sutton-in-craven Posted 13 November , 2011 Share Posted 13 November , 2011 Hi, I asked this question on British Medals Forum, but received just one conjectural response Medal collectors will invariably have seen named war medals (disks) that have been turned into broaches and pendants, quite possibly to be worn in memoriam by the serviceman's widow or other relative (photo example below) I'm interested to know whether the widow, son/daughter, grandson/granddaughter would be permitted to wear such memoriam medal broaches and pendants all the year round, or just on Remembrance occasions? (11th Nov in the UK; 25th April Anzac Day in Australia/N/Z) I'm assuming some (if not many) widows/loved ones would have chosen to wear such broaches and particularly neck pendants all year round? I'd be interested to hear any thought that people may have on this and in particular, what the 'official' (legal) stance is with regards to the wearing of such 'jewelry'. Many thanks, Regards Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 13 November , 2011 Share Posted 13 November , 2011 Hi Believe it or not when I was growing up ,1914 and 1914-1915 stars were two a penny you could pick them up in junk shops for next to nothing My father use to break the lug of the top , Solder a safety pin on the back and all the kids in our street wore them as Sheriffs Badges regards Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 13 November , 2011 Share Posted 13 November , 2011 Hi Believe it or not when I was growing up ,1914 and 1914-1915 stars were two a penny you could pick them up in junk shops for next to nothing My father use to break the lug of the top , Solder a safety pin on the back and all the kids in our street wore them as Sheriffs Badges regards Ray Hi Ray, I think that if I knew someone who had defaced medals in this way that I certainly wouldn't admit to it. It may be acceptable if done with the express wishes of his next-of-kin, but not by a complete stranger---having said that I suppose many have done much worse and destroyed them completely through greed and ignorance by throwing them into the melting pot. Shame on them!! Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 13 November , 2011 Share Posted 13 November , 2011 Hi, I asked this question on British Medals Forum, but received just one conjectural response Medal collectors will invariably have seen named war medals (disks) that have been turned into broaches and pendants, quite possibly to be worn in memoriam by the serviceman's widow or other relative (photo example below) I'm interested to know whether the widow, son/daughter, grandson/granddaughter would be permitted to wear such memoriam medal broaches and pendants all the year round, or just on Remembrance occasions? (11th Nov in the UK; 25th April Anzac Day in Australia/N/Z) I'm assuming some (if not many) widows/loved ones would have chosen to wear such broaches and particularly neck pendants all year round? I'd be interested to hear any thought that people may have on this and in particular, what the 'official' (legal) stance is with regards to the wearing of such 'jewelry'. Many thanks, Regards Andrew Hi Andrew, I hope that all is well with you 'down under'? We have been today to the ceremony at Sutton and met up there with Mona and Louise. We sneaked a quick coffee with them in the tearoom following the ceremony, which incidentally was well attended by around 100, at a guess!! Over the years I have seen quite a number of WW1 medals made into various brooches, pendants and even a QSA mounted in a pendant. Fortunately the latter had not had anything soldered or brazed to it and had only had the suspender removed, which was fortunate because when the mount was removed it was found to be engraved to an officer in the HLI who was also an Honourable (titled) gentleman!!! I cannot see any legal reason why a soldier's widow or other next-of-kin should not wear his medal or medals should they wish to do so, provided that they wear them on their right breast or as a pendant. It would also seem quite reasonable for a pendant or brooch (containing a medal) to be worn at all times should his next-of-kin wish to do so. Of course others may disagree? I believe that legality only comes into force where others wear medals, to which they are not entitled, in some sort of official or semi official capacity, similar to the person who wore a variety of gallantry awards and campaign medals to a more recent remembrance day parade, and to which he had no entitlement whatsoever!! Speak to you soon, Regards, Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dycer Posted 13 November , 2011 Share Posted 13 November , 2011 I can only answer this question indirectly,so I won't,as the possessor of two "untouched" Trios. My late Father was a Policeman,who "lost" his Cap Badge,through amalgamation of Forces. His reaction was to have his "obsolete" Cap Badges converted into broaches for his Wife and Daughters to wear. I'm sure if I ever took my Mother's "Broach" to a "Badge" sale,it would be dismissed,because it has been converted i.e.a lug removed and replaced with a clip. I would never,however, now try to convert modern cap badges,into broaches. George p.s.Does anyone,on the Forum, wish to buy a silvered,bored Farthing, bearing in mind it was silvered and bored for a long lost reason? p,p.s It is not for sale.It us up to me to dispose of it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaySearching Posted 13 November , 2011 Share Posted 13 November , 2011 Hi Ray, I think that if I knew someone who had defaced medals in this way that I certainly wouldn't admit to it. It may be acceptable if done with the express wishes of his next-of-kin, but not by a complete stranger---having said that I suppose many have done much worse and destroyed them completely through greed and ignorance by throwing them into the melting pot. Shame on them!! Robert Hi Robert Whilst I agree it is a reprehensible act to deface medals in the above stated manner It happend ,Maybe through ignorence why deny it ? what has been done in the past cannot be undone The number of medals issued after the war must run into millions Some 50 odd years ago WW1 medals did not seem to hold the same value's as they do in this enlightened age, As many forum pals will know many BWM were sold and melted down as scrap for there silver content leaving behind the Stars and Victory Medals ,some were turned into trinkets and many medals were just discarded and simply just thrown away Luckily My Grandfathers Trio and M M have survived I don't own them, 'I am just the present custodian of them ,whilst I am still alive and kicking Family heirlooms to be passed on to the family in due course regards Ray Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 13 November , 2011 Share Posted 13 November , 2011 Up to about thirty years ago WW1 medals and death plaques were just scrap! even as late as the late 90's I missed a box of about 60 death plaques that had gone in a skip. Officers uniforms cluttered up every junkshop. Portrait photos of 'Uncle Albert' were robbed for their frames, there was no interest, because what could you do with it all? I do not collect medals I have one WW1 trio that I bought in a jumble sale for 6d to play with, and a WW2/ Korean set to a sailor that I discovered in the bottom of a very large bag of coloured pencils bough for 1/-, and I cannot get myself into a mind set that they have any value, as they all look the same if chucked in a bucket along with 50 others. Now an interesting photo I will bite your hand for! To turn an old medal into a broach shows to me an act of regard, because the owner wanted to still be connected to it. I think the change has come about because of the ease of tracing the original recipieants of medals and death plaques nowadays. To those who had forsight in the bad old days - well done, to those who take pleasure from those that have survived - enjoy. