WWI British War Medal

[Moe RCNR]

Hello fellow members:

I have a question concerning the qualifications for WWI British War medals.

It is my understanding that anyone that served in the CEF, even if they remained in Canada for the duration, received the British War Medal. Am I correct in this assumption?

Thank you for any replies.

Cheers and have a good day.

Moe

[gb64]

Hi Moe,
Not my area but my understanding with regards to the issue of the BWM was that the recipient had to have served abroad (in a theatre of war ??) for a set period of time, as I say only what limited knowledge I have of medals, I'm sure others in the know will put us right
Gerard

[Mike_2817]

I'm sure that they had to have left Canada to have earned it.

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/rememb...-1866-1918/bwm

also

http://regimentalrogue.com/misc/rese...ers_part12.htm

Some Canadian soldiers received only the British War Medal and did not receive the Victory Medal. This occurred when the Canadian soldier served overseas in England but did not reach France or Flanders on the nominal roll of a front-line unit before the Armistice on 11 Nov 1918.

[davidwyke]

It could, under certain circumstances, be awarded singly (without a star or victory medal) to troops who were fully mobilised for service but who had NOT served in a theatre of war. British troops in India being an example of this. I have a couple of medal groups and the MIC confirms BWM only for WW1, the service being entirely in India which wasn't a theatre of war.

I think there are instances of it being awarded on rare occasions for home service in the UK but I can't remember for sure.

You DID have to serve in a Theatre Of War to qualify for the Victory Medal (and the Stars, of course).

David

PS..... I would go along with what Mike mentions above re CEF soldiers in the UK but didn't actually serve in a Theatre of War, in that case they would be entitled to the BWM only.

[Mike_2817]

For Navel Service yes, but rarely to the British Army on Home Service:

http://www.findmypast.co.uk/articles...roll-1914-1920

The Admiralty differed from the War Office in their allowance for qualification to the British War Medal The Admiralty granted the issue of the British War Medal to all ranks who had completed 28 days' mobilised service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918.

The War Office would only issue a British War Medal for UK Home Service in exceptional circumstances, such as the men killed in the German Battlecruiser bombardments on the East Coast in 1915. Normally, UK Home Service in the Army did not qualify.

As a result of this 'kindness' on the part of the Admiralty, the Rolls were increased to a very large extent in listing those men entitled to the British War Medal only.

[Moe RCNR]

Thank you to Gerard, Mike and David for your replies.

If you were a member of the CEF, it looks as if you had to make it to Britain to be eligible.

Cheers.

Moe

[davidwyke]

Originally Posted by Moe RCNR

Thank you to Gerard, Mike and David for your replies.

If you were a member of the CEF, it looks as if you had to make it to Britain to be eligible.

Cheers.

Moe

That just about sums it up I think, or overseas (from Canada) anyway!

David

[RCN]

Originally Posted by Moe RCNR

Thank you to Gerard, Mike and David for your replies.

If you were a member of the CEF, it looks as if you had to make it to Britain to be eligible.

Cheers.

Moe

Hello Moe,

That is correct, for a Canadian serving in the CEF they had to get to Uk in order to qualify for the issue of the British War medal. Service in Canada only did not qualify them for any medals. I have a couple in my collection that never left Canada & thus no 1WW medals.

For the RCN & RNCVR tho it was somewhat different, if they got outside the Canadian limits (I think 3 miles) they qualified for all three medals if in 1914-15, or if after 1 Jan 1916, then only the pair.

If they just served ashore at a shore base then they only qualified for the BWM, which was similar to the RN, RNVR, RNR etc, but they required a minimum of 28 days mobilized service to qualify.

Bryan

[cefguy]

Hello:
Would service in Canada, having never left Canada, not qualify for the Victory Medal? I always thought that that was why the Mentioned in Dispatches Oak leaf was worn on the Victory medal. Because it was the only medal available to all who served regardless of the location or the nature of the service.
Thanks
Don

[Censlenov]

The exception being those who died enroute to England. They also qualified. As soon as the troopship entered the Atlantic they qualified for the BWM.

Cheers
Chris

[Censlenov]

Originally Posted by cefguy

Hello:
Would service in Canada, having never left Canada, not qualify for the Victory Medal? I always thought that that was why the Mentioned in Dispatches Oak leaf was worn on the Victory medal. Because it was the only medal available to all who served regardless of the location or the nature of the service.
Thanks
Don

The MID emblem was always to be worn on the appropriate campaign medal should one not be entitled to a campaign medal for a corresponding MiD it was to be worn on the jacket behind all other medals. Canadians didn't get a vic for service in Canada. Canada not being a theater of war.

Cheers
Chris

[davidwyke]

Originally Posted by Censlenov

The MID emblem was always to be worn on the appropriate campaign medal should one not be entitled to a campaign medal for a corresponding MiD it was to be worn on the jacket behind all other medals. Canadians didn't get a vic for service in Canada. Canada not being a theater of war.

Cheers
Chris

Yes, Chris is spot on there. If you didn't leave Canada you wouldn't be entitled to the VM. Incidentally, you couldn't be awarded the VM on it's own either.

If you were entitled to the VM you would have to also be entitled to the BWM, but not always the other way round.

Confusing or what?

David