jeffskea

The "J" is separate from the A.F.(I) by a few spaces, could it be the first initial perhaps? I've seen the surname D'Rozario is also fairly common. Would these be researchable at all?

Jeff

Hi Paul, took awhile to come in but here is the set I had mentioned, the War and India Service are named to 1690 Pte D. Rozario J. A.F.(I), the 1939-45 Star is un-named. A simple but interesting set as the only operational service this man likely qualified for were the few short periods in 1940 and 41 on the N.W. Frontier of India. Did you have any luck finding the pair yourself?

Jeff

Thanks for the input Bison, I agree it seems like the Officier grade, the green enameld leaves are in better condition on the reverse and show the gold more in tact. I will get a magnifying glass to see if I can see any letters on the makers marks. Thanks again.

Jeff

Here are photos of the reverse which seems to show the makers mark. The badge has undergone quite a bit of wear over the years but the reverse does seem to show a bit more of the gold so perhaps still an Officer grade? Using the helpful markers thread on this forum it appears to have the cornucopia of Monnaie one on each side of the suspension but cannot see an "A" or "O".

Hello,

I have a 3rd Republic Legion de Honneur Officier grade which I'm wondering if it is actuallty a Chevalier insignia with an Officier's ribbon and rosette? Was this common practice for those elevated within the Order? This particular decoration was awarded to a British officer. Any information would be greatly appreciated, thanks.

Jeff

I have finished going through the first file AIR 2/9013 French Awards to British with no success. There were no recommendations higher than Chevalier of the Legion of Honour and the majority of awards were received for operational serivce which consequently meant a Croix de Guerre was received in addition. One very close 'non-operational' match was to a Chief Signals Officer, a Wing Commander with OBE, responsible for the development of radar navigation. The same surname and rank also received a U.S. Bronze Star though the initials were not the same and the BS recipient was a WW1 veteran whose medals were sold at auction a while back.

Nevertheless some very interesting correspondence, a fair amount consisted of veterans' and serving members' letters from the early 1950's to the Air Ministry inquiring as to whether wartime recommendations for their awards were going to be approved or not! Also some interesting reading on recipients involved in Operation Amherst - support of the French Resistance, as well I found the recommendation for Yeo-Thomas' LdeH for work with the SOE.

There are still at least three or four more files I can request to go through and if anyone should have an RAF Croix de Guerre or Chevalier LdeH citation they are looking for, PM me and I will take a look through this file for you.

Jeff

Yes sad to see it all split, there were some nice epaulettes, buttons, mini ribbons, caps and other badges associated with him but am very happy with this tunic and ribbon set. There were no rear adm or vice admiral epaulettes but would be nice to complete the uniform. This particular style of tunic is interesting and not sure I've seen it before - open neck, long sleeve, with waistbelt. I believe I've seen short sleeve versions, would anyone know when this style would have been worn?

Jeff

Thanks very much Paddywack I appreciate the offer however I do already have both parts 1 and 2 to all three services and they have been an invaluable resource to me. I've previously gone thru the 980+ Army recipients and crossed reference them with WO373 French Awards to British without a match though it was a lot of names to go through so I still may have missed it. I was able to rule out the very small number of naval recipients by confirming other decorations or operational service. In anticipation of receiving the AIR 2 files listing French awards to RAF, I've compiled an alphabetical list of 120 out of the 175 potential recipients to cross reference. There were only a handful of OBE recipients however I've broadened the list to include those without any decorations listed in case they later received the OBE, which I have already found in one case. Anyhow I'm expecting the scans in the next day or so and hope there will be a match! Thanks again

Jeff

I agree the single F&G Star in the group is not that uncommon, I've seen quite a few. The condition was that the person had entered operational service during the last six months of the war and therefore being unable to attain the 180 days required for the 1939-45 Star, received only the campaign star for the theatre served in. I've actually seen every campaign star by itself in a group throughout the years, except for the Air Crew Europe Star - which specifically states the 60 day aircrew requirement for the 1939-45 Star had to be acheived first prior to the award of the ACE. I find the single star groups attractive and intriguing as it helps you pinpoint when the person served a bit better. The most common I tend to see are single F&G and Burma, though I've seen more than one single Atlantic as well. Sir Edmund Hillary in fact had a single Pacific Star but now I'm swaying too off topic. An outstanding set of a remarkable soldier.

Jeff

Thank you Mervyn and Herman, I'm expecting the first files in the next few days

I had also requested and received the death certificate and RAF service record of the Viscount Acheson, OBE to make certain he qualified for the campaign star ribbons seen in his portrait. He being the closest and most plausible match so far I wanted to ensure through official records that I could rule him out.

The Group Captain had an interesting career that was spent for the majority in Army Co-Op Sqns. He was the Assistant Air Attache in Paris from 1938 right up til June 1940 and was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour (indeed he was later elevated to the Officer degree in 1947 his record states). His OBE and Bronze Star Medal were both gazetted post War.

