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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Special Constabulary Long Service Medal


tocemma

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The Medal was instituted 30th August 1919.

Awarded to all ranks of the Special Constabulary for nine years unpaid service, with more than 50 duties per annum. War service with at least 50 duties counted triple. A clasp inscribed The Great War 1914-18 was awarded to those who qualified for the medal during that conflict.

There are sure to be rolls - hopefully these will have survived - somebody in the British Medal Forum will surely know.

A quick check of the book 'The First World War - the Essential Guide to Sources in the UK National Archives' produced one result - wartime recruitment and its implications including issues surrounding the release for military service of police, special constables, fireman etc - there is a file on Special Constables HO 45/331298. It may be worth a look.

Philip

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I'm not so sure about rolls - they might have been held at the County level.

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My fuzzy recollection is that MIchael is right - County level. HO series at NA tended to refer to admin and policy issues rather than recipient lists. County records offices, therefore. Which presumes knowledge in the first place.

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If you have a name, and it's not too common, you might be able to trace him using census records.

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There are no central rolls as such for the Special Constabulary LS Medal. The medal was issued through each force - some of which kept records and a few might be able to help but I think it's a small minority. As many of the earlier City, County and Borough Forces have gone the records for these have usually gone as well. Even the larger forces like the Met have very few records for Specials and there does not appear to be any lists for awards to that force. Also I know Wiltshire Police don't have any comprehensive records for Specials (I've asked as I know serving officers in both forces).

The starting place for earlier Special Constabulary Medals is the box of issue which usually has the Police Force name written on the box. Without that I'm afraid it is like a search for a needle in a haystack. Unless it is a very unusual name the census returns are unlikely to be much help. Sometimes if the officer is more senior you may find other references to him. But don't hold your breath - I'm still trying to work out a GV issue to Supt Percy E Heath although Sussex seems a likely candidate.

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  • 2 years later...

I've just acquired such a medal for Reverend Francis G Buffey. Thankfully its a unique name in the UK. Has anyone else heard of a Rev being a special constable ?

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I've just got hold of my grandfathers Pip, Squeak and Wilfred. Was surprised to find a Special Constabulary LS Medal on the bar along with them. Pity they spelt his name wrongly on the medal!!

I never knew of my grandfathers service as a Special Constable. I know he was a pre-war army regular, a colour sergeant in 1911, commissioned in 1914 and retired in 1922 as a Captain.

Is there any way of ascertaining if he served as a Special Constable service during WW1 or is it more likely his service would have been post war?

Thanks for any info. Peter

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Peter,

If I were you I would try the British Medals Forum. If you post a photograph or scan of the medal, and your grandfather's details, someone there will tell you when it was issued as the design changed slightly during the period of its issue. From that you will be able to work backwards to estimate when his Special Constabulary service began.

Ken

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amc755

Yes there are quite a number of medals with Reverend recorded, and some medal collectors only collect special constable medals named to a Reverend as they can trace the man through ecclesiastical records. There are also medals named with army ranks (retired army men) and even to a Sir . Very difficult to research a man named on a medal unless you have box of issue with the force named on the box, and even then most forces have no records of the specials that served.

John

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Peter,

If I were you I would try the British Medals Forum. If you post a photograph or scan of the medal, and your grandfather's details, someone there will tell you when it was issued as the design changed slightly during the period of its issue. From that you will be able to work backwards to estimate when his Special Constabulary service began.

Ken

Many thanks Ken.

I've registered at the British Medals Forum and as soon as I'm approved I'll see what they have to say. Hopefully another piece of the jigsaw in my grandfathers life put in place.

Kind regards

Peter

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I have a number of Special Constabulary LSGCs in my collection (including Family awards) and the only way to really way to confirm the earlier George V examples is to use the Census returns or local newspapers. George VI and Elizabeth II examples are near impossible to track down unless it is with the original cardboard box of issue showing the issuing Police Force or it was awarded to someone with an unusual name.

Attached is a scan of a George V (Robes) example with sew-on Great War 1914 - 18 Bar

post-55476-0-85319000-1360176378_thumb.j

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Just to add my two medals worth...

I have yet to discover the delights of the British Medal Forum (I am still trying to control the addictive qualities of this forum), but thought I might share a picture of my Great Grandfathers Special Constabulary Medal and an accompanying medal that is currently unknown to me?

The medal is incribed on the rim "CMDR THOMAS H BROOMHEAD" I presume the CMDR was his police rank? we are lucky to also have a tray presented to my GGF from his collegues in the 43rd Company Manchester Special Police, so that is another avenue to explore if ever I get the time!

Warwick

post-93893-0-54524000-1360191349_thumb.g

Tray inscription...

post-93893-0-89249500-1360191540_thumb.g

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Interesting photos. The two photographed above show King George V wearing a crown. My grandfathers has no crown therefore suggesting to me a later issue. In which case that would tend to suggest he served the Kent Constabulary in Dover as a Special Constable.

Excuse the quality of the photo, taken quickly on my phone. So for comparison with those above

IMG_0382_zpsccc9da0a.jpg

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Patrick,

The George V coinage bust that you show on your medal was used on medals issued between 1931 and 1936.

Donny

Many thanks Donny.

That's a great piece of info.

Peter

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  • 3 years later...

I have a Special Constabulary LS&GC medal as part of a group with a WW1 pair and WW2 Defence medal but as the WW1 service record for the person is unavailable I can only guess at which constabulary he was a member of.

:(

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Many thanks Donny.

That's a great piece of info.

Peter

I have my Grandfathers Pip, Squeak and Wilfred plus his Special Constabulary LS&GC Medal. I also have his service records and these do not contain any reference to it, only his war medals.

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George v silver jubilee medal 1935, he is also missing the defence medal for ww2

Nice bars in the long service medal

Just to add my two medals worth...

I have yet to discover the delights of the British Medal Forum (I am still trying to control the addictive qualities of this forum), but thought I might share a picture of my Great Grandfathers Special Constabulary Medal and an accompanying medal that is currently unknown to me?

The medal is incribed on the rim "CMDR THOMAS H BROOMHEAD" I presume the CMDR was his police rank? we are lucky to also have a tray presented to my GGF from his collegues in the 43rd Company Manchester Special Police, so that is another avenue to explore if ever I get the time!

Warwick

IMG_4256.gif

Tray inscription...

IMG_4258.gif

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Only 85000 King George V Silver Jubilee Medals were issued including to commonwealth countries. The policy for issuing jubilee medals upto 1977 was to selected personnel chosen by local authorities, commanding officers etc. Since 1977 jubilee medals have been more freely issued. The recipient would have been prominent or person outstanding in his field to have received this medal.

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Send me a pm I have the 1935 roll

And not certainty due defence but v likely

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His last clasp is 1942 which is 3 years after war started and chances are he stayed on until 1945

Regards

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Depends when in 42 issued to get his 3 full years. Cant go adding medals without being certain. Still, lovely medals

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  • 1 year later...

One new source since the last post here is the 1939 Register on Findmypast.  Usually - but not always, the far right column will show whether a person was a Special Constable, ARP, First Aid, etc.

sharp_detail.JPG

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On 5/17/2017 at 19:02, Michael Johnson said:

One new source since the last post here is the 1939 Register on Findmypast.  Usually - but not always, the far right column will show whether a person was a Special Constable, ARP, First Aid, etc.

sharp_detail.JPG

 

This is the 1939 Register of what, Michael?

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