BRITISH ARMY WW1 SERVICE MEDALS

[Kev in Deva]

to all the gentlemen,

I have the following in my collection and would like to find out more about them, can anybody help??

British WW1 MEDAL SET:

British Victory Medal & Mini.

British War Medal & Mini on swivel bar, (Silver?). Just to make it clear the mini only swivels.

This set was actualy given to me by my twin brother as a wedding present

To 838 CPL. L. W. MARTIN. R. E., Royal Engineers.

SINGLES:

British Victory Medal to: 23697 CPL. G. VINCENT. YORKS L. I.

Yorkshire Light Infantry.

South Africa Victory Medal (Bi-Lingual). To:

PTE. J. J. HAYNES., S. A. M. C., (South Africa Medical Corps?)

British War Medal to:

M2-055307 PTE. H. CROUCHER. A. S. C. (Army Supply Corps.)

What is the M2 designation for?

Engraving of numbers and letters on CROUCHER's medal nearly fill the width of the rim of the medal. In comparison other engraving / Stamping which is is about half the size.

Any help would be appreciated.

Kev in Dev.

Edited March 7, 2006 by Kev in Deva

[Tony]

Hello Kev,

The BWM shouldn't swivel but it is silver.

M2 is the prefix for electricians mechanical transport for the 1st to 4th new armies. ASC is Army Service Corps who were awarded the title 'Royal' for their work in the Great War and then ended up being the RCT and now the RLC.

I'll have a check on the names and will get back to you later.

Tony

[Tony]

You won't believe this but I've drawn a blank on each name. I couldn't find any names or numbers to match.

Hopefully someone with a bit more experience can help you further, I'm stumped.

Tony

[Michael Johnson]

You won't believe this but I've drawn a blank on each name. I couldn't find any names or numbers to match.

Hopefully someone with a bit more experience can help you further, I'm stumped.

Tony

Took a little creative searching, but:

Description Medal card of Martin, Leslie W

Corps Regiment No Rank

Royal Engineers T838 Corporal

Royal Engineers 540180 Corporal

Date 1914-1920

Catalogue reference WO 372/13

And

Description Medal card of Vincent, Gordon S

Corps Regiment No Rank

Yorkshire Light Infantry 23543 Private

Yorkshire Light Infantry 23543 Corporal

Date 1914-1920

Catalogue reference WO 372/20

No, I can't explain the discrepancy in the number, but the other parameters match.

And even more confusing is this CWGC entry:

23593 Gordon Stoodley Vincent

And the only Gordon S. Vincent born 1880-1899 is Gordon Stoodley Vincent

Also, I'm pretty sure the number is 6th KOYLI, since I have recently been researching William Carney who served in the 6th Bn.

Edited March 8, 2006 by Michael Johnson

[Tony]

Michael,

Please share your creativity with me

Tony

[Michael Johnson]

Michael,

Please share your creativity with me

Tony

Not difficult. Corporals in the Engineers named Martin, then I found T838 which tied it all together.

It's too easy to make a mistake in a regimental number. I can't explain Vincent's number on the medal, but the discrepancy between the MIC and CWGC is very easy: a 4 was read as a 9 or vice-versa. Easy enough if the roll was handwritten.

[Tony]

I did 838 and a wild card and only came up with an infantryman.

Any luck with Croucher?

Tony

Edited March 8, 2006 by Tony

[Michael Johnson]

I did 838 and a wild card and only came up with an infantryman.

Any luck with Croucher?

Tony

Description Medal card of Croucher, Henry

Corps Regiment No Rank

Army Service Corps M2/055307 Private

Army Service Corps M2/055307 Private

Date 1914-1920

Catalogue reference WO 372/5

MIC uses a "/" instead of a "-"

I don't trust wildcards in some database searches.

Kev, from here go to www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline, and click on the link at right WWI Campaign Medals. Using the information we've provided you can purchase copies of the Medal Index Card, which will tell you what medals each man qualified for. If they served before 1916 it will also usually give the date they entered a theatre of war, and which one.

Edited March 8, 2006 by Michael Johnson

[Kev in Deva]

Took a little creative searching, but:

Description Medal card of Martin, Leslie W

Corps Regiment No Rank

Royal Engineers T838 Corporal

Royal Engineers 540180 Corporal

Date 1914-1920

Catalogue reference WO 372/13

And

Description Medal card of Vincent, Gordon S

Corps Regiment No Rank

Yorkshire Light Infantry 23543 Private

Yorkshire Light Infantry 23543 Corporal

Date 1914-1920

Catalogue reference WO 372/20

No, I can't explain the discrepancy in the number, but the other parameters match.

And even more confusing is this CWGC entry:

23593 Gordon Stoodley Vincent

And the only Gordon S. Vincent born 1880-1899 is Gordon Stoodley Vincent

Also, I'm pretty sure the number is 6th KOYLI, since I have recently been researching William Carney who served in the 6th Bn.

Hallo Mick & Tony,

many thanks for your time and effort, theres a couple of virtual bottles of "Timisoara Beer" waiting in the virtual fridge for you both or you can try a "Ciuc" beer pronounced CHUCK (not as bad as it sounds, so my brother told me I dont drink anymore).

Kev in Dev.

[Michael Johnson]

Kev, see my last to see where to go now.

Tyne Cot cemetery and memorial - for my money the one location to bring home the total futility of war.

Treasure those medals, they were earned.

[Michael Johnson]

Hallo Mick & Tony,

many thanks for your time and effort, theres a couple of virtual bottles of "Timisoara Beer" waiting in the virtual fridge for you both or you can try a "Ciuc" beer pronounced CHUCK (not as bad as it sounds, so my brother told me I dont drink anymore).

Kev in Dev.

OK, so when it comes to drinking we tell our wives we're going to "Ciuc it"?

[Tony]

Gordon was born in Egham, Surrey and was 8 years old at the time of the 1901 census. He was living at 172 Stroud St. Egham along with his 4 brothers and 3 sisters.

Tony