Named WW2 Medalbar

[CHRIS W]

I have this World War 2 medalbar. The GSM is named N. 53103 PTE LENNARD KADEWERE KAR. What do the initials KAR stand for? Thank Chris

Edited January 31, 2009 by CHRIS W

[CHRIS W]

MALAYA Bar

[CHRIS W]

Stars

[CHRIS W]

Rev

[Ulsterman]

Kings African Rifles I think-

...... a rather unusual group too, with an rare combination of stars.

Oh! If they had only allowed them to wear the Ethiopian Victory medal!

Edited January 31, 2009 by Ulsterman

[CHRIS W]

Thanks, I checked online and couldn't find KAR in the abbreviation list I found. Would this guy be from one of the African colonies.

[Guest Rick Research]

Yes-- from East Africa. Mostly Kenyans, I think. Gordon shows 1st and 3rd Bns of KAR entitled to Malaya.

[CHRIS W]

With this mans name being Kadewere it seems it might be a good chance he was with the 1st battalion Malawi Rifles. They were entitled to the Malaya bar.

[nesredep]

Hello!

This is unusual Medalbar from Africa I think.

All the best

Nesredep

[Ed_Haynes]

A nice KAR group (though mounted out of order).

[CHRIS W]

A nice KAR group (though mounted out of order).

Hi Ed, What is the correct order for this bar? Thanks Chris

[Ed_Haynes]

Defence Medal should come ahead of the War Medal. But this is a pretty common period error.

[CHRIS W]

Defence Medal should come ahead of the War Medal. But this is a pretty common period error.

Thanks Ed. Is there a certain order fot the stars?

[lilo]

Defence Medal should come ahead of the War Medal. But this is a pretty common period error.

Mostly due to the successive institution of the WW2 BWM (6.June.1946) in respect of the Defence Medal (14 July 1945).

[PKeating]

Nice group. 1 KAR recruited in what is now Malawi but was formerly Nyasaland. I don't think 1 KAR went to Burma. Can't see them on the ORBAT of 11th (East Africa) Division. Given his name, Lennard Kadewere was probably with 2 KAR, which saw action in the East African and Burma campaigns during WW2 and afterwards in Malaya. 2 KAR recruited mainly in Northern Rhodesia, which is now Zambia. I suppose the Defence Medal may have been awarded for service in Kenya, bordering an operational theatre and, theoretically, vulnerable to enemy air attack, before 1/2 KAR and 2/2 KAR invaded Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia with, respectively, 21st (East African) Brigade and 26th (East African) Brigade as part of 12th African Division. President Obama's grandfather served in the KAR in WW1.

PK

[Les]

Nice group. 1 KAR recruited in what is now Malawi but was formerly Nyasaland. I don't think 1 KAR went to Burma. Can't see them on the ORBAT of 11th (East Africa) Division. Given his name, Lennard Kadewere was probably with 2 KAR, which saw action in the East African and Burma campaigns during WW2 and afterwards in Malaya. 2 KAR recruited mainly in Northern Rhodesia, which is now Zambia. I suppose the Defence Medal may have been awarded for service in Kenya, bordering an operational theatre and, theoretically, vulnerable to enemy air attack, before 1/2 KAR and 2/2 KAR invaded Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia with, respectively, 21st (East African) Brigade and 26th (East African) Brigade as part of 12th African Division. President Obama's grandfather served in the KAR in WW1.

PK

There is a place name of Kadewere in Malawi. That suggests he was probably from there, or neighboring Northern Rhodesia which is not all that far away.

Years ago, I worked in Zambia and on a flight between Livingstone and Lusaka shared a seat with an old German ex-pat who served with the KAR during the Ethiopian campaign. I asked him if he knew a former university professor I studied under, that also served with the Northern Rhodesian bunch that was there. He did, and told me a story or two about him. During one attack on an Italian position, my former prof was running full bore and suddenly hit the ground. Some of his men came up to him to see where he was wounded, and found him picking up stone age artefacts that were lying on the ground. He realized what he was doing, continued on with the attack and when it was over, went back to the spot where he found the stone tools to see what else was there.

Les