rolt968 Posted 17 April , 2015 Share Posted 17 April , 2015 Following the discussion of medals on the wrong ribbons in this thread: When medals were sent through the post, were the ribbons attached or did the recipient have to thread them himself (i.e. ribbons in the envelop but separate)? Also were the small ribbons sent automatically? RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 17 April , 2015 Share Posted 17 April , 2015 RM, The medals were sent in a OHMS envelope, stamped War Office, inside were boxes containing the medals and their ribbons, the medal being placed in a small brown envelope as in this picture I believe. Just goes to show how much this officer thought of them, as never worn or ribbons attached. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 17 April , 2015 Share Posted 17 April , 2015 Medals issued to the Mercantile Marine even came with instructions printed on the paper packets as to how the medals should be worn - an idea I am suprised was never taken up with the issue of medals to the other branches of service: http://postimg.org/image/afv3rw0gr/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 18 April , 2015 Author Share Posted 18 April , 2015 Thank you for the replies. It does explain something. When I told the lady whom I mentioned in the other thread that one of her grandfather's medals had the wrong ribbon, she said that she would go back and look in the drawer where she found them as there were other medals (presumably belonging to other family members) and other ribbons. RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medaler Posted 18 April , 2015 Share Posted 18 April , 2015 Families (bless them) are usually the most likely suspects for....... 1/ Putting the wrong ribbons on medals. 2/ Getting the 1914, 1914-15 Star or Mercantile Marine ribbons the wrong way around. 3/ Mounting them for wear in completely the wrong order. 4/ Polishing them to death. 5/ Smothering bronze medals in "Brasso" and allowing them to turn green. 6/ Splitting groups on the demise of the original recipient. 7/ Not noticing that the circular ones are named. I could go on, but somebody might think I was "having a go" - which I am not! This is not intended as a statement about collectors "loving" them more than families, just observation based on years of dealing with them. It is actually good news for me, because pointing these things out to them invariably makes me look much cleverer than I actually am! Off topic perhaps for this thread because it concerns WW2 medals, but I once got into trouble with an ex-serviceman for mounting his medals with the obverses to the front! In the end I told him to phone Spink's and let them arbitrate. You don't win 'em all, but I won that one. Warmest regards, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 19 April , 2015 Author Share Posted 19 April , 2015 Thanks Mike, I could add: 8/ Adding the medals with or without ribbons to tins of old coins kept by the family. RM Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 19 April , 2015 Share Posted 19 April , 2015 and it still goes on! A late colleague and dear friend of mine was a fellow meteorologist and he served part-time as an RAFVR Met Officer in the Mobile Met Unit until around 2003. Thus he attended/ served in just about every crisis area after [but not including] the Falklands. Gulf wars, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, you name it. The met. men gained more gongs than almost any other serving personnel because they were few in number and always deployed [the RAF and Army are, wisely, very wary about using "local met. advice"]. He acquired in the fullness of time some 10 campaign medals, British and NATO and UN, and the Air Efficiency award. These were never mounted, but slung in a drawer. After he died, his equally casual family said "we think there are quite a few missing, there are several more boxes than medals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scalyback Posted 19 April , 2015 Share Posted 19 April , 2015 Grumpy that set complete and mounted would be worth a small fortune! I wonder with a lot of demob men thinking the medals can go in the draw, only to find in the home guard mounting them and finding the correct ribbons! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medaler Posted 19 April , 2015 Share Posted 19 April , 2015 Thanks Mike, I could add: 8/ Adding the medals with or without ribbons to tins of old coins kept by the family. RM Strangely, letting them rattle about with the needles, pins and thimbles in the draw on an old treadle sewing machine also seems to have been a popular option. I have come across that on several occasions now. Furthermore, there never seems to be a hint of a ribbon anywhere near them when they are found there. You can almost imagine the turn of events........... She "They want how much to put them on a pin? Pass 'em 'ere............ He (several weeks later) "Have you done those medals yet?" She "I'll do them tonight" She (later) "Bu@@er, it's not as easy as I had thought. It must have been a man what dreamed this idea up" She (later still) "Ah well, I have ruined those, best throw them in the bin. I'll buy new lengths on Monday" He (on Sunday morning) "Have you done those medals yet?" She - Remembering he was late back from the pub on Saturday night "Yes, I gave them back to you last night when you came in" He then spends most of Sunday looking for them when he thinks she isn't watching him. By the time Monday arrives, they have both forgotten all about them. Cheers, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Muerrisch Posted 20 April , 2015 Share Posted 20 April , 2015 Excellent script, re-enacted a thousand times no doubt. [and, with variations, to this day at Grumpy Mansions] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stiletto_33853 Posted 20 April , 2015 Share Posted 20 April , 2015 Many a truth here said in jest. William Mariner's VC (KRRC) was found in a chest of drawers by one of his relatives late in 2013. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medaler Posted 20 April , 2015 Share Posted 20 April , 2015 If memory serves correct, I think I can remember an old tale about a Zulu War VC turning up in a junk shop, both pinned to, and included in the price of a tunic!! Those were the days! Cheers, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Uncle George Posted 20 April , 2015 Share Posted 20 April , 2015 and it still goes on! A late colleague and dear friend of mine was a fellow meteorologist and he served part-time as an RAFVR Met Officer in the Mobile Met Unit until around 2003. Thus he attended/ served in just about every crisis area after [but not including] the Falklands. Gulf wars, Kosovo, Iraq, Afghanistan, you name it. The met. men gained more gongs than almost any other serving personnel because they were few in number and always deployed [the RAF and Army are, wisely, very wary about using "local met. advice"]. He acquired in the fullness of time some 10 campaign medals, British and NATO and UN, and the Air Efficiency award. These were never mounted, but slung in a drawer. After he died, his equally casual family said "we think there are quite a few missing, there are several more boxes than medals! I came across an anecdote on another Forum, whereby a veteran had a medal group which started with a GW British War Medal and ended with the Falklands medal. It transpired he had joined the RN in 1918, then the Merchant Navy in the 30s and served throughout WW2 into the 60s/70s. He was semi-retired and working in the shop on one of the P&O liners that was requisitioned for going Down South, when P&O called for experienced volunteers; and off he went. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medaler Posted 20 April , 2015 Share Posted 20 April , 2015 Sorry Rolt968, but I do seem to have made a fair job of highjacking this thread. Still, you did get the answer to most of your original question, so I hope you will forgive me for leading everyone astray. There has been so much interesting stuff turning up in these other comments that I have contemplated starting another thread. The only problem being that I have no idea what I should call it. Just to cover a point from your OP that has (I think) not been mentioned.... Following the discussion of medals on the wrong ribbons in this thread: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=226665&hl= When medals were sent through the post, were the ribbons attached or did the recipient have to thread them himself (i.e. ribbons in the envelop but separate)? Also were the small ribbons sent automatically? RM When you talk of "small ribbons", I presume you mean ribbons for wear on their own (without the medals) rather than ribbons for miniatures? So far as miniatures are concerned, nothing to do with them was "supplied" - you had to buy your own. The lengths of silk supplied with the full sized gongs were however of quite generous proportions. If the seamstress was more careful than the one in my script, there should have been ample to provide the small bits needed for that other purpose. I think the visible part of "ribbons only" was somewhere round about the 3/8" (9.5 Millipedes) mark, but do not have an exact and confirmed size to hand. It would be very interesting to know the full extent of your friend's unintentional medal collection, when she arrives back with them all. You might ask if the draw she keeps them in is in an old sewing machine stand! - If she said yes it would make my day. Oh, and that has just made me think of.... 9/ Hanging them from ribbons at completely the wrong length. (Usually using ALL of the original ribbon supplied and with the ensemble completed by the addition of a safety pin at the top). Invariably they are so long that, in the event of rain, and by adopting a slight stoop, the ex-serviceman could put the medals in his trouser pocket without taking them off. Warmest regards, Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 24 April , 2015 Author Share Posted 24 April , 2015 I am grateful to all contributors. This is all very interesting. I now have a slightly disquieting thought: My grandfather who was in the RFC/RAF in WW1 never wore his medals as far as I know. My aunt was sure that they were still in the family house. Two searches - one after her death, failed to find them. I now wonder if people were looking for the wrong things - medals on ribbons rather than things in boxes in envelopes. RM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMB1943 