Unusual Entry On A Medal Card

[Lawsyd]

The man I'm currently researching was discharged from active service on 1st May 1915. I have a copy of his medal card & he gets the 'usuals' as well as a reference to the Silver War Badge. However unusually (certainly to me) is that stamped on the medal card is 'IVB - 10 Oct 1945.' This is clearly reference to a WW2 award. Does anybody know what the IVB was (Imperial Victory Badge?) & what the qualifying conditions were?

I realise that this query is more appropriate to a WW2 forum, but I don't want to sign up to a WW2 forum for one question only and it is a Great War soldier I am researching.

[Old Owl]

This, I doubt, will be a reference to anything related to WW2. It is more likely to be either the date his medals were issued or more likely re-issued.

Robert

[KevinBattle]

As the wise old owl says, this is most likely when an application was made for his WW1 medals, the IV is likely to be an Issue Voucher reference, perhaps IV8, not "B"?

Presumably he didn't want to be reminded of the horrors of the trenches, but after so long, not only had his memories of WW1 faded, but he would have stood out with all the young lads with their shiny WW2 medals.

For someone issued with a Silver War Badge indicating severe wounds, he clocked up at least another 30 years, hopefully not in pain.

It would seem he was wounded during the first 3 months of fighting and was unable to meet military fitness requirements.

The "usuals" would actually then include the 1914 Star and rosette, so not really that "usual" he would also have qualified as an Old Contemptible in that case, quite a rarity.

Do you know what happened to cause his wounds?

[Lawsyd]

@KevinBattle

At this stage (still early on in the research) I don't know what caused the injuries - but hopefully I'll get there in time.

[Waggoner]

Subject to correction, I thought this type of entry referred to postal activities. I wonder if he had applied for replacement medals and this recorded their mailing to him? It will be interesting to see what others say.

AAll the best,

Gary

[centurion]

An SWB does not necessarily mean "severe wounds" - it was available to anyone who had served for more than 3 months (at home as well as overseas) and was discharged due to some medical reason (which could be an illness) Even fallen arches could be a reason for a discharge and would entitle one to an SWB

[spof]

An SWB does not necessarily mean "severe wounds" - it was available to anyone who had served for more than 3 months (at home as well as overseas) and was discharged due to some medical reason (which could be an illness) Even fallen arches could be a reason for a discharge and would entitle one to an SWB

In general that is true but if you read between several lines, KevinBattle and Lawsyd seem to know which man is being referred to which is why KevinB can talk about the discharge being due to wounds and wounds severe enough to need a discharge.

In the absence of more specific information, the best the rest of us can do is offer generic advice as you have done.

[centurion]

In general that is true but if you read between several lines, KevinBattle and Lawsyd seem to know which man is being referred to which is why KevinB can talk about the discharge being due to wounds and wounds severe enough to need a discharge.

In the absence of more specific information, the best the rest of us can do is offer generic advice as you have done.

"someone issued with a Silver War Badge indicating severe wounds" does not seem to support your interpretation which is why I quoted it in my post

[Lawsyd]

Thanks for all the thoughts so far. It's the entry on the MIC 'IVB 10 Oct 1945' that I'm specifically interested in. Could it be a reissue of the soldier's WW1 medals, or is it likely to be related to medals from WW2 that, somehow, found it's way onto his MIC. incidentally, before starting this thread, I Googled 'IVB' & nothing even vaguely related to war or medals (as far as I could see) came up.

[KevinBattle]

syd, first line of post #3 refers to Issue Voucher, which is what I think the I V B (or perhaps I V 8) is that you are puzzled by.

I can't claim to know anything about your chap, perhaps if we did have Name and Number we could better interpret the MIC (and/or background) and answer a great deal more satisfactorily.

[tullybrone]

Hi,

If he served in a miltary capacity in WW2 his medal entitlement would have been shown on his WW2 service papers - even for Home Guard service.

Whilst WW2 service personnel were wearing campaign ribbons by 1945 the actual medals, just like in WW1, took some time to produce and issue.

Regards

Steve Y