Joseph Ralph Oxley

[stuart714]

Dear All.

Looking for some advice re SWB's.

As part of an ongoing project I am looking at Officers of the Seaforths who were discharghed and awarded an SWB or may have been entitled to one.

I have found a Joseph Ralph Oxley Lt & Qmr who relinquished his commission in early Jan 1919 due to ill-health and was awarded an SWB. He subsequently in 1921 lost his right to retain the rank of Lt - for what reason I have not found out. Would he loose his SWB?

My question is why would this man be awarded an SWB whilst other officers I have found seem to have resigned due to ill-health and some are noted as elligible for SWB on their MIC but I cannot find them being issued with one. Was there a cut-off date for awards? Those officers who resigned late 1918 or in 1919/1920 due to ill-health would they not be elligle for one? I even have an officer who resigned his commission in 1916 for ill-health and no indication of an SWB. Was there a criteria for award? I have a note of an SWB Refusal List - anyone come across it??

Any advice would be appreciated.

Stuart

[ss002d6252]

My question is why would this man be awarded an SWB whilst other officers I have found seem to have resigned due to ill-health and some are noted as elligible for SWB on their MIC but I cannot find them being issued with one. Was there a cut-off date for awards?

Officers had to apply for their medals so the same may have applied to the SWB- its possible they were noted as eligible but the badge was never applied for.

I have a note of an SWB Refusal List - anyone come across it??

I've not seen one but I have seen MIC's annotated with a refusal.

[CGM]

From Ancestry:

Almost half of the 2 million military personnel discharged from the armed forces during the war for illness or injury (including those who left before the award was instituted in 1916) applied to wear the SWB.

The cut off date was 31 December 1919.

From the LLT although this doesn't confirm that the SWB had to be applied for.

[ss002d6252]

I assume you have this info but..

He was appointed a Qr Mstr with the honorary rank of Lt on 20 Aug 1917.

In 1918 he was "T./Qr.-Mr. and Hon. Lt. Joseph Ralph Oxley,Sea. Highrs." according to the London gazette when he received his M.C.

He was 'Deprived of rank of Lt which he was permitted to retain on relinquishment of temp commission"

His MIC mentions that his medal were forfeited but later restored.

Here his SWB

Name: J.R. Oxley

Discharge Unit: Seaforth Highlanders

Rank: Lt & Qr Mr

Badge Number: B80020

Unit: Officers (War Office, London)

Piece: 3250

List Number: Piece 3250

Record Group: WO

Record Class: 329

He was issued badge B80020and it was sent to 19 Skelton Street, Colne, Lancs. It was approved on 22 Jan 1919.

[stuart714]

Dear ss002d6252

I have his LG entries and mC citation and MIC already but thanks.

Dear CGM

Thanks for note of cut off date of 31 Dec 1919.

Stuart

[ss002d6252]

I even have an officer who resigned his commission in 1916 for ill-health and no indication of an SWB.

Who was this man ?

[stuart714]

One of the men i have who resigned his commission in wartime is the following:

25 February 1916, page 2112 – ‘Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s). Second Lieutenant Eric W. Barclay resigns his commission on account of ill-health. Dated 26^th February 1916.’ (LG) His Medal Card noted his entry into a theatre of war as France on 10^th April 1915. Formerly Private M2/055357 of the Army Service Corps. Commissioned 31 October 1915.

Stuart

[Chris_Baker]

Elsewhere on this forum there is a major debate on whether it was necessary to apply for the Silver War Badge.

[ss002d6252]

Elsewhere on this forum there is a major debate on whether it was necessary to apply for the Silver War Badge.

Have you a link to that thread, chris ?

Craig

[ss002d6252]

25 February 1916, page 2112 – ‘Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany’s). Second Lieutenant Eric W. Barclay resigns his commission on account of ill-health. Dated 26^th February 1916.’

The SWB wasn't instituted until Sep 16 so I would have expected that it was difficult to go back over and catch all the men who were entitled, and if a man had to apply then its probable that nothing was done to establish entitlement until he requested a SWB.

[stuart714]

Chris

Your comment in your last post that 'nothing was done to establish entitlement until he requested a SWB' seems very real, as I have a few other officers who resigned in 1914 and 1915 with some getting a badge and others not, though a couple who resigned in 1914 dont even have a medal card.

Thanks for your input,

Stuart