Posted 19 May , 2015 Share Posted 19 May , 2015 RM, The medals were sent in a OHMS envelope, stamped War Office, inside were boxes containing the medals and their ribbons, the medal being placed in a small brown envelope as in this picture I believe. Just goes to show how much this officer thought of them, as never worn or ribbons attached. Andy Whereas medals were sent out automatically to the OR's, officers actually had to apply for theirs, so your officer thought that they were worth having (if not wearing). Regards, JMB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 9 April , 2016 Share Posted 9 April , 2016 Just chipped in here because BWM's turn up in Turkey now and again, some with ribbons, some without. I was wondering about why this might be so and a quick look at Google and e-bah-gum revealed a fair few ribbon less examples. I was thinking that if the ribbons came with medals then a fair few would have lost said ribbons fairly quickly anyway - if not worn. I do have a paired BWM and BVM that have ribbons, one of them stained from some kind of wear - but the chap died before 11/11/1918 so he never wore them... And I would be happy to post these and others on the 'The names that I have''' thread but can't find it! Trajan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seaJane Posted 9 April , 2016 Share Posted 9 April , 2016 The archive at work contains at least two sets of officers' WW1 trio medal ribbons in an envelope, no medals - and one photograph of the officer in question wearing medals with ribbons correct ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 10 April , 2016 Share Posted 10 April , 2016 Thanks Jane. I saw recently on a certain auction site a BWM and BVM both sans ribbons and the addressed packet they were in that were 'issued' to an officer. So possible that in some cases at least medals in one packet and ribbons in another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 10 April , 2016 Share Posted 10 April , 2016 Following the discussion of medals on the wrong ribbons in this thread: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=226665&hl= When medals were sent through the post, were the ribbons attached or did the recipient have to thread them himself (i.e. ribbons in the envelop but separate)? Also were the small ribbons sent automatically? RM The only medals which would have had the ribbons attached would have been the DSO and MC. Although these were generally presented to the recipient at some sort of ceremony, I believe that if the recipient declined having the decoration pinned on his chest at such a ceremony then the medal would be sent via the postal system to the recipient or to his family. I assume that when you mention small ribbons that you refer to the ribbon bar? I doubt that these were sent out automatically, I think it more likely that these had to be purchased direct from a military tailor or similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rolt968 Posted 10 April , 2016 Author Share Posted 10 April , 2016 The only medals which would have had the ribbons attached would have been the DSO and MC. Although these were generally presented to the recipient at some sort of ceremony, I believe that if the recipient declined having the decoration pinned on his chest at such a ceremony then the medal would be sent via the postal system to the recipient or to his family. I assume that when you mention small ribbons that you refer to the ribbon bar? I doubt that these were sent out automatically, I think it more likely that these had to be purchased direct from a military tailor or similar. Many thanks Old Owl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWF1967 Posted 10 April , 2016 Share Posted 10 April , 2016 Just chipped in here because BWM's turn up in Turkey now and again, some with ribbons, some without. I was wondering about why this might be so and a quick look at Google and e-bah-gum revealed a fair few ribbon less examples. I was thinking that if the ribbons came with medals then a fair few would have lost said ribbons fairly quickly anyway - if not worn. I do have a paired BWM and BVM that have ribbons, one of them stained from some kind of wear - but the chap died before 11/11/1918 so he never wore them... And I would be happy to post these and others on the 'The names that I have''' thread but can't find it! Trajan Chit chat- "Here's a list of names on my". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trajan Posted 10 April , 2016 Share Posted 10 April , 2016 Chit chat- "Here's a list of names on my". Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldstreamer Posted 11 April , 2016 Share Posted 11 April , 2016 The only medals which would have had the ribbons attached would have been the DSO and MC. Although these were generally presented to the recipient at some sort Not quite, equally true of many other gallantry medals, the VC for one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Owl Posted 11 April , 2016 Share Posted 11 April , 2016 Not quite, equally true of many other gallantry medals, the VC for one The VC was, I doubt, ever sent through the postal system to the recipient. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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