I checked the detailed regulations for award of the 1939-45 Star which states that 'entry into operational service' between 5 May and 19 June 1940 in France qualified under the special one day rule. It would appear this is how he earned that Star as his only other overseas service was just over four months in France from late '44 to early '45 with the RAF Unit Paris and 2nd TAF HQ qualifying him for his F&G Star. Sadly his record did not come with his campaign entitlement during the War to confirm 100%. Such a close match, even the excessive wear and chipping on the LdeH compared to the other medals would have fit with him receiving it in 1939 and its perhaps rough trip back to England during those tumultuous times of the evacuation. The style of mounting for five medals, from what I have seen so far of contemporary sets, seems to strongly indicate a regular post war RAF officer. Fingers crossed for those Air files to reveal all.

Jeff

Hello all,

A few more updates on this group with some exciting potential, I have finally discovered the Air Ministry files from the National Archives detailing French awards to RAF personnel covering the years 1944 all the way up to 1956. I'm in the process of obtaining copies through a researcher so I can begin sifting through these. After all my research I believe these will conclusively lead to determining the recipient, I've been trying to find the Air files from the beginning. I have also found U.S. awards to RAF so there is the potential that if I find a match, I will be able to access the citations for both foreign awards and the OBE! This is a great find which I hope will produce promising results!

Merry Christmas to all during this holiday season.

Jeff

I will definitely post a picture when it comes in, it's a simple but very attractive looking set. I checked a few sites for some pairs for you with no luck yet but as paddywhack suggested there were plenty of singles of each, the India Service Medals can be found either unnamed or named it seems. May I ask what the cap badge is on the major's uniform? In my opinion I find that most Indian-related medal groups, especially to officers, would be court mounted, which for those two would not be overly difficult or expensive. There are some reputable mounters up here in Canada that would do nice work. Will check a few more sites for a pair, always looks better when they are the same condition and wear

Jeff

Hi Paul this is not exactly what you are looking for I know but I just picked up a 1939-45 Star,War Medal, India Service Medal to a Pte, J.A.F.(I) from a UK seller for a very reasonable price so they are out there and hope you find a nice set to go with your uniform.

Jeff

Thank you Paul and Peter for you input, that is disappointing

Jeff

All interesting points, I agree in this case as a professional soldier and former sergeant major, even in retirement, this was done with purpose.

Jeff

It probably was as simple as that perhaps it made sense to put them in the order received in Maj Fitton's case, no doubt many possibilities.

The more I look at it up close though the less I think it is as contemporary as sold - new felt backing wrapped in cardboard, everything glued, new looking ribbons and cheaper plated shine to the campaign stars, Naval GSM, and LS&GC...DSM and WW1 trio look authentic on orginal ribbons. I don't know much about minis but it doesn't seem that the veteran would have worn them like this

Good day,

Good day all,

I have little to report in my quest however I am waiting on the complete service file and medal index card of one promising candidate in the RAF so it is still moving forward though it may take up to 20 weeks for the records office to reply!

One interesting piece of information I recently discovered from a researcher on another forum regarding naming of U.S. medals which seems to clarify things considerably - only those decorations sent in the mail to recipients, or to those KIA or wounded would have been officially named. I'm sure there were exceptions no doubt and I will look into it further but I would say many U.S. decorations weren't gazetted to the Allies until as late as 1947 for WW2 - so those you find named to British most likely had left the service by that time and had their decorations mailed to them. Those still actively serving presumably had theirs issued or presented to them in the same manner as U.S. personnel - unnamed - again I could be off on that as I'm sure some still serving had named decorations. Regardless they should have all come with certificates. Anyhow I had always wondered about the naming issue and that is the most credible explanation I've heard so far.

Jeff

Hello,

I just picked up this interesting little set to Quartermaster 3rd Class Keith Rippel who served for just one year from July 1945 to July 1946 aboard the refrigeration ship USS Corduba off China:

WWII Victory Medal

Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia Clasp

China Service (Extended)

All medals are the contemporary originals with the crimp brooch style. Very interesting to see three medals in one year of service during the early post war period which you don't often hear much about.

The correct order of precedence should have the Occupation and China Service reversed in the picture

Jeff

I have spoke too soon, I found a picture of him in the National Portrait Gallery from 1946 in his uniform with the ribbons of the 1939-45 Star and France & Germany Star...

I couldn't believe my eyes but I have finally found a possible match and so far seems quite plausible!

Wing Commander Archibald Acheson, 6th Earl of Gosford, OBE, also known as Viscount Acheson until being raised to the peerage in 1954 and entering the House of Lords. He was a recipient of both the Bronze Star Medal and the Officer degree of the Legion of Honour (This is the first time I've ever found any mention of anyone receiving this combo of foreign decorations, even for those who had operational service overseas).

Born in 1911, he served in the RAF from 1932, was an assistant air attache in Paris 1938-40, then CO of 613 Sqn and Wing Co of 32 Wing. Presumably he left France before the qualifying period for the 1939-45 Star beginning in May of 1940. His UK War Service as a commander would also presumably entitle him only to the Defence and War Medals.

I must dig deeper but fortunately as this man was a politician and British Peer, there should be considerable information on him and possible portraits! I am stunned to find him. Still of course not 100% but this is the only recipient out of hundreds I have researched to have these three decorations and service which appears to be UK only during the War!!

Could be the Polish Order of Restitutia or possibly the Czech Order of the White Lion.

Jeff