British War Medal Strange Ribbon and Engraving

[hunyadi]

This has baffled me for some time now. Ribbon is - odd to say the least - though I know very very little about British awards. Also the rim is engraved:

3180 DR-L-NK. ALIF DIN, 3 S&M

To me it looks like the ribbon has been there a long time along with the devices. Can you help tell me if this is a 'fantasy' ribbon that was added? Also - what does the rim engraving mean?

Thanks in advance

[Ed_Haynes]

Interesting. Very interesting.

1- Is the edge engraved or impressed capitals? Running script or impressed letters? Pretty normal for this medal. would translats out as "3180 Driver Lance-Naik [= Lance Corporal] Alif Din, 3rd Sappers and Miners". One of "My People", Indian Army.

2- Ribbon: Have to check, but this seems to be recycled from the -- these have a name that just dropped through a Swiss-Cheese Hole in the Brain -- colored ribbons worn in the turban to identify the regiment of, I think, you can guess, wait for it, the 3rd Sappers and Miners.

Nice 'un. Let me look more.

Ed

[leigh kitchen]

At the moment, that looks like a nice, personalised lttle oddity. Not to the taste of some, but I like it.

[hunyadi]

Impressed rim - so would $65 be worth the purchase?

[Ed_Haynes]

Given today's prices . . . maybe not so bad. The latest MYB cites ?15-20, but . . . ?? For an Indian Army fanatic, there's enough (rank/unit/mounting) to constitute 'value added', while a mainline 'British' collector might see it as 'junk' from the outset. Please leave it as is and not replace the 'ribbon', though, too much history and personality would be lost.

[Brian Wolfe]

Hi hunyadi,

Nice find. I agree with Ed regarding the ribbon, but then I like these little pieces of "personalized" history. As to the price I think that is pretty well what the BWM is selling for here in the frozed north. GO FOR IT!

Cheers

Brian

[hunyadi]

The 'ribbon' has been there for years, so I would not want to try replacing it. I recall in other threads how you see many Indian groups without the ribbons as they dont do too well in the monsoon season. This ribbon is 'thick' and probably was used to make it personal and to make it last. History will be preserved...fear not! Any significanse for the two bands? Or was it for the regiment?

[Ed_Haynes]

My guess would be that these two strips represented the clasps-that-never-were for the Great War, though I have never been able to determine (before this) whether any word of these ever filtered down to serving troops in India.