An interesting tale about my grandfather!

[derekspiers]

My grandfather served throughout WW1 in the RGA. He was in West Africa at the outbreak of War, saw action and was wounded in the Cameroon campaign before taking up the struggle in France in May 1916.

His medal card shows him awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

Last month we finally tracked down the medals via his grand daughter and when opening the box duly found the two medals mounted on a bar together with a Good Conduct Medal.....ok so far!

However, also in the box were two medal ribbons, one standard and one miniature. These ribbons not only included the colours of the BWM and VM but also, in the correct position on the left, the red/white/blue of the 1914/15 Star !

So.....as my Grandfather was not entitled to receive the 1914/15 Star, as he was serving in Africa, did he wear the 1914 Star ribbon anyway as a sort of "protest" because his service in Africa was not recognized with a medal.

We will never know.....but I can understand his sense of grievance if this was the case

Were any medals struck for service in the short but intense campaigns in West Africa in 1914 and 1915.?

[keithmroberts]

The 14-15 star was also awarded of service within the dates specified in other theatres of war. The info below is from the National Archives website.

1914-1915 Star For service in all other theatres of war, 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915; and for service in France and Belgium, 23 November 1914-31 December 1915

I agree that it is not shown on his medal card, but I would expect anywhere where our troops saw action to be regarded as a theatre of war. Maybe someone with more knowledge can advise on that.

Keith

[centurion]

This posting on this forum gives an example of a man who had a 14-15 star for service in Cameroon

If your Grandfather served there then he would be entitled.

[tipperary]

I would have a good look for a second MIC it is far from unusual to see a 14-15 star on its own card. If you need help post his name and number.john

[ss002d6252]

Quote

Grandfather - Robert WELLSTED 95th Siege Battery RGA - Saw action in Togoland, Cameroon, The Somme, Vimy Ridge, Third Ypres, Cambrai, Michael Offensive - 1914 -1918.

Assuming its this man , I can only see 1 MIC (unless he had a different number). - the card shows no date of entry.

Is 19579 early enough a number for a RGA in man in Togoland ?. This thread suggest that the 95th wasn't formed until 1916-

 

[centurion]

Unless its under a different name there doesn't appear to be a second card. Some possibilities to consider

The RGA had a couple of companies as part of the Sierra Leone garrison. Sierra Leone was not regarded as a 'theatre of war' however some members of the garrison were attached to the force that attacked Cameroon and this was an entry into a theatre of war. Others (including some RGA men) provided part of the garrison of Cameroon after the German surrender and this was not regarded as an entry into a theatre of war. With its high chances of sickness service in West Africa was not regarded as a bed of roses and I believe that some men found this latter situation unfair.

Possibly there was some disagreement between your grandfather and the army as to whether he had entered a theatre of war during his African service?

[NigelS]

On the 24th December 1918 The Times published the Army Order relating to the award of the 1914-15 Star; the 'Theatres of War' were defined in Appendix A (the overall qualification 'between August 5, 1914, and December 31, 1915 both dates inclusive' was given in the Army Order):

Appendix “A.”

For the purpose of this Army Order the definition “Theatres of War” will be as follows:-

1.

Western European Theatre

. – To include all operations in France and Belgium from midnight 22/23, November ,1914.

2.

Balkaan Theatre

– To include all operations in:-

(a) Greek Macedonia, Serbia, and Bulgaria from 5th October, 1915; (b ) Gallipoli and islands of Aegean Sea from 25th April, 1915.

3.

Egyptian Theatre

– To include all operations against Turco-German forces from 5th November, 1914; also operations against Senussite forces in Western Egypt and on the borders of Cyrenaica from 3rd November, 1915, but excluding operations for which the Sultan’s Sudan Medal has been awarded.

4.

African Theatre

. – To include all operations set forth below, but excluding local military operations against native tribes or rebels:-

(a ) In British East Africa, German East Africa, Rhodesia, Nyasaland and Uganda, and African Lakes, from 20th August, 1914.

(b ) In German South-West Africa and on the adjacent borders of the Union of South Africa from 20th August, 1914, to 9th July, 1915.

(c ) In Kamerun and on Eastern and Northern Frontiers Nigeria frontier, from 24th August, 1914.

(d ) In Togoland, from 7th August, 1914, to 26th August, 1914.

5.

Asiatic Theatre

. - To include operations:-

(a ) In Mesopotamia, from 6th November, 1914.

(b ) At Shalk Sa’id (South-West Arabia) on 10th November 1914.

(c ) Conducted by Aden Field Force from 3rd July, 1915.

(d ) At Musquat in Gulf of Oman, under command of Colonel S.M. Edwardes, D.S.O., in January, 1915.

(e ) In Seistan, under the command of Lieut.-Colonel J.M. Wikeley, 28th Light Cavalry, in 1915.

(f ) In the Toch Valley and Derajat from 28th November, 1914, to 27th March, 1915.

(g ) Against the Mohmands and Swat’s, as follows:

(i) Under the command of Major-General C.F.G. Young, near Hafiz Kor, in April, 1915.

(ii) Under the command of Brigadier-General N.G. Woodyat in August, 1915.

(iii) Under the command of Brigadier-General W.G.L. Beynon, C.B., D.S.O., on the Landakai Ridge, in August, 1915.

(iv) Under the command of Major-General F. Campbell, C.B., D.S.O., in the vicinity of Hafiz Kor and Shabkadar from August to October, 1915.

(v) Carried out by the Malakand Movable Column which advanced from Chakdara Camp on 27th October, 1915.

(h ) At Tsing-Tau from 23rd September, 1914, to 7th November, 1914.

6.

Australasian Theatre

– to include all operations in:-

(a ) German New Guinea and Bismarck Archipelago as follows:-

(i) New Britain, from 11th September, 1914, to 21st September, 1914.

(ii) New Ireland, from 16th September, 1914, to 18th October, 1914.

(iii) Kaiser Wilhelm Land on 24th September, 1914

(iv) Admiralty Islands on 21st November, 1914.

(b ) Nauru on 6th November, 1914.

(c ) German Samoa on 29th August, 1914

I don't know if this helps, but thought it might be of interest as some of the dates for award are very restricted. Apologies if the formatting comes out a bit odd & I can't, unfortunately, guarantee that there aren't transcription errors.

NigelS

[centurion]

I've certainly come across men who were in the garrison of Cameroon after the Germans had surrendered there that were not regarded as in a theatre of war. Same as in Togo

[derekspiers]

Thanks for the replies.

To add more detail, my GF left an extensive list of places he served in his career. The relevant entries are:-

Sierra Leone from 1/7/14

Togoland

Cameroon - (wounded)

Jaunde

Duala

Lagos

Sierra Leone (Fever-hospital)

Portsmouth

Apart from the first entry there are no other dates.

As he was apparently wounded whilst serving in the Cameroon campaign this would suggest this was before the German surrender and hence should be classified as "Theatre of war" as per Para 4 © and possibly 4 (d) in Post 7 above? He should have received the 14-15 Star but this apparently didn't happen.

Regarding a second MIC - this is doubtful as there is no sign of the 14-15 Star in his possessions (apart from the aforementioned ribbon colours)

We are awaiting his Service Records from Glasgow within the next 2 weeks after a 12 month wait, so this may shed some more light on this matter?