Gordon Craig

azyeoman,

Many thoughts have gone through my mind since Joshua's email.  One of them is that the generally accepted theory about married women returning their medals for renaming doesn't hold water.  It is only a theory to explain the high number of renamed medals to nurses on QSAs.  You mentioned the nominal roles being changed to match the married name.  Like you, I doubt that happened.  Therefore, for these renamed medals to be authentic, the name on the medal and the name on the roll should not match.  To be acceptable, as a renamed medal, you would need to know the named  as used before the marriage.  Or, as Joshua says, do a genealogical search for the name on each medal.  The QSA on Liverpool Medals now, named to F. Price, has been renamed but according to them she is on the roles of the NO 14 Stationary Hospital in Maritzburg dated 28 January 1902 as F. Price.  I'm going  to leave my comments here.  If nothing else I've learned that one needs to be very careful in purchasing a QSA or a KSA named to a nurse.  As well, I've learned that because a dealer says something, it does not mean it is correct.  I'm not saying they are lying but as always it is "buyer beware".

Regards,

Gordon 

azyeoman,

It occurred to me that I should just post the response I received and let you draw your own conclusions.

Regards,

Gordon

Hi Gordon,

To my knowledge, as I have witnessed the sale of many of these medals in auctions and on other dealers lists as well as selling a good number of such medals myself, that a good percentage of them have been officially re-impressed, naming perfect in execution, the fine work of the Royal Mint, but the edge has been erased and the details being re-impressed.

According to a brief look at my sales records I can see roughly 13 examples of the QSA in pairs or singles, which I have retailed, and about 5 happen to be re-impressed.

It is fair to state that it is commonly encountered as I have personally witnessed and confirmed this fact based on previous evidence, that close to 40% of the examples I happen to have sold have this quirk.

I don’t know if there is any literature on this, there are obviously some theories on such examples:

The most common theory is that the women who received these medals would marry and change their name, and the government were willing to rename their medals to reflect that change, obviously this is not something that has been done before as men who received 90%+ of medals never had this need.

However to confirm this fact investigations would need to be done genealogically into the marriage records for the nurses and what name they carried during the war, cross checking the medal rolls and nursing records, something I don’t typically have time to do.

I would imagine the Angloboerwar.com forum would have more information, they typically track provenance of these types of medals and may have some notes on what percentage of the medals happen to be re-impressed and the reasons for this.

I would be interested to know if you find out further information.

Best Regards
Joshua

azyeoman,

Their response was that their comment meant "officially re-named".  They believe that when a nurse married that they returned the medal and and asked that the name on the medal be changed to their married name.  There is no proof of this that I, or they, are aware of. They have asked to me inform them of any additional information I may find about renamed QSAs to nurses.  So that is where we leave it for the time being.  I haven't had time to do as you suggest about reading threads re QSA/KSA to nurses.  That will have to wait until the future. We just sold our house and are moving into a condo and packing, sorting etc. don't leave me much time for my hobby.

Regards,

Gordon

azyeoman,

Thanks.  I saw that last night.  I'll have to ask Les the provenance for their statement.

Regards,

Gordon 

azyeoman,

Thanks for your response.  I haven't visited the Anglo Boer War site for a few weeks.  I'll do as you suggest.

Regards,

Gordon

azyeoman,

Congratulations on the reunite.  Glad to see that they are all together again.  I also own a QSA to a nurse but not anywhere near as documented as the one in your collection.  A question; you said above

On 17/05/2022 at 10:02, azyeoman said:

(not officially re-impressed as often found)

I have never heard of this before.  What is your reference for your comment please.

Regards,

Gordon

In his book "Greek Medaals" by George Stratoudakis he says that the badge was only issued in bronze and everyone received the same class.  I am researching these badges and would like as if anyone is aware of any other colour that these badges were presented in?  Here are a couple of these badges.  I only have the reverse of these two badge.  The gilt one and the silver one.  They should be easy to tell apart.  Are either one of these badges original?

Gentlemen,

Thanks again for your responses.  Asking emedals for photos has never been a success for me.  However, I will try again.  One can always live in hope.

Regards,

Gordon

Gentlemen,

Thanks for all of the responses.  If I understand what has been said above, small booklets presented with awards were not named on the cover but appeared to be named on the interior.  Here is a picture of the interior of the booklet I posted above.  Can you tell from what it says inside what award it would have been issued with.

Regards,

Gordon

USN,

I should have said this before.  This is a put together tunic and who knows what it is.  Someone, who knows nothing about British ribbon bars, has put this bar on upside down.  The single ribbon should be on the top of the ribbon bar.  Not on the bottom.  There is no single piece of braid like the one shown on the sleeve of your tunic in any British navy insignia.  The anchors are loose because they do not belong where they are.  I am afraid that this is a total fantasy and has no relation to any Royal Navy tunic or insignia of any period.

