bruce Posted 10 September , 2009 Share Posted 10 September , 2009 I saw on a headstone of a man in the RAMC that before his MM appeared the initials VD. My first thought, predictably, was that this wasn't something one would normally boast about, but on reflection it must be some sort of award, but I can't for the life of me remember what it is. A CRAFT moment I'm sure....so help jog an ageing memory! Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter B Posted 10 September , 2009 Share Posted 10 September , 2009 Hello Bruce, this link may answer your question http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volunteer_Decoration Regards Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 10 September , 2009 Share Posted 10 September , 2009 Bruce Could it be the Volunteer Decoration? awarded upto 1908, when it was replaced by the Territorial Decoration, for 20 years service as an officer with the Volunteer Force. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 10 September , 2009 Author Share Posted 10 September , 2009 Thanks Peter. In that case, then VD on a WW1 headstone must be rare, in that it required 20 years service, prior to the award being replaced in 1908. Now I wonder just how many of them there are! Thanks again. Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 10 September , 2009 Share Posted 10 September , 2009 Very rare when you consider that the recipient of the VD was an officer but must have reverted to the ranks to have been awarded an MM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter B Posted 10 September , 2009 Share Posted 10 September , 2009 Bruce Forgot to add award was published in the London Gazette, so you may be able to find some more info from there. Regards Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 10 September , 2009 Author Share Posted 10 September , 2009 I will go look. I suppose it is possible that he served as an officer for 20 years, gaining the award, then left the forces, and returned as a ranker for WW1. An interesting man! Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Wilson Posted 10 September , 2009 Share Posted 10 September , 2009 Bruce Somebody in this Forum may just have Spinks Medal Booklet No.4 - The Volunteer Officers' Decoration written by J.M.A.Tamplin, produced in 1983. If so then it should contain a list of recipients including the date of the award. What is your man's name? Certainly Booklet No.7 for the Territorial Decoration 1908-30 has a list of recipients including date of award. I have only an extract from John's Booklet No.4 in which he lists almost 100 people who had the distinction to gain both the VD and TD. John later found a handful more of these double awards as indicated in booklet 7. Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
per ardua per mare per terram Posted 11 September , 2009 Share Posted 11 September , 2009 Twenty years service from the age of 18 only made the man 38 by the time he received it. That of course is the lowest age, but there were plenty of officers older that that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PhilB Posted 11 September , 2009 Share Posted 11 September , 2009 Shouldn`t the MM initials precede the VD? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 11 September , 2009 Author Share Posted 11 September , 2009 Oh! You rotten so-and-sos! Now I'm going to have to scour the thousand or so pictures taken whilst away to find the headstone concerned, to ensure he did have an MM and if that is engraved before the VD. I should have selotaped my typing fingers.... Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geraint Posted 11 September , 2009 Share Posted 11 September , 2009 Bruce I came across a similar individual in the Denbighshire Yeomanry. An officer pre 1914, (with VD), retired 1913 and signed on as a ranker in August 1914. I think that there were more of this type of fellows around than we give credit for. He finished in 1917 as a 2nd lieutenant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john jerome mcmanus Posted 12 September , 2009 Share Posted 12 September , 2009 G'day Bruce, If you have not been informed by another source, I think you will find that the VD stands for Victorian Decoration. Regards Pop (Sean McManus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 12 September , 2009 Share Posted 12 September , 2009 The tone of Sean's post seems to imply that he thinks earlier contributors are wrong about VD standing for Volunteer Decoration. Or maybe he just didn't read the whole thread. When you suggest 'Victorian Decoration', Sean, do you mean a decoration awarded by the Australian state of Victoria or a British award alluding directly to Queen Victoria? