Medals identification and bar

[Quovadisuk]

These belonged to my late father in law, and have only been discovered after years of his passing . Can anyone advise what they are and if they have a value please …thank you for your time and consideration in reading this post . 

[paddywhack]

The stars from left to right there the 1939 to 45 star the Burma star then the ww2 war medal the last medal is a ww1 victory medal, is that last medal named?

 

The ribbon bar is the wrong way round and the only missing medal is the defence medal which is that green and ribbon on the ribbon bar

Edited October 10, 2021 by paddywhack

[paul wood]

From the ribbon bar a Defence medal has gone AWOL The victory medal may be family related.

 

P

[Quovadisuk]

Thank you both for the responding and sorry for the delay in replying . The last medal says on the back …The Great War  for civilisation 1914-1919  does this help ? Kind regards 

[Gordon Craig]

Quovadusuk,

 

The medal you mentioned above is a Victory medal for WWI.  Specifically, this one issued by the UK.  The question above asked if it was named.  The name should be on the edge of the medal.  The name might tell you if the Victory medals belonged to a member of your family.  The other medals on the bar were all issued for WWII service.  If you compare the ribbons on the medals to the ribbon colours on the ribbon bar you will see that they match but that there is no matching medal for one of the ribbons on the ribbon bar.  The missing medal is the Defence medal.  If the owner of the ribbon bar served in WWI the ribbon for the Victory medal should also be shown on the ribbon bar and it isn't so they probably don't belong to the same person.  WWII medals were not named.  Please see the attached picture as an example.

 

Regards,

 

Gordon 

[Quovadisuk]

Wow thank you Gordon .., there is an engraving It says P. Effiong Dr . 3  Nigerian marine 

now certainly my late father in law was Nigerian  that fits in The DR 3  could that be District 3 ...but the name is not familiar ?  Can I track back any further If so how ? 

[Gordon Craig]

Quovadisuk,

 

The Dr. probably in means that P. Effiong was a driver in 3 Nigerian Marine.  I am not familiar with the Nigerian armed forces so how to trace this person is not something that I can help with for sure.  You could try emailing the Nigerian Embassy and ask for their assistance in finding out what what 3 Nigerian Marine was.  You could try https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ for the same information but you would probably need to hire a researcher to trace this individual for you.  I don't find the UK Archive that easy to navigate.  Here is all that I could find on line re 3 Nigerian Marine.

 

Regards,

 

Gordon

 

History[edit]

The Nigerian Navy owes its origin to the Nigerian Marine. Formed in 1914 after the amalgamation of the then Northern and Southern Nigeria, the Nigerian Marine, as it became known after 1914, was a quasi-military organization. This force expanded to become the Southern Nigerian Marine in 1893. A Northern Nigeria equivalent was formed in 1900. The two Marines were merged in 1914. Responsibilities included administration of the ports and harbours, dredging of channels, buoyage and lighting. It also operated ferry services, touring launches, and other small craft that plied the various creeks and other inland waterways.^[1]

[Gordon Craig]

Quovadisuk,

 

I've reached out to some of my collecting associates who collect British medals for more information re the Nigerian Marine but have not had any response yet.  I don't know anyone who is interested in medals to Nigerians in WWI.

 

Regards,

 

Gordon

 

[Gordon Craig]

Quovadis,

 

Other than some wiki articles on the action in the Cameroons by the Nigerian Marine, 1914 until the surrender of German Forces in 1916, I wasn't able to find any specific information on 3 Nigerian Marine.  The 3 WWII medals are worth about US$25.00 each.  The WWI Victory medal a little more-US$30-40 depending on condition of the medal and the ribbon.  There is a book available call "The Official History of the War in the Cameroons".  Sorry that I could not offer more information these medals.

 

Regards,

 

Gordon