1914 star ribbon (mons Ribbon)

[andrew pugh]

Good Evening All Happy New Year.

I wonder if someone could help me,If a soldier was entitled to the award of the 1914 Star Medal,When, and how, would he have been given/issued with the piece of ribbon to sew on his tunic whilst he was at the front, and by whome?

Also if a soldier arrived at the front just after the cut off date for that award, what were the chances of him being issued with the piece of ribbon for that award in error, especially if he joined a Battalion that had been out since the begining of the war and the soldier in question was a Special Reservist.

He arrived in France on the 4/12/1914 and arrived in the trenches at Armentieres on the 7/12/1914 to join the 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers.If soldiers were issued the award by mistake, how big a problem was it?

Hope someone can help.

Best Regards Andy.

[high wood]

I hope that this helps. Army form Z.21.A. Issued November 1918. Please excuse the poor quality photograph.

[Piorun]

Good Evening All Happy New Year.

I wonder if someone could help me,If a soldier was entitled to the award of the 1914 Star Medal,When, and how, would he have been given/issued with the piece of ribbon to sew on his tunic whilst he was at the front, and by whome?

Also if a soldier arrived at the front just after the cut off date for that award, what were the chances of him being issued with the piece of ribbon for that award in error, especially if he joined a Battalion that had been out since the begining of the war and the soldier in question was a Special Reservist.

He arrived in France on the 4/12/1914 and arrived in the trenches at Armentieres on the 7/12/1914 to join the 1st Bn Royal Fusiliers.If soldiers were issued the award by mistake, how big a problem was it?

Hope someone can help.

Best Regards Andy.

I don't think the '14 Star was issued/authorised until 1917 and it was only for service up to midnight 22/23 November. Your man missed qualification by a long shot but, if you're implying that he got the Star and ribbon, so be it. Antony

[ulsterlad2]

Also if a soldier arrived at the front just after the cut off date for that award, what were the chances of him being issued with the piece of ribbon for that award in error,

Best Regards Andy.

Hi Andy

I've no idea when the ribbons would have been given to the men but I believe that it was the same ribbon for the 14 Star and the 14 - 15 Star.

[Andrew Upton]

Answering the original question, I think yes it is possible that people not entitled to receive the ribband of the 1914 Star might have done so. Last time I was at the National Motor Museum at Beaulieu I spotted there is a portrait painted just after the war of one the collection founders or similar in his WW1 uniform on display in the Palace House, where he has among his ribbands on show that of the 1914 or 1914/15 Star. They also had his medals on display, BUT amongst the group that otherwise matched those indicated by the ribbands in his portrait was the Territorial Force War Medal, and no 1914 or 1914/15 Star.

Award of the 1914 or 1914/15 Star automatically precluded being awarded the TFWM - my guess was that late in or just after the war someone boobed (possibly the wearer himself) and thought he was entitled to it when he wasn't.