Naval entitlement rules for campaign medals

[AdrianBruce]

Can someone please confirm the entitlement rules for WW1 campaign medals as far as sailors of varying types go? I think I understand the rules for soldiers but it's working out the equivalent for sailors that's got me.

According to Wikipedia, the British War Medal was issued to officers and men of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, and Dominion and Colonial naval forces (including reserves) who completed 28 days mobilised service. (Two caveats to that - "the medal was automatically awarded in the event of death on active service before the completion of this period" and "The medal was later extended to cover the period 1919-20 and service in mine-clearing at sea as well as participation in operations in North and South Russia, the eastern Baltic, Siberia, the Black Sea, and the Caspian.")

That seems clear enough to me, though I am assuming that all the above applies just as much to RNR, RNVR and Royal Naval Division as to RN proper. And I'm also assuming that the mobilised service could be in the UK, as it says nothing to the contrary.

Where I start losing it is with the Victory Medal. Wikipedia simply says the usual story "To qualify for the Victory medal, one had to be mobilised in any service and have entered a theatre of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918".

Question - what does "theatre of war" mean for a sailor? One might argue that it could mean any time they left port???

I'm also presuming that the 1914-15 Star applies to sailors in the same way as to soldiers - i.e. being in a theatre of war before the end of 1915. (NB I've found a thread in here quoting from The Times and giving the naval rules for the 1914 Star, as distinct from the 1914-15 Star.)

Grateful for any answers to my question and / or corrections.

[ss002d6252]

This any good ?

http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/ww1_victory_medal_award.htm

[AdrianBruce]

This any good ?

http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/ww1_victory_medal_award.htm

Perfect - thanks for that. (Just as a curiosity, I find it comforting that the official stuff confirms that "Canteen staffs who served in a ship of war at sea" were eligible! I must admit I'd assumed they'd all be RN personnel so automatically eligible, so nice to see someone actually thought to make it clear that they were eligible even if not RN)

Adrian B

[David B]

Adrian,

Canteen staff, probably from cruiser upwards were generally civilians AFAIK. Smaller ships generally had a serving sailor doing the duties.