Russian Medal of St George

[avacuppa]

OK, I am getting a bit mixed up here. I want to print out a picture of a medal my soldier received. Arthur John West received the Russian Medal of St George 3rd Class.

I think this would be the right one, as it seems to fit the description of what my Arthur West did to get that medal, plus, Arthur was an enlisted man, not an officer.

- The Cross of Saint George. Associated with the Order of Saint George, but for enlisted men and NCO's, the Cross of Saint George came in 4 classes. Like the Order of St. George, the St. George cross was awarded for acts of distinction under arms. An enlisted man or NCO would be awarded the 4th class cross for his first brave act. A second notable act could then bring him the 3rd class cross, etc. The first class and second class were in gold, the first class with a bow on the ribbon. The third and fourth classes were in silver, the third class marked by a bow. The ribbon was the same as for the order of Saint George. Over two million Saint George Crosses were distributed during the Great War and before the abdication of the tsar., going to soldiers, nurses and members of the Red Cross. Commanders in the field could award the St. George Cross on the spot.

Also, the Imperial awards, from the sounds of it, would go to the Russian soldiers only, I would think, right?

Thank you for your time and help.

[ForeignGong]

Hi avacuppa

He was awarded the 3rd Cl Medal not the cross

This is the LG for his award

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29275/supplements/8514

Only Approx 184 3rd Cl gazette for the First World War & this includes all Commonwealth forces.

[avacuppa]

Thank you so much ForeignGong. Gosh I look and look for the right medal, and I still had the wrong one LOL. I appreciate your help in this, and thank you for the London Gazette page too, I did not have that.

Also, are you telling me that, in the whole of the British and commonwealth forces, they only handed out 184 of these medals? only 184?

[ForeignGong]

No, they handed out quite a few others that were NOT Gazette. That number is the for those that appear in the London Gazette. A lot of "Civilian" organizations such as BRCS & OSJ were allowed to accept without being Gazetted and these are very hard to confirm, so far I have found another 157 of the 3rd Cl.

All foreign awards are much rarer that most of the Imperial awards.

[Paul Treclyn]

I have come across 3311 Corporal William Hanson of the RAMC, from Garnant, Carmarthenshire, who was awarded a "Russian Cross of the Order of St. George" according to his local newspaper. It would seem to me that the cross was indeed awarded, not just the medal.

[Paul Treclyn]

Ah - just checked the Edinburgh Gazette for August 27th, 1916 and it lists 3311 Private William Hanson of the No.1 Field Ambulance, RAMC as being awarded the MEDAL of St. George, 4th Class. So a medal it was then. The local paper seems to have bumped up his rank and his medal!!!