Guest somme Posted 25 April , 2003 Share Posted 25 April , 2003 In the section concerning medals and wound stripes on my Grandfather's discharge papers, there is a reference to his having "Two Blue Chevrons". Could anyone give me any information as to what this might mean? Many thanks, Nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Reed Posted 25 April , 2003 Share Posted 25 April , 2003 Blue Chevrons were small woven blue chevrons (!) worn on the right tunic sleeve - each one related to a calender year overseas i.e. one each for 1915, 16, 17, 18 - with a red one for 1914 in the British Army. So this indicates your relative had two years overseas; probably 1917/18. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 25 April , 2003 Share Posted 25 April , 2003 Just a quick question on these chevrons that's been bugging me for a while now (but I never bothered to find out): Were they issued for full calender years served overseas (ie January to December),in other words making a soldier who served March-December inelligable for that year's chevron, or were they for each complete 12 month period served? Also, was the red chevron just for the 5 months of 1914, or did no-one become eligable for this one untill August 1915? (I know they weren't issued untill 1918, I'm just metorphorically speaking here) Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 26 April , 2003 Share Posted 26 April , 2003 This is my understanding of how these chevrons were issued. They were introduced on 1st January 1918, the number of stripes indicate the number of years served overseas. Parts of years, even one day, counted. So two stripes indicate at least 1 year and a day's overseas service, but less than two full years. If the first (the lowest ) was earned before December 31st 1914 it was coloured red. So a man who arrived in France in November 1914, would by February 1918 be entitled to 5. 1 red for 1914, 3 blue for 1915, 1916, & 1917 and 1 further blue for the 2 months of 1918. I hope that is clear, I have confused myself now. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 26 April , 2003 Share Posted 26 April , 2003 John, This might help, or not, but adds to what you've put down. A man was eligable for his first stripe the day he arrived overseas. Each additional stripe a full calendar year after. So a soldier who stepped foot in France on 1 Jan `1918 was eligable for his first srtipe and would recieve his second on 1 Jan 1919. For Commonwealth Troops service outside of their home country, e.g. for Canadians service in England was considered overseas even if the soldier had never been to France. Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Bowbrick Posted 26 April , 2003 Share Posted 26 April , 2003 Joe, In the case of Canadians does this count for medals as well ie service in the UK such as the Forestry Corps? Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CROONAERT Posted 26 April , 2003 Share Posted 26 April , 2003 Thanks John and Joe. I think I understand the qualifications now. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Denham Posted 26 April , 2003 Share Posted 26 April , 2003 Am I being thick or are Raster's & Joe's postings above contradictory? One posting says that a stripe was earned for going one day into a new year and the other says that you only qualified for a subsequent stripe after twelve months had passed from earning a previous stripe. If Raster is correct, someone arriving overseas on, say, 17 December 1915 would qualify for a 1915 stripe and would qualify for their 1916 stripe on 1st January 1916. If Joe is right, they would qualify for the 1915 stripe as before but not qualify for their 1916 stripe until 17 December 1916. Or am I completely barmy? (No need to answer that). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
armourersergeant Posted 26 April , 2003 Share Posted 26 April , 2003 ok lads thanks......i understood how it work for the stripes before i read this post now im confused to hell.!!!!!!!!!!!!! But more importantly on my grandads demob papers in medals category it does not mention any ribbons etc should i take that as he served on peridically overseas or what? yours confused! Arm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Sweeney Posted 27 April , 2003 Share Posted 27 April , 2003 I don't think I read John's post closely enough. Chevrons were awarded for time served overseas and not year served. The red was awarded if point of service started before 31 Dec 1914, the next award was an aggregate of 12 months later. AO 4 1918 is paraphrased below: The date of award of the first Chevron was that on which the individual left the UK, or in the case of those serving abroad at the outbreak of war, 5 August 1914. For Overseas troops, the first chevron was awarded on the date of leaving their own country or were employed on local operations. Further Chevrons were awarded for each succesive aggregate period of 12 months. One month of leave was permitted in calculation. If first point of service was before 31 Dec 1914 a red chevron was awarded after 1 Jan 1915 all were blue. There are more rules and ammendments with the army orders assoctiated with these chevron's etc. At first PoW time was not counted and this was ammended. A man who had a red and two blue chevrons, shows that he had 24 months of service overseas starting in 1914. This is calculated by time served overseas and not the year excepting service before 31 December 1914 earned the man a red chevron for his first. The award of the blue chevron came after an aggregate of twelve qualifying months later and not just because 1915 was the next calendar year. A man with one red and 2 blue chevrons could very well have only been authorized these chevrons even though he served for 1914, 1915, 1916, 1917 and 1918 in France but his accumulated time was only 24 months. I also think the awarding of chevrons was interpreted fairly loosely. Joe Sweeney Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 27 April , 2003 Share Posted 27 April , 2003 This is my understanding of how these chevrons were issued. No Problem. As I said it was only my understanding, I bow to the evidence produced by Joe. Best wishes. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Raster Scanning Posted 27 April , 2003 Share Posted 27 April , 2003 Nick. I have changed my Avtar to a set of chevrons to show you what they looked like. So how many years had this man served ?!!!!!! Best wishes. John. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bowler Posted 25 August , 2003 Share Posted 25 August , 2003 I've read all the posts on this subject, and just want to raise a point. I have a studio picture of my grandfather. He's wearing what I now realise to be 4 overseas service chevrons. His overseas service started January 1915 in France. If I've read Joe's wonderful emails correctly, strictly speaking he wouldn't than have been wearing his fourth stripe until 48 months on overseas service had passed -- in his case January 1919. But is it possible they were slightly premature in the handing out of these chevrons? So could the picture have been taken slightly earlier in 1918? There's nothing written on the back of the picture Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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