Great War Medals Query

[Jelly Terror]

Looking for some guidance with regard to the awarding and issue of Great War medals. What I'm unclear on is:

• How soon after eligibility were medals awarded?
• What might have been the earliest year a recipient would be able to wear the 1914 or 1914-15 Stars?
• Were ribbons worn/available before the actual medals themselves were issued/received?
• Were 1914 & 1914-15 Stars awarded/worn before the BWMs & VMs?

With thanks,

JT

[leigh kitchen]

I can't remember most of what you ask without finding and trawling through Howard Williamson's books, but the 1914/1914-15 Star ribbons were in wear from, I think, 1917.
Ribbons for others would be worn prior to the medals being issued through the 1920's and ensuing decades.

[Hoot]

The medals were established as follows, 1914 Star April 1917, 1914-15 Star December 1918, War Medal July 1919 and Victory Medal September 1919. Only the ribbon of the 1914 Star was issued before the war ended. There was also the TF War Medal, established in April 1920 and the Mercantile Marine War Medal, established in September 1919.

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by leigh kitchen

I can't remember most of what you ask without finding and trawling through Howard Williamson's books, but the 1914/1914-15 Star ribbons were in wear from, I think, 1917.
Ribbons for others would be worn prior to the medals being issued through the 1920's and ensuing decades.

Originally Posted by Hoot

The medals were established as follows, 1914 Star April 1917, 1914-15 Star December 1918, War Medal July 1919 and Victory Medal September 1919. Only the ribbon of the 1914 Star was issued before the war ended. There was also the TF War Medal, established in April 1920 and the Mercantile Marine War Medal, established in September 1919.

Gents,

Many thanks for your swift replies.

I have a couple of quotes here from recent reads, the first of which is from M. L. Walkington's 'Twice in a Lifetime'; this extract relating to August 1918:

'I returned to duty with 'A' Company and within a few days we left the Somme area and entrained for St. Pol whence we marched to Clauchy a la Tour, a village well behind the lines and to the west of Bethune. Here we enjoyed ourselves in pleasant mid-September weather, with plenty of football for the men and a few small towns within reach for an occasional civilian meal. Captain Forster went off to hospital with a bad attack of 'flu' and this left me in command of the company. I still looked very young, but as I was now entitled to wear a ribbon on my chest - that of the 1914 Star - and two stars on my shoulder I had plenty of self-confidence and had no difficulties with my Officers, N.C.O.s or men.'

The next is from Sidney Rogerson's, 'Twelve Days on the Somme - A Memoir of the Trenches, 1916':

'It was the evening of November 7, 1916, when the Somme offensive was spluttering out in a sea of mud. The place was Citadel Camp, a dreary collection of bell-tents pitched insecurely on the hillside near the one-time village of Fricourt. Our unit was the 2nd Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment. Although I was officer commanding B Company, I had actually less experience than the others, who both wore the 1914 Star.'

JT

[BWEF]

T Corder Catchpool was a Quaker, and a volunteer with the Friends Ambulance Unit.

When conscription was introduced he was so strongly against compulsion that he resigned from his hospital job, came back to England and became a Conscientious Objector.

There is a reference to him wearing the ribbon of the "Mons Star" at his court martial, which was probably in 1916.

[Hoot]

Originally Posted by Jelly Terror

Gents,

Many thanks for your swift replies.

I have a couple of quotes here from recent reads, the first of which is from M. L. Walkington's 'Twice in a Lifetime'; this extract relating to August 1918:

'I returned to duty with 'A' Company and within a few days we left the Somme area and entrained for St. Pol whence we marched to Clauchy a la Tour, a village well behind the lines and to the west of Bethune. Here we enjoyed ourselves in pleasant mid-September weather, with plenty of football for the men and a few small towns within reach for an occasional civilian meal. Captain Forster went off to hospital with a bad attack of 'flu' and this left me in command of the company. I still looked very young, but as I was now entitled to wear a ribbon on my chest - that of the 1914 Star - and two stars on my shoulder I had plenty of self-confidence and had no difficulties with my Officers, N.C.O.s or men.'

The next is from Sidney Rogerson's, 'Twelve Days on the Somme - A Memoir of the Trenches, 1916':

'It was the evening of November 7, 1916, when the Somme offensive was spluttering out in a sea of mud. The place was Citadel Camp, a dreary collection of bell-tents pitched insecurely on the hillside near the one-time village of Fricourt. Our unit was the 2nd Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment. Although I was officer commanding B Company, I had actually less experience than the others, who both wore the 1914 Star.'
JT

JT, I think Sidney Rogerson may have been mistaken with the reference to the 1914 Star.

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by Hoot

JT, I think Sidney Rogerson may have been mistaken with the reference to the 1914 Star.

A bit of poetic licence, you think?

JT

[Hoot]

Originally Posted by Jelly Terror

A bit of poetic licence, you think?

JT

A memory lapse maybe.

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by BWEF

T Corder Catchpool was a Quaker, and a volunteer with the Friends Ambulance Unit.

When conscription was introduced he was so strongly against compulsion that he resigned from his hospital job, came back to England and became a Conscientious Objector.

There is a reference to him wearing the ribbon of the "Mons Star" at his court martial, which was probably in 1916.

Interesting. Not familiar with this story.

Many thanks.

[BWEF]

Originally Posted by Jelly Terror

Interesting. Not familiar with this story.

Many thanks.

There is some passing mention of him here:

http://www.quakersintheworld.org/quakers-in-action/234

However, in his book he mentions the incident in detail. It is 20 years since I read it but I think he said that at his trial none of the soldiers in the room were wearing the ribbon.

[Jelly Terror]

Originally Posted by BWEF

There is some passing mention of him here:

http://www.quakersintheworld.org/quakers-in-action/234

However, in his book he mentions the incident in detail. It is 20 years since I read it but I think he said that at his trial none of the soldiers in the room were wearing the ribbon.

Many thanks. I must look out for a copy of his book.

JT