Any PH experts re WWII Medals..?

[Kuroblack350]

Folks,

Odd question - but if a serviceman was awarded the following four medals, which order would they be mounted in - I know there are some specific rules re 'furthest from the shoulder' etc.

1. Africa Star
2. Italy Star
3. 1939 - 45 Star
4. War Medal

Thanks all

[Vipers]

Wouldn't they be mounted in date order? or am I stating the obvious? and if so, I would think you would mount from the left to right, nip down your local Ex Servicemans club, I am sure some of the older gentlemen would be able to tell you, and probably stuff about the medals you have.

[carl_w]

No, because the round ones always go together at one end.

I can take a shufty at my grandfather's WWII medals (they're in the display cabinet in the dining room here) but he didn't have the Africa Star so I wouldn't be able to tell you where that particular one went.

Edit: his go (left to right), 39-45 Star, Atlantic Star (France & Germany bar), Pacific Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal

Edited by carl_w on Monday 13th October 14:19

[Mc Lovin]

I'd have a look at my grandfathers medals, but some lowlife, theiving, gipsy, skag injecting pikey bd nicked them.

some people have no shame

[carl_w]

The irony is that without the paperwork they're just bits of tin, as they were issued unnamed. I ended up buying them all individually from eBay and having them mounted at http://www.cjmedals.co.uk/

[bigandclever]

The order of precedence from left to right as observed is...

1939-45 Star
Atlantic Star
Air Crew Europe Star
Africa Star
Pacific Star
Burma Star
Italy Star
France and Germany Star
Defence Medal
1939/45 War Medal

Some good closeup images here http://homepages.tesco.net/~medals/page6.htm

[Kuroblack350]

Thanks for the replies all - very useful

These are replacements as the orginals were sold by exceptionally selfish family members some years ago, I had to go through the MoD archives just to find out the entitlement etc. (an interesting journey in itself, full credit to the MoD though for keeping such accurate 'in the field' records!)

Nice things to have though, I've also ordered the regimental patch from eBay to mount in the same frame - cool

thanks again

[TEKNOPUG]

Mc Lovin said:

I'd have a look at my grandfathers medals, but some lowlife, theiving, gipsy, skag injecting pikey bd nicked them.

some people have no shame

+1

Would be keen to know he received - he was all over the place from Africa to Norway (got a citation from the King of Norway after the war - still have that somewhere). Don't suppose that there is a website where you can just type in a name and it will tell you which medals were awarded/earnt?

[Kuroblack350]

Mc Lovin said:

I'd have a look at my grandfathers medals, but some lowlife, theiving, gipsy, skag injecting pikey bd nicked them.

some people have no shame

Sad reflection of society really, makes me wonder why I'm considering having these on the wall

[carl_w]

bigandclever said:

The order of precedence from left to right as observed is...

1939-45 Star
Atlantic Star
Air Crew Europe Star
Africa Star
Pacific Star
Burma Star
Italy Star
France and Germany Star
Defence Medal
1939/45 War Medal

Some good closeup images here http://homepages.tesco.net/~medals/page6.htm

But you can't have all of those medals. If you have Atlantic you have to have France & Germany as a bar (or vice versa, depending on which you get awarded first). And I believe the same applies to either Africa or Burma and Air Crew Europe.

Edited by carl_w on Monday 13th October 17:02

[Mc Lovin]

Kuroblack350 said:

Mc Lovin said:

I'd have a look at my grandfathers medals, but some lowlife, theiving, gipsy, skag injecting pikey bd nicked them.

some people have no shame

Sad reflection of society really, makes me wonder why I'm considering having these on the wall

I honestly wouldn't bother, my family have a history in the armed forces, i was due to inherit those medals and it would have certainly been a proud moment, however, just because some crack head needed another fix i'll never experience that, nor will i be able to take them to rememberance day.

Keep them locked up if you value them, its the only way to be sure they will remain safe.

[bigandclever]

carl_w said:

But you can't have all of those medals. If you have Atlantic you have to have France & Germany as a bar (or vice versa, depending on which you get awarded first). And I believe the same applies to either Africa or Burma and Air Crew Europe.

Didn't say you could wear them all. The order of precedence is still correct.

[Vipers]

Well I have my "Malay Peninsular" (General Service Medal-wiv my name on it), which I got when I were a lad of 16 amongst the muck and bulletts.

But seriously, back in 63, guy called President Sukarno, (may have spelt it wrong), told the British Government basically "If you sail warships down the straights of Borneo, I will shoot them out of the water", so what do we do, what the brits always do, battern down hatches, and full steam ahead.

All we saw was a single plane, guy came so close he waved to us, one of the old planes with two propellors one behind the other, a gannet mabye, anyway he waved, we waved, and that was it.

Four years later, this medal arrives in the post.

But obviously nothing at all compared to the WWII campainge medals I might add.



PS had a google, it twas one of these, probably one we sold to them:-
http://www.thunder-and-lightnings.co.uk/gannet/

Edited by Vipers on Tuesday 14th October 12:15

[CanAm]

Mc Lovin said:

I honestly wouldn't bother, my family have a history in the armed forces, i was due to inherit those medals and it would have certainly been a proud moment, however, just because some crack head needed another fix i'll never experience that, nor will i be able to take them to rememberance day.

Keep them locked up if you value them, its the only way to be sure they will remain safe.

McLovin, same here. I know it's not the same as having the originals, but my mother obtained replacements for my late father's from the MoD/RAF.