WW1 Medal Clasps

[Mike]

How scarce are these clasped medals?

I collect some medals to the Regiments I have an interest in, but I haven't seen seen naval medals with clasps before

They are only on Navy miniatures, I guess some manufacturers jumped the gun, or just went ahead making them, guess there was a market to make it worth while.

they do turn up frequently but they may not all be contemporary; ie made for the vets in the 20's - there may be some that are more recent products for the collectors market. The ones above are appear to be contemporary versions to me.

This guy has a few at £20 start on ebay

http://shop.ebay.co.uk/redmoss1/m.html?_nkw=miniature&_sacat=0&_odkw=&_osacat=0&_t rksid=p3911.c0.m270.l1313

[Mike]

Regarding the proposals for the Army clasps; this is from a 1979 OMRS Journal article on WW1 Medals by Jack Stratfull:

Findings of the Committee on clasps for the B.W.M. 1914-19

It was proposed that there should be dated clasps for every six months' service served abroad in a theatre of war; (A) 4.8.1914-31.12.1914; (B) 1.1.1915-30.5.1915; (C) 1.6.1915-31.12.1915, etc., nine clasps in all. There would also be approximately fifty battle clasps, as well as clasps for Russia, Turkey, India, Egypt and a five year clasp for France. A maximum of ten clasps was allowed per claimant. It was estimated there would be a total of 2,500,000 battle clasps and 6,000,000 other clasps.

In 1923 the idea was finally abandoned because of the impossibility of checking all claims, and the cost in time and money, and also the public at large wanted to forget the War.

All the information in this article can be found under Public Record Office reference W.0.32-various.

[Mike]

That proposed 5 year clasp, say awarded to an infantryman, could have become perhaps the most respected campaign award in the history of the British Army!

[Fatherofthree]

Mike.

Very many thanks for the reply, very informative.

Regards
Brian

[dumdum]

Hi

I had a feeling that a list of clasps was in "British Battles & Medals" by Major L.L. Gordon. Still got a battered copy that belonged to an old S.S.M. with his little notes penned in the margin. He collected miniatures and would "tick" each one as he got it!