RAF Observer Uniform

[Sal]

Hi All

Soliciting your collective help with this uniform I have in my collection. It belongs to Group Captain William Thompson. I remain in correspondence with his family still. I found them after posting the query for information on an RAF veterans site...and was contacted...been in touch since.

Anyway, I digress...I want to put together a display frame of his medals and ribbons etc. Considering finding period full size and a mini mounted bar of period mini's as well.

What none of us can do is identify the last ribbon on his rack. If anyone can suggest a possibility or ID it for sure I would appreciate it as well as his family...they can't find any information on it.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Tony

[JBFloyd]

It's likely to be the Czech Merit Medal (if there are narrow blue edges to the ribbon).

[Guest Rick Research]

If the center is BLACK, that appears to be the now-defunct Badge of the Order of the League of Mercy.

If memory serves, no awards were made after World War ONE, although a bar for additional years of service to the League was created as late as 1917. It was a very peculiar institution, under direct Royal patronage, but seperate and distinct from the order of Saint John. Similar charitable/medical related work.

[Sal]

It's likely to be the Czech Merit Medal (if there are narrow blue edges to the ribbon).

Thanks Jeff...I asked if he had any dealings wih the Czech military so we will see. I don't know where his OBE is, one of the letters I have refers to the "one off medal he received" being at the RAF meseum in Herndon along with his log books...but the other items I think are with the family.

Thanks for the suggestion...

T

Edited December 31, 2006 by Sal

[Sal]

If the center is BLACK, that appears to be the now-defunct Badge of the Order of the League of Mercy.

If memory serves, no awards were made after World War ONE, although a bar for additional years of service to the League was created as late as 1917. It was a very peculiar institution, under direct Royal patronage, but seperate and distinct from the order of Saint John. Similar charitable/medical related work.

Thanks Rick...I also have asked the family if that was possible...I k ow he served in the Middle East, Iraq for some time and at the RAF Technical Training Command RAF Wantage Hall in 1945

Thanks

T

[JBFloyd]

Then-Wing Commander William Arthur Thompson received the OBE (military) in the 1944 New Years' Honours List. His service number was 13014, which will bring up his promotions in the LOndon gazette, but I don't find any entry for a foreign award (but the on-line London Gazette is notoriously cranky).

[Sal]

Thanks Jeff....some additional info...he enlisted in the Navy at age 12 in 1902, served on the Furious during the Battle of Jutland. He transfered from the RFC to the RAF in 1918 when it ws formed. In between the 2 wars he served in the Middle East including Iraq. During WW II, he was in command of 18 signal stations. Due to retire in 1946 he was offered a promotion to Air Commodore but turned it down due to his wife's ill health. He passed away in 1968.

This is from a letter the Group Captain's grandson wrote.

Thanks a lot for the help and information.

Tony

[Sal]

Just got confirmation that he did serve some time in Czech in the 20s after the war...they did award him a medal...the family didn't hae details but it is at the RAF museum at Hendon with his logbooks

is ther any other Czech award with the same or similar ribbon? The family thought he was awarded a Czech Cross...but I don't find anything with that ribbon in a cross

Thanks for all the help...I am in the process of buying the full size medals to hae mounted for the display I want to make..miniatures as well

Edited January 1, 2007 by Sal