WW1 medal pair and relatives WW2 Dog tags.

[Steelhead10]

Afternoon everyone.

These were a recent addition to my collection from a small local antiques shop. The WW1 war medal and WW1 victory medal are named to a Pte. Harry Illsley (36996) and the dog tags and box are named to, a Wilfred George Illsley (6105540), who I believe is Harry Illsley's son from my research.

I hope you all enjoy
Matt

[paulscoot]

Mutt n Jeff as a pair (pip,squeak & Wilfred as a trio) love these WW1 medals. Can't make out the regiment on my phone ? Regards Paul

[Steelhead10]

Hi, the regiment is for the Northumberland Fusiliers on Mutt and Jeff. I do love the WW1 medals, it was my great grandads boxed duo that caused me to start collecting.

[Watchdog]

Hi, the regiment is for the Northumberland Fusiliers on Mutt and Jeff. I do love the WW1 medals, it was.my great grandads boxed duo that caused me to start collecting.

It was pretty much the same for me when I was given my great grandfather's medals comprising WWI trio, WWII defence medal, RFR LS&GC, Imperial Service Medal and Distinguished Service Medal. It took me years to learn enough to understand what the group added up to but I was hooked at that point. I also got a WWI trio to a chap called Saville Kershaw which I thought was just another random group until years later after I had traded them on as insignificant to the family that I researched the serial number on the accompanying silver "Services Rendered" badge that I realised he was a great uncle. Why my Grandmother never told me this I will never know

The WWI medals are such a potential link to history because they are named and researchable. Also, the pairs could be seen as more poignant than the trio because these men who didn't qualify for the star in the trio had joined after the qualifying period and therefore after the thoughts of "glorious adventure" had faded and the true horror of the trenches was widely known.

The British War Medal is often missing because being made of siler many thousands were subsequently bought en-masse by unscrupulous dealers and smelted for the metal. Cultural vandalism!

Regards

Mark

[Steelhead10]

Hi Mark.

I bet you were feeling really gutted after finding that out. My mum told me that when she was younger she used to play with a battledress and helmet that she can only assume we're her grandads, although she seems to recall that her dad traded these to someone unfortunately. There's also her other grandads medals somewhere in the family but I am not sure who these were passed to

I don't think I've posted my great grandfathers medals yet, from what I can tell he never wore them, I'll get some pictures once I'm back home.

Matt