Just done a wee bit of research on our grandfather Ewan Ormistons WW1 medals. He was in the Camerons at the start of the war and was later a sniper with the Lovat Scouts Sharp Shooters and was wounded at least twice. From left to right: 1: Military Medal (M.M.) (Level 3 Gallantry Award) Instituted on 25th March 1916 (and backdated to 1914). The Military Medal was awarded to other ranks of the British Army and Commonwealth Forces. It was an award for gallantry and devotion to duty when under fire in battle on land. On the reverse of the medal is inscribed “For Bravery in the Field”. Recipients of the medal are entitled to use the letters M.M. after their name. The Military Medal is the British Army equivalent of the Distinguished Conduct Medal (D.C.M.), the Distinguished Flying Medal (D.F.M.) and the Air Force Medal (A.F.M.). 2: The 1914-15 Star Established in December 1918. The front of the 1914-15 Star medal (Pip) Also known as Pip. This bronze medal was authorized in 1918. It is very similar to the 1914 Star but it was issued to a much wider range of recipients. Broadly speaking it was awarded to all who served in any theatre of war against Germany between 5th August 1914 and 31st December 1915, except those eligible for the 1914 Star. Similarly, those who received the Africa General Service Medal or the Sudan 1910 Medal were not eligible for the award. Like the 1914 Star, the 1914-15 Star was not awarded alone. The recipient had to have received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. The reverse is plain with the recipients service number, rank, name and unit impressed on it. An estimated 2.4 million of these medals were issued. 3: The British War Medal, 1914-18 Established on 26th July 1919. The Front of the British War Medal, 1914-18 (Squeak) Also known as Squeak. The silver or bronze medal was awarded to officers and men of the British and Imperial Forces who either entered a theatre of war or entered service overseas between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918 inclusive. This was later extended to services in Russia, Siberia and some other areas in 1919 and 1920. Approximately 6.5 million British War Medals were issued. Approximately 6.4 million of these were the silver versions of this medal. Around 110,000 of a bronze version were issued mainly to Chinese, Maltese and Indian Labour Corps. The front (obv or obverse) of the medal depicts the head of George V. The recipients service number, rank, name and unit was impressed on the rim. 4: The Allied Victory Medal The Front of the British Victory Medal (Wilfred) Also known as Wilfred It was decided that each of the allies should each issue their own bronze victory medal with a similar design, similar equivalent wording and identical ribbon. The British medal was designed by W. McMillan. The front depicts a winged classical figure representing victory. Approximately 5.7 million victory medals were issued. Interestingly, eligibility for this medal was more restrictive and not everyone who received the British War Medal (Squeak) also received the Victory Medal (Wilfred). However, in general, all recipients of Wilfred also received Squeak and all recipients of Pip also received both Squeak and Wilfred. The recipients service number, rank, name and unit was impressed on the rim. (Pip, Squeak and Wilfred are the affectionate names given to the three WW1 campaign medals — The 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal respectively. These medals were primarily awarded to the Old Contemptibles (B.E.F.). and by convention all three medals are worn together and in the same order from left to right when viewed from the front. The set of three medals or at least the British War Medal and the Victory Medal are the most likely medals to be found among family heirlooms. When the WW1 medals were issued in the 1920s it coincided with a popular comic strip published by the Daily Mirror newspaper. It was written by Bertram J. Lamb (Uncle Dick), and drawn by the cartoonist Austin Bowen Payne (A.B. Payne). Pip was the dog, Squeak the penguin and Wilfred the young rabbit. It is believed that A. B. Paynes batman during the war had been nicknamed “Pip-squeak” and this is where the idea for the names of the dog and penguin came from. For some reason the three names of the characters became associated with the three campaign medals being issued at that time to many thousands of returning servicemen, and they stuck. The single medal above the war medals is for shooting Clay Pigeon Shooting at the 1948 Olympics in London, I think it was a demonstration sport that year. The picture is taken at Newtonmore Railway Station in 1966 - we are waiting to hear back from The Highlanders Museum at Fort George what he won the Military Medal for.
Posted on: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 21:27:49 +0000