Ralph

"Africa General Service medals" by R B Magor is the book you need to clarify the various claps awarded for involvement in African Campaigns. Reading it briefly it would appear that following Medals/Clasps were awarded for actions in the areas you mentioned Turkanaland - Africa General Service medal with clasps for East Africa 1913, East Africa 1914, East Africa 1915, East Africa 1918 Gusiland - AGS with clasp Kissi 1905 Jubaland - East and West Africa medal clasp Juba River 1893 East and Central Africa Medal clasp 1898 AGS wit clasps Jubaland 1902, East Africa 1913 , Jubaland 1917-18

I have had some e-mail correspondence with "lilo" and mentioned that there appears to have been two medals that may have been possibilities Preussiche Kriegsverdienst Medaille Deutsche Kreigsverdienst Medaille. I believe both the above were awarded to Foreign Soldiers in the pay of the German Army. Unfortunately I do not have much knowledge on German Awards(yet) so I might be hopelessly off track on this - If so please be gentle with me!!! Ralph

Llangibby Castle - Torpedoed en route to SIngapore, managed to get back to Gibraltar - she was steered with engines only due to he rudder being blown off.

Well - his British entitlement is wrong - You either had an Atlantic Star or France and Germany Star or Aircrew Europe star but not all three. You could get a Bar (but only 1) if you were entitled to either of the three. I doubt, looking at his service which appeares to be "operational" that he got a defence Medal No mention of a War Medal which would come if he got any of the stars. Looks like he had a jolly time buying stuff at a medal fair!!!.

From the book mentioned: 22 Sept 1940 Blackburn Skua Mk II L2942 801 Sqd. Fleet Air Arm Pilot S/lt Bernard Wigginson Gunner Naval Airman Kenneth King Departed from HMS Furious for an attack on ships in Trondheim Harbour. Crew landed in The Fazealven River and sank near the Vicarage of Ramsele. The crew swam ashore and were arrested by the local police. The crew were repatriated in December 1940

Yes - during the last 6 months of the War (8th May for Europe, September for Far East) it was possible to get the relevant Campaign Star without getting the 1939-45 Star first. I have seen quite a few groups with France and Germany Star w/o 1939-45 star e.g. entry into France in January 1945 qualified for the F+G Star only Ralph

The combination of the Defence medal (basically three years service in the UK or 1 years service oversea in an area threatened by air attack) and the War medal (28 Days Full time uniformed service) is very common. Typically to Troops who served the whole of their service in the UK, those that returned from Dunkirk in 1940 and did not go oversea till the invasion of France etc.

Extract for ACI 829/1945 - Conditions of award of campaignstars, clasps and the Defence Medal "Those who have won an honour. decoration, mention in despatches, commendation for brave conduct or commendations for valuable services in the air for service in operations may be awarded the 1939-45 star with less than the requisite service. . During the last 6 months of the war qualification for the award of the stars will be entry in a theatre of operations without the prior award of the 1939-45 star. However they must aggregate 6 months service (or two motnhs for aircrew) before being awarded the 1939-45 star" As the ribbons show an MiD then there should be a 1939-45 Star ribbon. Perhaps he had another decoration/award e.g. DFC on a top row of two the other being the 1939-45 star Ralph

I have a group where the recipient was awarded the BEM for services in a Balloon Section then transferred as flying crew, KiA on his third op qualifying him for the ACE etc. So another scenario

I do not think that Civilians qualified for the award of the 1939-45 (or any other star) for service during the Dunkirk Evacuation. One Day's service qualified for service in France 10 .05.1940 - 19.6.40 but only if part of or attached to a miltary formation for duty. Members of certain Civilian Organisations were eligible for Campaign Stars but it was a condition without exception that memebrs of these Civilian Organisations were full time workers, were in Uniform and satisified the conditons appropriate to military personnel. Ralph

