WW1 English Medal Named 1914-15 Star

[tony75]

Hello

is it possible to research the name on the back of this medal?
RGA (Royal Artillery) Correct?
Thank you
Tony

[andrzejku98]

Hello Tony,

To help you on your way his Medal index Card



The reverse was blank, so I have not posted it

Best wishes

Andrzej

[tony75]

Hello
Wow! that was quick.
Thank you so much for the help and info.
I really appreciate it
Tony

[Watchdog]

Today it is just RA (Royal Artillery) but at one time the RA was sub-divided into Royal Artillery, Royal Horse Artillery, Royal Field Artillery And Royal Garrison Artillery. This sub-division was extant at the time of WWI so on WWI medals you will see RA, RHA, RFA and RGA. It's complicated, very complicated! But as I say, today there is RA or Royal Artillery and RHA or Royal Horse Artillery which is a seperate regiment and cap badge albeit very closely associated.

Your medal is one of three awarded to this soldier as the medal card indicates. These are the 1914-15 Star (this one), The British War Medal (BWM) and The Victory Medal. These commonly referred to as "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred". The BWM and Victory were awarded without the star to soldiers who were late enlistments and did not qualify for the star. The is known as a "pair" rather than "trio" for the full set as it were. The pair is also referred to as "Mutt and Jeff".
THe Star was not awarded without the other two either at the time or later. So for your star there must always be the other two.

There is of course the 1914 Star, clasp and rosette for soldiers qualifying at the outset of the war but let's not over complicate the issue.

I hope you have a chance to add the missing two medals. I always think it a great shame when they are seperated.

Regards

Mark

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Further to Mark's excellent information on the 1914/15 star. The men who volunteered to join the Accrington Pals in August 1914 also did not qualify for the 1914/15 star... in a move which was looked upon as very mean spirited.

On December 19th 1915, the Accrington Pals left Devonport on board the SS Ionic, bound for Egypt. On December 27th the ship arrived at Malta, and then on the 29th, the ship left port WITHOUT an escort. Around this period, Kapitanleutnant Max Valentiner of SM U-38 was very active and had already sunk several ships 'without warning'. On December 30th, Valentiner attacked and sunk the SS Persia off the island of Crete in direct contravention of the 'Cruiser Rules' which stated that passenger ships should not be sunk. Because of this sinking, the Accrington Pals and crew of SS Ionic were put on high alert and ordered to wear life jackets at all times. On December 31st the SS Ionic was subjected to a torpedo attack from an unidentified U-Boat, but fortunately for everyone on board the torpedo's misses and the ship made it safely to Egypt on January 1st 1916. There can be no doubting that the ship was under constant danger of attack, but the Accrington Pals were deemed not to be in a theatre of war while at sea and were denied their 1914/15 star. This was a decision that the 1914 volunteers bitterly resented in later years, for the only visible distinction between being a 'volunteer' and a 'conscript' when wearing medals was the 1914/15 star.

Cheers,
Steve

[Watchdog]

Further to Mark's excellent information on the 1914/15 star. The men who volunteered to join the Accrington Pals in August 1914 also did not qualify for the 1914/15 star... in a move which was looked upon as very mean spirited.

On December 19th 1915, the Accrington Pals left Devonport on board the SS Ionic, bound for Egypt. On December 27th the ship arrived at Malta, and then on the 29th, the ship left port WITHOUT an escort. Around this period, Kapitanleutnant Max Valentiner of SM U-38 was very active and had already sunk several ships 'without warning'. On December 30th, Valentiner attacked and sunk the SS Persia off the island of Crete in direct contravention of the 'Cruiser Rules' which stated that passenger ships should not be sunk. Because of this sinking, the Accrington Pals and crew of SS Ionic were put on high alert and ordered to wear life jackets at all times. On December 31st the SS Ionic was subjected to a torpedo attack from an unidentified U-Boat, but fortunately for everyone on board the torpedo's misses and the ship made it safely to Egypt on January 1st 1916. There can be no doubting that the ship was under constant danger of attack, but the Accrington Pals were deemed not to be in a theatre of war while at sea and were denied their 1914/15 star. This was a decision that the 1914 volunteers bitterly resented in later years, for the only visible distinction between being a 'volunteer' and a 'conscript' when wearing medals was the 1914/15 star.

Cheers,
Steve

All the more galling I would imagine when you consider that the earlier 1914 star award included provision for a clasp or rosette on the ribbon bar for those who had actually been "under fire" rather than just in theatre during the qualifying period!

But, they were not the first or likely the last to only qualify for one medal having endured far more of the "s**t" than someone earning 5 or 6 for just "being there"

Regards

Mark

[HARRY THE MOLE]

[QUOTE But, they were not the first or likely the last to only qualify for one medal having endured far more of the "s**t" than someone earning 5 or 6 for just "being there"

Regards

Mark[/QUOTE]

Just look at all those who, in recent years, qualified for a 'Falkland's' medal (without rosette) for simply being there AFTER the war had finished. Yet us Northern Ireland veterans never got a campaign medal, just a bar to go on the GSM. But I do not begrudge anyone who earned their medal, the lucky one's were those that never had to put their lives on the line.

Cheers,
Steve

[Jerry B]

the 1914 star was a very exclusive award, only awarded for the correct period for service in france and flanders, so the only navy awards were some who served on land at antwerp.

Members of the south wales borderers who served in china did not get it, though the 2nd Battalion served from August 1914 in Tientsin, China 23 September 1914, they landed at Lao Shan Bay for operations against the German territory of Tsingtao. They did get the 14/15 star, but were all old contemptibles and should have had the mons star.

[Anderson]

It was as much the agitation from the Australian and New Zealand governments about their ANZAC Gallipoli veterans being left out of the 1914 Star and their pressing for a "Gallipoli Star" to be issued that pressured the Whitehall johnnies to come up with a more wide ranging 1914-15 Star. Consequently my grandfather who served in the Royal Navy between 1914-18 received all three medals, the 1914-15 Star, the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

[Anderson]

Further to Mark's excellent information on the 1914/15 star. The men who volunteered to join the Accrington Pals in August 1914 also did not qualify for the 1914/15 star... in a move which was looked upon as very mean spirited.

On December 19th 1915, the Accrington Pals left Devonport on board the SS Ionic, bound for Egypt. On December 27th the ship arrived at Malta, and then on the 29th, the ship left port WITHOUT an escort. Around this period, Kapitanleutnant Max Valentiner of SM U-38 was very active and had already sunk several ships 'without warning'. On December 30th, Valentiner attacked and sunk the SS Persia off the island of Crete in direct contravention of the 'Cruiser Rules' which stated that passenger ships should not be sunk. Because of this sinking, the Accrington Pals and crew of SS Ionic were put on high alert and ordered to wear life jackets at all times. On December 31st the SS Ionic was subjected to a torpedo attack from an unidentified U-Boat, but fortunately for everyone on board the torpedo's misses and the ship made it safely to Egypt on January 1st 1916. There can be no doubting that the ship was under constant danger of attack, but the Accrington Pals were deemed not to be in a theatre of war while at sea and were denied their 1914/15 star. This was a decision that the 1914 volunteers bitterly resented in later years, for the only visible distinction between being a 'volunteer' and a 'conscript' when wearing medals was the 1914/15 star.

Cheers,
Steve

That's an odd situation Steve as the men on the Royal Navy escort ships would have qualified for the 1914-15 Star. Same waters facing same threat.