383 Battery Medal or what on earth is it ?

[Antspants80]

Ok i bought this some time ago as i well liked it and was just getting into buying military items it wasn't cheap but never seen one so thought why not.

Problem is i have no clue what it is bar its solid silver and seems like a coin there is nothing on rear bar makers stamp and silver hallamarks ?

Picture below..thanks

[Nigel Marshall]

Given that the dates shown are 1917 - 1919 I would suggest it is a commemorative piece given to or subscribed to by members or former members of the battery as a keepsake in recognition of their service.

Any idea where the battery was raised?

There is a thread running on the forum which you might find interesting, and which you might like to post a photo the medallion on.

Click on the link WW1 Swastika !?!?!, Is this possible?

Cheers,

Nigel

[battiscombe]

I have 383 Bty with 179th Brigade.. 382nd served with reformed 44th Brigade also in 1917

david

Given that the dates shown are 1917 - 1919 I would suggest it is a commemorative piece given to or subscribed to by members or former members of the battery as a keepsake in recognition of their service.

Any idea where the battery was raised?

There is a thread running on the forum which you might find interesting, and which you might like to post a photo the medallion on.

Click on the link WW1 Swastika !?!?!, Is this possible?

Cheers,

Nigel

[EDWARD1]

I know its a long time since the original post but I have just acquired the same medallion in job lot with a 1914 trio, ribbon bar with rose, RFA shoulder titles and a brass breech inspection mirror, scissors and collar studs all within a Princes Mary tin.

The medallion was assayed in Birmingham, hallmarked Sterling Silver, manufactured by A.J.Pepper & Co Ltd of Frederick Street, Birmingham dated 1918 and was a gift by Major W.A.W. Edwardes,

Will now endeavour to find Major W.A.W.

Eddie

[Guest]

Hello everyone, I too have one of these. It belonged to my Great Uncle George Brand,  born 1901, who I believe was an auxiliary service driver, for the RFA. He is the one standing. His army number was L11909. The RFA enquiry service have been unable to trace him, although they did say that unless he was an officer, records of service such as his were not always kept. He did go on to join the Royal Sussex Regiment after the war where he was in the second battalion and died in Singapore in 1923, possibly from malaria.

I would be very grateful indeed for any further information on this medallion, also please any tips or information to help me discover more about Great Uncle George’s service in the RFA. Thank you very much and of course if I do find anything myself I will share here too.

[charlie962]

12 hours ago, Pflowers said:

my Great Uncle George Brand,  born 1901,

Welcome to the forum Pflowers.

 

I think that there is a brief entry for him in the Royal Artillery Attestations ledger which is available through FindmyPast, but needs a subscription. The link is here

 

 

You may also find that his service file is still held by the Ministry of Defence in Glasgow and can be obtained for a 30 pound fee.

 

That does not look like the RA capbadge that he is wearing ? The man sitting is wearing the standard RA capbadge.

 

Charlie

Edited 8 September , 2019 by charlie962

[MaxD]

The attestation record referred to doesn't have the service number given.  It refers to a man joining in 1920.  The term "auxiliary service driver" is not familiar, have you by chance mistaken the initials ASC for that term?  As Charlie says, his cap badge isn't a Gunner cap badge (it isn't ASC either).  Do you know who the other man is?

Where did your man come from?

Max

 

PS  There is one of the medallions at the Imperial war Museum..

 

Edited 9 September , 2019 by MaxD
Query added

[aim]

On 08/09/2019 at 10:01, Pflowers said:

Hello everyone, I too have one of these. It belonged to my Great Uncle George Brand,  born 1901, who I believe was an auxiliary service driver, for the RFA. He is the one standing. His army number was L11909. The RFA enquiry service have been unable to trace him, although they did say that unless he was an officer, records of service such as his were not always kept. He did go on to join the Royal Sussex Regiment after the war where he was in the second battalion and died in Singapore in 1923, possibly from malaria.

I would be very grateful indeed for any further information on this medallion, also please any tips or information to help me discover more about Great Uncle George’s service in the RFA. Thank you very much and of course if I do find anything myself I will share here too.

 

 

Hi Pflowers, and welcome to the Forum.

 

Could you give me details for "The RFA Enquiry Service" please? I've been trying to find my grandfathers details for years!

 

aim.

[Dai Bach y Sowldiwr]

Pflowers,

Any chance you can scan the photograph at high-res on a flatbed scanner?

It will give up an awful lot of information about the badges.

[MaxD]

 

aim

 

14 hours ago, aim said:

Could you give me details for "The RFA Enquiry Service" please? I've been trying to find my grandfathers details for years!

 

Rude of me to intervene perhaps but there is no such thing specifically as the "RFA Enquiry Service".  The response that the "service" apparently gave is not what one would expect.  The reason many Great War records are not to be found has nothing to do with not being kept.  The reason is that 60% or so of those records were destroyed by bombing and fire during the Second War.  

 

Would you like to post your grandfather's details that you have in case there is information out there to be found?

 

Max

[MaxD]

On 01/04/2014 at 11:44, EDWARD1 said:

Will now endeavour to find Major W.A.W.

 

In all likelihood Capt (later Major) W A D Edwards (slightly different spelling) listed in the list of officers in the History of the 39th Divisional Artillery (to which 179 Bde belonged) which is in the 39 Div HQRA war diary.

 

William Arnold Donaldson Edwardes Major RFA would seem to be the best fit.

 

Max

 

 

 

 

Edited 10 September , 2019 by MaxD

[EDWARD1]

Information in post 4. The reverse has the hallmark only

[EDWARD1]

PS the current 10 pence piece is almost the same size, aprox 25mm

[charlie962]

As a side issue, is there a list (never complete, I'm sure) somewhere of these unofficial medals issued by different units? How widespread was the practice ? Perhaps there should be a thread if there isn't already . Fascinating items.

 

Charlie