VD....inscription on headstone

[bruce]

Bruce narrow it down to cemetery!!

Mick

Over the two weeks we were away, we went to over 50 cemeteries.....

Bethune Town was oe that we visited!!!

Thanks for tying it down....

Bruce

[SiegeGunner]

Thanks to the Mods for transferring this thread. There seems little doubt that Bruce's man's VD is the Volunteer Decoration, but hopefully one of the forum's medal specialists can clarify whether Sean's Victorian Decoration is an official/unofficial name for the colonial version of the same thing, or something different.

[bruce]

Innocently, I thought I'd asked a simple question.............

Bruce

[auchonvillerssomme]

Over the two weeks we were away, we went to over 50 cemeteries.....

Bethune Town was oe that we visited!!!

Thanks for tying it down....

Bruce

I thought you said that he was RAMC with an MM?

How does that tie it down to Lieutenant-Colonel Alexander Brook V.D.,8th Royal Scots,died 18/19 May 1915? he wasn't RAMC nor did he have an MM.

Mick

[welshdoc]

Are you sure it was VD MM not MVO (member of the victorian order). Either way MVO would precedede the MM but he VD would by the order of precidence be after the MM.

[per ardua per mare per terram]

Efficient Service Medal but am having trouble finding more information about it.

The Territorial Forces Efficiency Medal replaced the Volunteers Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1908.

This canadian link suggests that the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officer's Decoration continued to be referred to as the VD.

http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm...u/group11/cafod

[per ardua per mare per terram]

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

Have you tried the Gazette? The pre 1899 Decorations were gazetted in the Gazettes for their repective states. Tamplin did not give details about the post 1899 awards. Similarly the UK awards were listed in the London Gazette.

[John S]

Extract from ‘Ribbons & Medals’ by Taprell Dorling

Instituted in July 1892 rewarding ‘efficient and capable officers’ of the Volunteer Force who had served 20 years. In 1894 a similar distinction was introduced for officers of Volunteer Forces in India and the Colonies but for India service was 18 years. Award entitled recipient to use letters V.D. and became obsolete (except for India) when Volunteer Force was disbanded in 1908.

No mention of Victorian Decoration.

Regards

John

[Philip Wilson]

Innocently, I thought I'd asked a simple question.............

Bruce

Do you recall the man's actual name ? If so please let me have details - it should then be relatively easy to trace him - see my earlier post.

Philip

[auchonvillerssomme]

Difinitive? Orders and Medals Yearbook. And also Royal Warrant-

I thought the issue was we didn't know the mans name - it would be much easier for all of us if Bruce did!

Mick

July 29th 1892

THE VOLUNTEER OFFICERS' DECORATION WARRANT.

VICTORIA, R. VICTORIA, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Queen,

Defender of the Faith, to all to whom thesepresents shall come, Greeting!

WHEREAS it is Our Royal desire to reward the long and meritorious services of Officers

of proved capacity in Our Volunteer Force ; Now for the purpose of attaining this end, We have

instituted, constituted and created, and by these presents for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, do

institute, constitute and create a new Decoration which We are desirous should be highly prized by

the Officers of Our Volunteer Force ; and We are graciously pleased to make, ordain and establish

the following rules and ordinances for the government of the same, which shall from henceforth be

observed and kept: —Firstly.—It is Ordained that the Decoration shall be styled and designated "The Volunteer

Officers' Decoration," and shall consist of an Oak Wreath in silver tied with gold, having in the centre the Royal Cipher and Crown in gold.

Secondly.—It is ordained that the Decoration shall be suspended from the left breast by a green riband of one inch and a half in width from a silver Oak bar-brooch.

Thirdly.—It is ordained that the Decoration may be worn by Us, Our Heirs and Successors, Kings and Queens Regnant of the United Kingdom of Great. Britain and Ireland ; and it shall be competent for Us, Our Heirs and Successors, to confer the Decoration upon any of the Princes of the Royal Family of Great Britain and Ireland.

Fourthly.—It is ordained that no person shall be eligible for this Decoration nor be nominated thereto unless he is or was a Commissioned Officer and has served twenty years in Our Volunteer Force—is recommended by the Commanding Officer of the Corps in which he has served—and is duly certified by the District Military Authorities in which the Corps is located, as having been an efficient and thoroughly capablOfficer, in every way deserving of such a decoration. Provided nevertheless and We do hereby declare that half of any time during which an Officer of Our Volunteer Force may have served in the ranks of Our said Force' shall reckon as

qualifying service towards the twenty years -required as aforesaid.

Fifthly.—It is ordained that the names of those upon whom We may be pleased to confer the Decoration shall be published in the London Gazette, and a registry thereof kept in the office of Our Principal Secretary of State for War.

Sixthly.—In order to make such additional provision as shall effectually preserve pure this most honourable distinction, it is ordained, that if any person on whom it shall be conferred be convicted of any act derogatory to his honour as an Officer and gentleman, his name shall forthwith be erased from the registry of individuals upon whom the said Decoration shall have been conferred, by an Order from Us under Our Royal Sign Manual;

and a notification thereof shall be duly published in the London Gazette.

