigade he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (3 June 1919) and was again mentioned in despatches (7July 1919).     

In 1920 he served with the RGA in Mesopotamia and Palestine and from 1921 to 1924 he was on the staff during the Waziristan campaign in Northwestern India.   For his services Richey was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire “for valuable service rendered in the field in connexion with military operations in Waziristan, January 1922 to April 1923” and mentioned in despatches “for distinguished service during the operations in Waziristan , January 1922 to April 1923.”  He later lived in East Johnstone, South Molton, Devon.  Richey died on 4 March 1934.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 8, 2015 by Gunner 1

[Tim B]

Wow, what a distinguished and varied career,  Thank you for sharing!

Tim

[lambert]

silly question ...

 

But to receive the Order St Anne, he took part in joint actions with Russian units?

 

Regards

Lambert

[Gunner 1]

Lambert:  That is not necessarily the case.  Some Russian awards were given for joint actions with Russian Forces especially during the British involvement during the Russian civil war in 1918-1919, but many Russian awards were given to Allied soldiers who were serving on fronts in which no Russian troops were serving, (for example France and Belgium) and who received the medal as a symbol of the aid given to the Allies by soldiers of the various Allied armies.  As far as I am aware Colonel Richey never served in Russia, or with Russian troops, and may never have seen a Russian during the war. Allied medals to men serving on the Western Front were often allocated to units and the unit commander made the decision on who should receive the awards. These awards are often described in contemporary literature as "coming up with the rations."

Arthur Behrend, former adjutant of 90 Brigade, RGA in his book As From Kemmel Hill tells the following story:

"In the middle of it [a battle] a signal came in from Corps Heavies asking us to submit the name of a Warrant Officer or senior NCO for what was described in the message as 'a French military medal.' I showed it to Major Pargiter  [the senior major in the brigade who was temporarily commanding the brigade in the absence of the colonel] and commented in accordance with the Colonel's wishes that the reply must be 'Nil.'

'Certainly not,' Major Pargiter replied, 'I'm commanding this brigade now. Whom shall we recommend?'

'Well, what about the RSM" As you know he's an old woman, but he's a decent chap and he's done God knows how many years in the army. And it's only a French thing.'

'Right.' Pargiter too was a man of few words. ' Send the name in.'"

[Tim B]

That kind of brings a explanation into view for the bar I posted in #230, as I could not see what exactly that member was doing, though in my case, it was a civil version of the medal.

May I add, this is exactly why this section is important as these type of issues are often not discussed or simply overlooked. 

Tim

[paul wood]

Many British troops received Russian awards for Gallipoli and the western front and a bucket load of Russian decorations were given for Jutland and most had never been anywhere near a Russian, those awards specifically for Russian operations are quite scarce and sought after.

Paul

[lambert]

This is fascinating !!

Thank you for sharing.

 

Regards

Lamber

[Bilco]

Hi Gents,

I've acquired a bit of an oddity - an ordinary Type 2 British vic, but silver plated (or silver-coloured-metal plated).

 

Obverse

 

Reverse

There is a yellow tinge to the photos from the lighting - the top of the reverse is more silver than it appears.

I've seen silver-plated French vics - indeed, Delande offered them for sale - but this is the first British vic I've seen so treated. There's no way of telling, of course, if it was the person to whom it was issued who had it done, or someone much later, trying to 'improve' it, or even try out the plating process. The obverse is pretty well covered, as is the edge, but the reverse has a patch in the right side missing the plating - or maybe it has worn off. Would the original gilding have had to be removed before the plating process? Maybe it had been removed by over-zealous polishing and this was an attempt to restore a shine.

Anyway, it's a bit different, and it wasn't expensive, so I bought it!

Bill

 

[IrishGunner]

Hi Gents,

I've acquired a bit of an oddity - an ordinary Type 2 British vic, but silver plated (or silver-coloured-metal plated).

Bill

 

Bill, out of curiosity, what is the regiment/corps of the recipient?

[Bilco]

Ah yes, sorry - the medal is issued to 6652 PTE. J. MORLEY. NORTH'D FUS:

 

Bill

[Bilco]

Hi Gents,

 

I think I've spotted a new variety of the Britsh vic, over on the British Medals Forum   http://www.britishmedalforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=50184&p=537047&hilit=I%27ve+never+seen+this+type+of+repair+before#p537047

 

Bill

[Gunner 1]

Bill: As some of us are not on the British Medal Forum would you please post a description or photo of the "new variety."?

[Bilco]

Sorry - I forget that some forums have to be joined to see photos.

This is the offending image

http://www.britishmedalforum.com/download/file.php?id=97980

Image by Andrew posting as 25RFW

 

Perhaps we need a new section - weak jokes?

 

Bill

 

[IrishGunner]

Bill, your link to BMF still does not work without having to join the alternate forum.  Rather than a link to BMF, I suggest you try either copying or saving the image as a new file then attaching it here. (Of course, you should then add the source reference as a note.)

Edited December 8, 2015 by IrishGunner

[Bilco]

Right - third time lucky ...

As before, Image by Andrew posting as 25RFW

 

Bill