Myrtle Posted 27 April , 2010 Share Posted 27 April , 2010 Having been shown a photograph taken in 1919 I have discovered that the Portobello Market stallholder in the picture served with the Royal West Kents in WW1. Luckily his papers have survived and on the form that the man completed to claim his medals, he has written: "Please forward gratuity instead of medals". Does anyone have an explanation? I didn't realise that this was possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 27 April , 2010 Share Posted 27 April , 2010 His comment may be just a try on, I suppose. I think the DCM came with a gratuity but the MM was introduced to avoid such payments. I presume , he will have been awarded one of these. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 27 April , 2010 Author Share Posted 27 April , 2010 Ian He doesn't appear to have received either a DCM or an MM. I notice that he claimed for a disability pension as he had suffered from Malaria but appears to have been refused. He then followed up with an appeal but it doesn't appear to have been successful. As he had a wife and six children to support and would have not earned very much as a fruit and veg stall holder on the market, he may have requested the gratuity instead of the standard medals, but as he had previously served with the Royal Kent Militia I believe he would have known the procedures regarding medals, unless they had changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 27 April , 2010 Share Posted 27 April , 2010 Yes, I think he was making the point that a couple of medals don't "butter no parsnips"! No doubt he was aware that there was no cash equivalent to the standard medals. Hence the reason why so many BWMs were cashed in for a few bob. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 27 April , 2010 Author Share Posted 27 April , 2010 Does sound as if that was the point that he was trying to make, doesn't it. I like the term "butter no parsnips". Thanks Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 27 April , 2010 Share Posted 27 April , 2010 Hence the reason why so many BWMs were cashed in for a few bob. I very much doubt many BWM were cashed in shortly after the War,I doubt that a BWM would have attracted more than 2/~{10p} at this time,right up until the late 1970s they only had a "market value" of around 5/~ to 10/~,depending on source,it wasnt until the Silver explosion of 1977 that they started to have any significant scrap value & I suspect that many were bought in & sat on by savvy dealers,who could envisage the future,I would in all honesty;suspect there are more complete groups around than split ones!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MACRAE Posted 27 April , 2010 Share Posted 27 April , 2010 Having been shown a photograph taken in 1919 I have discovered that the Portobello Market stallholder in the picture served with the Royal West Kents in WW1. Luckily his papers have survived and on the form that the man completed to claim his medals, he has written: "Please forward gratuity instead of medals". Does anyone have an explanation? I didn't realise that this was possible. I was told by a long term collector who is 72 years of age , that some galantry winners was given a option of payment or medal . I have never confiremd this to date. Dan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 27 April , 2010 Share Posted 27 April , 2010 I was told by a long term collector who is 72 years of age , that some galantry winners was given a option of payment or medal . I have never confiremd this to date. Dan Why? the cost of the medals was peanuts so medals and a gratuity would not have cost more than a gratuity on its own - so why offer the option? Either he is entitled to a pension or he isn't and refusing a medal shouldn't come into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 28 April , 2010 Author Share Posted 28 April , 2010 Either he is entitled to a pension or he isn't and refusing a medal shouldn't come into it. That's why I asked the initial question, as this particular sergeant wrote "Please forward gratuity instead of medals" on a form which he returned to the department issuing medals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ianw Posted 28 April , 2010 Share Posted 28 April , 2010 I very much doubt many BWM were cashed in shortly after the War That's not my understanding. I have been advised by old solders that real poverty saw numerous BWMs and MMs pawned in the 20's and 30s and led to a number of them being renamed by the unscrupulous to try to cadge a drink or two. Of course, as you point out there was a big wave of selling prompted by silver going to $65/oz in more recent times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 28 April , 2010 Share Posted 28 April , 2010 That's why I asked the initial question, as this particular sergeant wrote "Please forward gratuity instead of medals" on a form which he returned to the department issuing medals. Simple sarcasm I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 28 April , 2010 Share Posted 28 April , 2010 Centurion is right I think. There is nothing in Army Orders, the Pay Warrant nor the Medal Rolls that substantiates the claim for a gratuity in lieu of medals of any sort. TR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myrtle Posted 28 April , 2010 Author Share Posted 28 April , 2010 Thank you Centurion and Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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