Paul C Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 I have a UK WWI Victory medal engraved on the rim: 2692 PTE. H. Park H.L.I. I guess the 2692 is the serial number of the medal. What is PTE and H.L.I.? If the serial number is 2692, is it possible to trace it?
paul wood Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 Yes , he is Private H. Park, Highland Light Infantry and 2692 is his regimental number. You should be able to download his MIC on the National Archives site (I think it cost £3.50). He survived the war as he is not on the CWGC site. Paul
IrishGunner Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 (edited) Paul, I invite you to take a look at the British Victory Medals topic in the GMIC Inter-Allied Victory Medals of the Great War forum. A wealth of information and links. Highland Light Infantry is a collectable regiment for those with a Scottish interest; recruited initially mainly around Glasgow. With this lower regimental number, Private Hugh Park is likely from that area. Description of his Medal Index Card shows he later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (and his regimental number for that Corps). Description Medal card of: Park, Hugh; Private, Highland Light Infantry 2692; Private, Machine Gun Corps 56422. Edited January 10, 2014 by IrishGunner
Pylon1357 Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/SearchUI/s/res?_fn=&_ln=park&_no=+2692&_crp=&_ttl=&_ser=WO+372&_dt=M&_col=online&image1.x=34&image1.y=22&image1=GO Link to his MIC download
paddywhack Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 cos im feeling nice heres his medal index card!
IrishGunner Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 (edited) cos im feeling nice heres his medal index card! That's really nice! Because with an entry into theater of war info - "2b on 7-2-15" ... (2b is the code for Gallipoli and 2 July 1915); We know now he entered the war at Gallipoli as part of 1/5th (City of Glagow) Battalion, HLI! A territorial force battalion. Here's the HLI info... 1/5th (City of Glasgow) Battalion August 1914 : at Garnethill, Glasgow. Part of HLI Brigade in Lowland Division. Moved on mobilisation to Dunfermline. 11 May 1915 : formation became 157th Brigade in 52nd (Lowland) Division.26 May 1915 : sailed from Devonport for Gallipoli, going via Egypt (5-28 June) and Mudros (1 July), landing at Cape Helles on 3 July. 8 January 1916 : evacuated from Gallipoli to Mudros and arrived Egypt in February. 11 April 1918 : Division left Egypt, battalion arrived Marseilles 17 April for service on Western Front. No other HLI battalion fought at Gallipoli. Also entitled to War Medal and 1914-15 Star. Now an even better medal IMHO! Edited January 10, 2014 by IrishGunner
Ulsterman Posted January 10, 2014 Posted January 10, 2014 (edited) Well done paddywhack and IG! Edited January 10, 2014 by Ulsterman
Paul C Posted January 11, 2014 Author Posted January 11, 2014 I never thought I would get this much information about Private Park. Thank you all very much. I think I may have found a new collecting area. The medal and ribbon are in very good condition. Could someone estimate the value of it so that I could list it correct in my inventory records.
peter monahan Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 Paul $40-50.00 for a singleton Victory medal is a safe ball park figure, I think, in the absence of complicating factors like rare unit, decorations or death.
IrishGunner Posted January 11, 2014 Posted January 11, 2014 Paul $40-50.00 for a singleton Victory medal is a safe ball park figure, I think, in the absence of complicating factors like rare unit, decorations or death. In general, I would agree with Peter. I'd put the "value" bottom end closer to $30-50 though for a run-of-the-mill, nothing special Victory. That's what I'd pay. Victory Medals are listed - and realistically "sell" - quite often in the $50-$70 range (but not to this collector of British Vics unless there is a premium reason). I agree with his factors affecting price; a Military Medal winner (a single Vic w/o the MM) or casualty push up the price. So, will an unusual rank or an officer above lieutenant. But I don't think it only has to be a "rare" unit. Irish regiments and Guards regiments get a premium (sometimes getting closer to $75-$100) because there is "higher" demand. Interestingly, I haven't seen Scottish regiments, other than Guards or Black Watch, push up the average price. I've been lucky and have snagged my Scottish Vics (including Black Watch) for the $30-$40 range. For an "unresearched, unknown" Highland Light Infantry, I'd be willing to pay in the $30-50 range; hoping for around $40 in the middle. I'd only go to the top end $50 for an NCO or a good Scottish name. For one like your's, however, I think the Gallipoli connection is a definitely a premium; if it's already researched and advertised with the MIC - I believe it would bring closer to $60-75. A round about way of saying, I think you have better than average Victory because of it's Gallipoli connection and would bring better than the average price.
paul wood Posted January 13, 2014 Posted January 13, 2014 Paul, British WWI medals are a good collecting field as they are not expensive, eminently researchable and you can sometimes pick up some quite interesting ones, like park. Paul
Paul C Posted August 6, 2014 Author Posted August 6, 2014 Someone offered to buy this medal from me back in January. If you are still interested, or if anyone else is, please PM me. Thanks.
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