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 14 November , 2011 Share Posted 14 November , 2011 ----and a WW2/ Korean set to a sailor that I discovered in the bottom of a very large bag of coloured pencils bough for 1/-, and I cannot get myself into a mind set that they have any value, as they all look the same if chucked in a bucket along with 50 others. Now an interesting photo I will bite your hand for! G Each to their own!! and yes, medals of a type do all look alike-- but each is unique because of the name impressed or engraved upon the rim and that makes them incredibly interesting and researchable. Photographs on the other hand can be just as interesting, but sometimes can be extremely frustrating when it is impossible to identify the occasion or the sitter-- and then it all comes down to conjecture which is never totally satisfactory!! I think that I'll just stick to the medals with the odd photo thrown in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutton-in-craven Posted 14 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 14 November , 2011 Hi Andrew, I hope that all is well with you 'down under'? We have been today to the ceremony at Sutton and met up there with Mona and Louise. Over the years I have seen quite a number of WW1 medals made into various brooches, pendants and even a QSA mounted in a pendant. Regards, Robert Hi Robert buddy, how goes it? Great to hear that you, Louise & Mona attended the Sutton-in-Craven cenotaph ceremony again on 11th November. Harry Lund will definitely not be forgotten for a second time! Some interesting comment from everyone, thanks for those. Yes I too have seen numerous WW1 medals turned into broaches, but I reckon I see even more of the Victorian campaign medals turned into these broaches & pendants. I once read somewhere that Queen Victoria made mourning a national pastime after her husband Albert died, hence possibly the reason that so many medals were turned into memoriam jewelry pieces? We all know it is morally wrong, if not illegal to wear other people's medals outside of an official Remembrance ceremony. I was just intrigued to know where the law sits with regards to the wearing of these memoriam medal broaches at other times of the year. I've a funny feeling there may not be a definitive answer! Many thanks again to everyone who has added their thoughts on this matter, regards Andrew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianBruce Posted 15 November , 2011 Share Posted 15 November , 2011 Just wondering - Does the law say anything in the UK about wearing of medals / derivatives of medals? Or is it just custom and practice taken from what (say) the British Legion say? I wonder if the answer depends on whether you are appearing to claim the medals as your own - because I've an idea there was a court case about someone wearing unentitled medals - or whether you're wearing a relative's medals and saying they are a relative's medals - though how does anyone know??? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue Light Posted 15 November , 2011 Share Posted 15 November , 2011 I believe that the only aspect of wearing medals that are not your own that is illegal, is if they are worn with 'intention to deceive', i.e. pretending to be a member or ex-member of the miltary forces with entitlement to the medals. Wearing medals as a fashion item, for instance, is quite within the law. Sue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sutton-in-craven Posted 16 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 16 November , 2011 I believe that the only aspect of wearing medals that are not your own that is illegal, is if they are worn with 'intention to deceive', i.e. pretending to be a member or ex-member of the miltary forces with entitlement to the medals. Wearing medals as a fashion item, for instance, is quite within the law. Sue I think that's a very good point Sue and would make sense from a logical point of view. Actually I saw a YouTube clip recently of a Korean pop band with one member wearing a group of at least 6 miniature medals as part of his glitzy showbiz outfit. I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have been entitled to the medals in question! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdrianBruce Posted 16 November , 2011 Share Posted 16 November , 2011 I believe that the only aspect of wearing medals that are not your own that is illegal, is if they are worn with 'intention to deceive' ... Sue - that would make sense. Clearly the armed forces, British Legion, etc, can have their own rules for their own members but equally clearly they don't apply to the rest of us. I've just bought a copy of the latest Medal Yearbook, for interest's sake, and I was quite surprised at the number of "unofficial" medals, so figured any legally-imposed rules must be quite open. (Just to make it clear, even if the BL 'rules' permitted it, I'd feel awkward wearing my grandpa's campaign medals - on the right, I think it is in their customs? - and I'd never remotely contemplate wearing his MM. I just need a decent way to display them - both sides.). Adrian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T8HANTS Posted 16 November , 2011 Share Posted 16 November , 2011 I have attended a parade where a chap wore his relatives VC, on the right breast, & I thought, why not. He won it, you show it off, and well done! It was a copy BTW, an article appeared in the local paper, it was all above board, he was not some kind of Super Walt. G Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Droocoo Posted 9 January , 2012 Share Posted 9 January , 2012 It was a very common Victorian practice, to broach campaign medals to be worn by next of kin. That is why there are plenty of 1880 Afghanistan and Crimea medals available on the market, that have lost suspenders. I have one such that was repaired. I have even seen medals set into walking canes in a similar fashion. Unfortunately Andrew i did not see your post on the BMF, which section was it in? The wearing of such medals is completely legal, and totally in the spirit of rememberance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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