Mervyn Mitton Posted November 29, 2011 Posted November 29, 2011 I will show the group + individual pictures first and then discuss generally. There is still a lot to be found out regarding this rare grouping - the combinations and namings are quite unusual.
Mervyn Mitton Posted November 29, 2011 Author Posted November 29, 2011 South African Officers' Decoration
Mervyn Mitton Posted November 29, 2011 Author Posted November 29, 2011 Reverse of Officers' Decoration
Mervyn Mitton Posted November 29, 2011 Author Posted November 29, 2011 Looks as if I have pressed the wrong button on my comments section - will try again. The penalty of getting old ! This unusual group of seven medals has some very different combinations - I will run through them in order ? The WW1 pair for War and Victory are named to him as a 1st. Class Warrant Officer. His unit was the SAMC - South African Medical Corps.. This is followed by the WW2 South African Medal. His rank is not shown - as was usual for Officers'. I think this ties in with the naming on the Officer's Decoration which shows him as a Major with Natal Rifle Association. I suspect he may have been an instructor for Recruits. The Award is for 20 years - however, War Service counted double. Next is his Meritorious Service Medal. We do not know - at this stage - why he received this - perhaps it is to do with the Dutch Award ? Next is the Decoration, followed by the 1937 King George 6th. Coronation Medal. Finally, the Dutch Award. Perhaps he assisted wounded from the Netherlands Army? I thought at first this was Greek - however, the Lion is Dutch. I look forward to your comments and thoughts ? Mervyn
Kev in Deva Posted November 29, 2011 Posted November 29, 2011 (edited) I believe the last award is from Belgium not Holland. http://users.skynet.be/hendrik/index.html The Military Decoration and The Military Decoration (Article 4) Awarded to Belgian's armed forces noncoms or other ranks for either long service or for acts of bravery or distinguished service (Article 4). The Military Decoration was instituted on 22 December 1873 and early in the 20th century, a division into two classes was decreed. The 2nd Class decoration is awarded after 10 years of service, a further 5 years entitles the recipient to wear a gilt chevron on the ribbon, indicating a 1st Class award. If awarded for bravery or distinguished service (Article 4 of the decoration's statutes), the long service ribbon is changed to a red one bordered by the national Belgian colours. In case of an award for war-time related acts, a silver palm with the royal monogram is affixed on the ribbon. Kevin in Deva. :beer: Edited November 29, 2011 by Kev in Deva
Mervyn Mitton Posted November 29, 2011 Author Posted November 29, 2011 Thankyou Kevin - I wonder from what period ?
Kev in Deva Posted November 29, 2011 Posted November 29, 2011 Military Decoration for Long Service - Leopold III Instituted during the Reign of King Leopold II (1865-1909). reverse Military Decoration, Article 4 - Albert I Instituted during the Reign of King Albert I (1909-1934) Kevin in Deva.
Brett Hendey Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 Mervyn That is an amazing group of medals and the combination must surely be unique. Thank you for showing it. Good luck with your research on the man and I will look forward to seeing the results. Regards Brett
Chris Boonzaier Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 Apparently there were a few handfulls of foreign awards handed out for East Africa in WW1, I am wondering if the Belgian one was not from there.... I think there were Russian and French awards...
Mervyn Mitton Posted November 30, 2011 Author Posted November 30, 2011 Thanks to Kevin identifying it as a Belgian Award - I have read the links he gave and it would appear to be a Gallantry award with this ribbon. Chris rightly points out that he may have been in East Africa - but, until we see his record, he may also have been in France - only War and Victory were eligible to Sth. Africans. Also, to my mind contact with Berlgian troops would be more likely. We will see in due course.
Arthur R Posted November 30, 2011 Posted November 30, 2011 Certainly a splendid group, Mervyn. Thanks for showing us. The MSM is certainly a mystery. Normally it's a Regular/Permanent Force long service medal, but in WWI it was also used as a gallantry award. I couldn't find any lists in the London Gazette ... but the LG does show that 295 S Sgt Charles Richard Tee SAMC received not one but two Belgian awards : LG 31039 (26.11.1918) : Ordre de Leopold II - Chevalier LG 31263 (28.03.1919) : Decoration Militaire - 2nd Class. So there's another mystery : where's his Order of Leopold II? Bisset's roll of the 1937 coronation medal recipients ( Military History Journal June 1975) lists C.R. Tee as "Member SA Mil[itary] Cont[ingent] (Ex-Servicemen)", which sounds as though he marched in the parade in London. The National Archives of SA database shows that C.R. Tee was a lieutenant-colonel in 1947, and that the SA Museum of Military History in Jo'burg has a manuscript about the service records of various members of the Tee family, including Charles Richard. Might be worth following up.
Ulsterman Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 wow! :jumping: That's a splendid bar. :love: How did he rate the Coronation medal?
censlenov Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 Just stumbled on this sorry for being late to the party His MSM was in the LG Gazette Issue 31167 published on the 4 February 1919. page 1945 Nice group luckily a replacement leopold will be easy to get your hands on. I should post my ED group to a local veteran (just got it last week and it's the first one i've ever managed to find). Cheers Chris
Graham Stewart Posted December 1, 2011 Posted December 1, 2011 South African Officers' Decoration In the UK the equivalent of this was known as the "Volunteer" later "Territorial" Decoration, awarded to officers of the Volunteer Force pre-1908 and Territorial officers post-1908.
Mervyn Mitton Posted December 5, 2011 Author Posted December 5, 2011 Thankyou everyone for your great help in sorting out his awards - I am most grateful. When I have more information I will add to the thread. Mervyn
Rory Posted March 28, 2013 Posted March 28, 2013 As an addendum to this post.. the group is now in my possession and, thank the stars, is in every respect complete. The confusing issue surrounding the 2 Belgian awards is clarified by the following entry on Tee's WWI record card "The award "Order de Leopald II Chevalier" is cancelled. Awarded the Decoration Militaire 2nd Class (Sup. Lon. Gaz. 1.4.19) My research into Tee is at an embryonic stage but I get the distinct feeling that he is the gift that keeps on giving! Regards Rory
Mervyn Mitton Posted March 28, 2013 Author Posted March 28, 2013 Rory - welcome to GMIC. I know that you have great knowledge on medals and we will look forward to hearing more about Tee and his history. We will also hope to see some good general postings. Mervyn
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