Prior to 1983 the Order of precedence was that the RVM was worn AFTER Campaign/Coronation Medals. It was then changed that it took precedence before the BEM (and consequently Campaign/LS/Coronation medals). Groups worn before 1983 are thus correct showing the RVM at the end of the ribbon bar. Ralph

The War Medal was instituted AFTER the Defence medal - The Army Orders of 1945 makes no mention of a War Medal only the stars and Defence medal. It is possible that it is a bar constructed just after the AO announcement and prior to the institution of the war medal. Also MiDs awarded in WW2 - I have a letter sent during the war to a recipient (Military) which. amongst others state : The enclosed Bronze Oak leaf Emblem is issued by command of the King for wear by those who have been awarded a Mention in Despatch or a Military Commendation which has bneen published in the Lnndon Gazette for Brave Conduct during the war. The emblem is to be worn on the uniform coat, jacket, blouse etc immediatley AFTER medal ribbons. It will NOT be worn on the ribbon of any exisiting decoration but will be attached directly to the coat etc in the position in which a single ribbon would be worn, or in the position in which a ribbon would be placed immediately after those already worn. I think that hte move of the MiD Emblem to the War medal came with the institution of that Medal. Ralph

77 awards of the DSO to U S upto to 15 May 1920.

Some really interesting Groups - I do like the mutiple Gallantry awards ( and, of course, the BEMs!!) Re Mohinder Singh. I.E.M.E. - I would think that the France and Germany Star to an Indian Recipient is scarce - ther must be a story attached to it - perhaps on a course in the U.K. and volunteered to go across to FRance?. Ralph

Here is the LOndon Gazette entry for his CMG http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/ViewPDF.as...st=&similar=o Ralph

NO - the actual medal rolls are in the ADM 171 series at the National Archives - unfortunately not on line. The service record, however, can give a good indication as it lists the ships etc he served on during the war and from this a deduction of entitlement can be made. Ralph

His record 0f service can be downloaded from The National Archives site http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=1

According to Services of officers he received the QSA with 3 clasps (Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Relief of Ladysmith) but not the KSA. Ralph

Received my Copy today - under a week from order to delivery!! Good book, certainly gives me a far greater insight into Republic of India Awards than I had previously. I now know what the Indian Medals I have in my collection were awarded for. Ralph

I have used Peter Grainger-Allen in the past for medal repairs and he has done an excellent job. Contact sales@gamedals.co.uk Dixons also do medal repairs www.dixonsmedals.co.uk Ralph

My medal collection comprises mainly of British Items but I do have a few German Items, obtained on and off in the past, which I have never done much with. Out of interest though I did a Google search on one of the medals and found that it is fairly scarce, apparently with just under 600 being awarded. Not being knowledgeable on German awards I do not know if it is a genuine or copy -the quality is good but...

The 1902 Coronation Medal was awarded to those police officers who were on duty during the Coronation procession/celebrations and was awarded in Bronze and Silver - this being dependant on the rank of the recipient. The Medal reverse had the name of the force in which the recipient was serving - City of London Police - Metropolitan Police - L.C.C. Metropolitan Fire Brigade - Police Ambulance Service - St. John Ambulance Brigade Of the above the Metropolitan Police revese was the most cxommon.

No - He would have had to do 15 years total in the RN - Carry over of RFR service to complete time for a RN LS Medal was not eligible in the reckoning. I also note he had a "Good" conduct rating in 1915 - he had to maintain a "VG" rating to qualify. Awards of the Navy LS Medal are normally shown by "Traced Medal" and a date on his service sheet. Ralph

It appears he was a Seaman Gunner, had two Good Conduct stripes and was at one time rated as a leading seaman so may have worn that rank insignia. He had WW1 service so would have been entitled to the 1914/15 Star BWm/Victory Medal (looking at his service.) Ralph

He is in the 1940 Army List as a Maj General in the Regular Army Reserve of Officers list but there is no notation "employed" next to his name. He was born in 1876 retiring as a Major General in 25/11/1935 Ralph.