Lastly.—We reserve to Ourselves, Our Heirs and Successors, full power of annulling, altering, abrogating, augmenting, interpreting, or dispensing with these regulations, or any part thereof, by a Notification under Our Royal Sign Manual. Given at Our Court at Osborne, the twentyfifth day of July, in the fifty-sixth .year

of Our Reign, and in the year .of Our Lord one thousand eight hundred and ninety-two.

By Her Majesty's Command,

Edward Stanhope.

[NigelS]

Fascinating thread. This page on the New Zealand Veterans' affairs site also indicates that both the 'Volunteer Officers' Decoration' & the 'Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration' were both designated 'V.D'

Looking at the following London Gazette pages:

1899

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/270...s/3517/page.pdf

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/270...s/3518/page.pdf

1921

www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/32364/pages/4915/page.pdf

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/323...s/4916/page.pdf

1923

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/327...es/801/page.pdf

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/327...es/802/page.pdf

1925

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/330...s/3446/page.pdf

the way I read it - corrections welcome - is that the 'Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration' was introduced in 1899 (it also appears (?) - unless it's a completely different award - to have been known as the 'Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Decoration') as the Colonial Forces equivalent of the 'Volunteer Officers' Decoration' with revisions to the conditions being made in 1921 and 1923, however, it appears that it wasn't until 1925 that recipients of that award were officially entitled to use the letters 'V.D.' as shown in the final (1925) pdf.

The following Gazette page of 1892 gives the warrant for the 'Volunteer Officers' Decoration'; it doesn't mention any entitlement to use the letters 'V.D.', I suspect this may, as with its 'Colonial cousin', have come later, but I haven't been able to track down any mention of it.

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/263...s/4303/page.pdf

NigelS

[auchonvillerssomme]

That final link is the Warrant in my post.

Mick

[bruce]

You may recall that I offered to take some headstone pics for Pals whilst we were there.

At the moment, I am trawling through the more than 1,000 pictures we took, sorting out who it is who wants which headstone, with views, inscriptions etc.

When I have ensured that all those who requested pics have got them, then I will trawl through again and see if i can find the pic of the headstone with the initials on it.

When I asked the question, I little knew what a nest of wasps i was stirring up!

However......fun isn't it!

Bruce

[welshdoc]

Fun indeed 1000 pics, did you do anything else?

[NigelS]

That final link is the Warrant in my post.

Sorry Mick, I got interrupted midway through posting and hadn't realised you'd already posted the text of the warrant until after I'd posted.

Bruce - I'm assuming the pics are digital - imagine the costs and aggro of using film; that would have been 30x 36 exposure, although there's still the time consuming effort of sorting through and cataloguing, necessary whatever media you use !

NigelS

[per ardua per mare per terram]

How about an old tech idea: if you see something unusual, write it down.

[bruce]

Ayesha had the idea that folk might appreciate more than just a straight-on headstone photo. So for each picture requested, I have tried to send two or three of the stone, especially of inscriptions at the bottom, and some views of the location within the cemetery. So for each photo request, I am mailing out about six. For some reason, I can't send more than three at a time, per e-mail, so sending them is taking a while, I also took time in turning them all round to upright. So far, those receiving them have been most complimentary and grateful. I have passed on the comments to Ayesha/

Thankfully, she uses a digital camera, so we downloaded it each evening to my laptop, so as to clear the memory on the camera for the next day.

Around Ypres, we went to about 50 cemeteries. We received over 100 requests, on top of those I wanted myself. As a result, on our first day alone, we took over 400 pics, so it taked time sorting out who wants what.

Next time, I will take the advice and will write down interesting bits, especially those which I might ask here about.

Thanks to those of you who have responded to this thread, and also to those who have been patient in waiting for their pictures.

Bruce

[Michael Johnson]

The Indian Volunteer units continued to use the Volunteer Decoration and Medal until the introduction of the Efficiency Decoration and Medal in the 1930s. I have an idea that the time requirements were relaxed a bit as well.

[welshdoc]

I am a recipient of the "multi pics" great they too . But roping in the misses!!! I would be a deadman. Still Im intrigued and wait to see the "VD" headstone.

[bruce]

This was Ayesha's summer holiday, and she willingly volunteered to take all the pics. My role was just chauffeur and headtsone finder!

I will find the VD headstone.....eventually!

Bruce

[Guest rogersjr]

Some information on the Victoria Volunteer Long and Efficient Service Medal at www.cerberus.com.au/medals.html

[dfaulder]

>><< So for each picture requested, I have tried to send two or three of the stone, especially of inscriptions at the bottom, and some views of the location within the cemetery. So for each photo request, I am mailing out about six. For some reason, I can't send more than three at a time, per e-mail, so sending them is taking a while,>><<

Around Ypres, we went to about 50 cemeteries. We received over 100 requests, on top of those I wanted myself. As a result, on our first day alone, we took over 400 pics, so it taked time sorting out who wants what.

>><<

I would be very tempted to stick the lot on a photo-sharing site such as Picasa or Flickr (possibly with each cemetery in its own folder), and then email people suggesting they find what they want and add any comments!

David

[bruce]

Now why didn't I think of that???

Bruce