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john jerome mcmanus Posted 13 September , 2009 Share Posted 13 September , 2009 G'day Siege Gunner. You are correct in that I did not read the entire thread and having done so in the light of day it seems that I am indeed the minority and will stand corrected. As to your last sentence I do refer to a British award alluding to Queen Victoria. I remember many years ago reading of Lt. Colonel Braund V.D. the first CO of the 2nd Infantry Battalion AIF. I asked a friend of mine who was the first RSM of the Australian Army the meaning of the term and he advised me that it referred to Victorian Decoration. I will do further research and see what I can come up with. Until then I accept the majority view of the Forum members. Regards Pop (Sean McManus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auimfo Posted 13 September , 2009 Share Posted 13 September , 2009 Don't worry Sean, I think we've all been guilty of skipping through a thread before. But I wonder if your readily offered voluntary admission of error entitles you to the VD? Pop VD.........Nah, sorry but there's something that doesn't sound right about that. Cheers, Tim L. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john jerome mcmanus Posted 13 September , 2009 Share Posted 13 September , 2009 G'day Tim, Thanks for the offer of a medal but perhaps I should be given a boot for taking as fact information I believed came from an infallible source! I now concede that VD stands for Voluntary Officers Decoration (or, as it was alternately known - Colonial Auxiliary Officers Decoration). I have, however, come across a reference to the Victoria Volunteer Long and Efficient Service Medal but am having trouble finding more information about it. My apologies if I have mislead anyone and I thank Siege Gunner for correcting me. Regards to all, Pop (Sean mCManus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Wilson Posted 13 September , 2009 Share Posted 13 September , 2009 G'day Tim, Thanks for the offer of a medal but perhaps I should be given a boot for taking as fact information I believed came from an infallible source! I now concede that VD stands for Voluntary Officers Decoration (or, as it was alternately known - Colonial Auxiliary Officers Decoration). I have, however, come across a reference to the Victoria Volunteer Long and Efficient Service Medal but am having trouble finding more information about it. My apologies if I have mislead anyone and I thank Siege Gunner for correcting me. Regards to all, Pop (Sean mCManus) Pop Here are details re the Volunteer Officer's Decoraration and its counterpart the Volunteer Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/territorial_decoration/volunteer_officers_decoration.htm Volunteer_Long_Service_and_Good_Conduct_Medal.doc Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiegeGunner Posted 13 September , 2009 Share Posted 13 September , 2009 Googling produces a number of references to officers who received 'the Victorian Decoration', and it seems that this may have been an alternative name (official or unofficial) for the colonial version of the Volunteer Decoration. Perhaps transferring this thread to the Medals sub-forum (or opening a new thread there) would attract a wider range of expertise and solve this puzzle more easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 13 September , 2009 Author Share Posted 13 September , 2009 As the dim wit who started this, I would be quite happy to have it transfered! Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john jerome mcmanus Posted 13 September , 2009 Share Posted 13 September , 2009 G'day again to both Bruce and Siege Gunner and many thanks to Philip. I concur that we should transfer this thread to another topic area. I am not trying to vindicate my 1st post on this thread was correct. I would, however, like to inform my original source if he was right or wrong. Perhaps the entire Australian Army may get a lesson in history! I look forward to continued discussion on this topic. In the tradition of true historians Regards once again Pop (Sean McManus) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liverpool annie Posted 13 September , 2009 Share Posted 13 September , 2009 I have been researching a soldier with the same .... I'm interested in finding out the meaning too !! Lieutenant Colonel Astley John Onslow Thompson VD MID 4th Battalion AIF Row A, Grave 11 Lieutenant Colonel Thompson was a Welsh-born fifty-year-old grazier, station manager and company director who had served with the NSW Mounted Rifles from 1892 until his enlistment. On the unattached list of officers he was appointed Major in the 4th Battalion in August 1914 and later commander of the battalion. Astley John Onslow Thompson, V.D., Lieutenant-Colonel, 4th Battalion, Australian Infantry. Annie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bruce Posted 13 September , 2009 Author Share Posted 13 September , 2009 Since I have never been to Turkey, that isn't the guy I photgraphed! Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
auchonvillerssomme Posted 13 September , 2009 Share Posted 13 September , 2009 Bruce narrow it down to cemetery!! Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 13 September , 2009 Share Posted 13 September , 2009 Try. Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Brook V.D.,8th Royal Scots,died 18/19 May 1915,buried Bethune Town Cemetery. George Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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