Regards,

Gordon 

USN,

The rank insignia does not match any Royal Navy type that I am aware of.   I would lean more towards merchant marine but it doesn't match any Merchant Marine  insignia either.  Possibly a tunic from a passenger liner of some company.  The ribbon bar is on upside down. 

Regards,

Gordon

Gentlemen,

Would someone be kind enough to translate what it says on this certificate into English for me.  I would like to know what medal it would have been issued with.

Regards,

Gordon 

Nick,

First of all, thanks for the time effort and cash that you have already put into the GMIC.  It is a great boon to the militaria collecting world. 

Advertising can work.  It does on the WAF and it is not intrusive there.

I would also be willing to pay membership.  The WAF used to do that and restrict the viewing of the pictures to paid members.  Eventually they stopped that though as probably too labour intensive to keep track of.

I would also support donations but it would probably be the same minority that paid the donations each time they were solicited if that is the route followed.  Wiki often uses banners to ask for donations but I do not know how effective this has been for them.  They occur more often now and I am less likely to give the more often they appear.

Whatever method of financial support you decide to adopt will need to be within bounds for you, or those who volunteer to help you, time wise.  Good luck in keeping the GMIC running as it is.

Regards,

Gordon 

Good morning,

Records for WWII Canadian servicemen are held at Library and Archives Canada.  They are not on line and must be applied for.  I have a friend who provides this service for a small fee.  He has retrieved files for me and what you get depends on the information that you provide.  I suggest tat you email him at the address below.

Regards,

Gordon

cef.research@rogers.com

Greg,

Some years ago I came  across page in a militaria book that I copied and used as the template for cataloguing my collections.  In the upper left hand corner I enter some letter combination that identifies the specific collection; ie WG for West German; EG for East German; POL for Polish etc.  I might also add a designator to differentiate a uniform, or a medal depends on just which collection I am cataloguing.  I use a four digit number to identify the individual item. Here is a scan of a blank document I created to catalogue a collection.  I put these documents in a three ring binder labelled for the country.  The binder itself I divide into sections on reference material ie items I've found on the internet but are not in my collection; items in my collection.  In the section listing items in my collection I have page where I list each item in that section by number (WG-0001) and a short title indicating what the item is.  On this page I also enter the location of all the items.  For example Drawer 1 or shelf 1.  The rest of the page is self evident.  If I run out of space in one category on the page I just keep writing in the next one.  All items do not require an entry in all categories.

I hope this helps.

Regards,

Gordon

Regards,

Gordon

Trupper,

Nice looking medal at a good price.  Thanks for showing it to us.

Regards,

Gordon

Can someone translate the following for me please

MILE. L VUČKOVIĆ MAŠINOVODA SRP. MORAVICE 

Regards,

Gordon

Paul,

I did a name search on the Anglo Boer War forum and did not find his name.  This would be a good place to start your search.  https://www.angloboerwar.com/name-search 

Regards,

Gordon

JBFloyd,

This badge is unknown to me but since it appears to have the crest of Bavaria on it I looked it up under that state.  Emedals sold one in the past and they called is a Bavaria, Kingdom Official's Breast Badge that indicates to me they did not know exactly what it was other than from the stats of Bavaria.  I've added some pictures from their site as the badge they sold was well marked.

Regards,

Gordon

Jurgen,

Your welcome.  Thanks for starting the thread.  I learned something and that is always important.

Regards,

Gordon

Jurgen,

I've heard from my friend and he has confirmed that the helmet that you posted is an early BGS helmet.  Here is what he had to say.

Regards,

Gordon

Hello Gordon,

yes i know these helmets. It is indeed the first BGS liner model from 1951. These were all refurbished WW2 shells (all makers and variants can be encountered M35, M40 and M42). Repainted and added welded chinstrap bale like on early US M1. Only used for short time in early 50s. After 1953 most were modified for the new 1953 liners (Innenausstattung 53) - liner rivet holes were welded closed and liner mount installed in dome. So surviving examples, that avoided these updates are a bit rare. 

Attached is photos of mine. Shell is a Quist M42 (a rare shell even for WW2). Also a few period photos of the reissued WW2 shells in use 1954 and earlier.

Jurgen,

I'll ask a knowledgeable friend  and get back to you.

Regards,

Gordon

Jurgen,

I've never seen this type of liner in any BGS or Polizei helmet.  Actually, I've never seen it in any German helmet.   Too bad you don't still have the one stolen from you.  Sorry I can not be of more help.

Regards,

Gordon

papy38,

Does it have any clasps?

Regards,

Gordon

Ulsterman,

There are members of the forum who have undertaken a serious study of the medals awarded by Argentina as a result of the war.  While there have been medals awarded by national and other organizations in Argentina they were meant to honor those who took part in the conflict and to those who are still in the Malvinas.

There was a comment above re the soldiers still buried on the islands.  There is only one recorded repatriation for reburial in Argentina.  The rest still lie in a cemetery outside Darwin.

Regards,

Gordon