SteveE Posted 5 November , 2015 Share Posted 5 November , 2015 The man in question is George Melville Boynton, an American, and the image I'm interested in appears on his passport application dated 4th October 1917. Boynton served with the 25th Bn. Royal Fusiliers from 2nd March 1915 until discharged on 6th March 1917 as no longer fit etc. and had apparently had no prior service in any branch of the British Forces. He did however have previous service of sorts with both the Mexican and Brazilian armies if his service record is to be believed. As it's outside my scope of interest could any interested pal possibly identify the medal ribbons as worn by George Melville Boynton in the attached image? Many Thanks Steve P.S. I'm aware of his service record, Great War medal entitlement etc. available online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loader Posted 6 November , 2015 Share Posted 6 November , 2015 I don't recognize any of the ribbons offhand as US ribbons. At his age he could have had Spanish-American War service but if his record doesn't mention any US service then they have to be those other countrys' ribbons. Or possible some state medals from US Natl Guard units for long service or such. Seems an interesting story is in there somewhere. Have you tried to Google him to see what comes up? A soldier of fortune type maybe? Good luck in this one. Did his MIC show where his medals were sent to him when issued? Hope you can keep us posted on this one. Thanks for the excellent picture too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 6 November , 2015 Share Posted 6 November , 2015 He looks to me to be a Boy Scouts of America leader who has had some military service, I also, am not sure of the medal ribbons but the badge pinned against the ribbons appears to have a BSoA device in it? unless its a British SWB? khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 6 November , 2015 Author Share Posted 6 November , 2015 Thanks for the comments guys, the badge pinned against the ribbons is, I believe, the Silver War Badge (he was issued it at the beginning of March 1917) and I've assumed that there are four medal ribbons on the bar. Is it possible that the third one is the Africa General Service Medal? A medal to which he wasn't entitled but he won't have been the first member of the 25th Royal Fusiliers to self award himself one of those if that's the case. The other three ring no bells with me at all. As loader suggests, there seems to be an interesting story out there with this man, again not unusual for a "Frontiersmen". I did find an article where he is referred to as Captain G. M. Boynton but whether this was a genuine Army rank or not I don't know at present, there is definitely more research needed. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Khaki Posted 9 November , 2015 Share Posted 9 November , 2015 His collar badges appear to be those of a British General (crossed sword & baton), that would be normally be on the shoulder strap. Does anyone else see what I see.? khaki Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 10 November , 2015 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2015 khaki I can certainly see what you're getting at and they definitely have the appearance of the crossed sword and baton. The whole outfit doesn't make sense to me and I've no idea what he's trying to portray, in fact, the more I think about it the more I think he's a Walter Mitty character... Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 10 November , 2015 Share Posted 10 November , 2015 The badge on his breast pocket appears to be the US Army officers cap badge, (with a special to arm scroll beneath) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevinBattle Posted 10 November , 2015 Share Posted 10 November , 2015 If you're sure the photo is correctly dated as October 1917, then they won't be WW1 medal ribbons as I don't believe they would have been available. If he had been discharges as unfit for War Service, he looks remarkably well. I'm leaning to the first Walt sighting, he looks closer to a Hitler Youth leader the way he's dressed up. Does anyone recognise that style of shirt, looks too smart to be UK military issue, especially buttoned down and a woollen tie? There's far too much bling for one man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 10 November , 2015 Author Share Posted 10 November , 2015 I'm confident the date is correct as it's from his passport application to return to the USA (with his new wife) and was seven months after his discharge. He was eventually entitled to the 1914/15 Star, BWM & Victory Medals but, as you quite correctly point out, these were not available at that time hence my question as to what they are? The third ribbon looks to me as if it may be the Africa General Service Medal and the fourth looks familiar but I can't put my finger on it. At this moment in time the only item in the photo that I can say is genuinely his is the Silver War Badge. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loader Posted 11 November , 2015 Share Posted 11 November , 2015 This is a mystery indeed. I've seen the passport issued to another American who was wounded & discharged from a R. Scots Bn in 1917. His photo had him in his uniform with his glengarry & his SWB on his chest. I wonder how this man got through all the hoops needed to get home dressed like that? If we give him benefit of the doubt maybe the ribbons were earned in those foreign armies as he'd have their ribbons to wear from earlier service. Did he give some odd rank on his application that might be from one of those armies? Capt of horse, Brigade Commandant, that type of thing? Can you find a marriage report for his new wife & him & see if he got married giving his rank of some kind? Where ws he from in the US? Maybe some info from a source there. A real puzzler indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sw63 Posted 11 November , 2015 Share Posted 11 November , 2015 "he fourth looks familiar but I can't put my finger on it." The fourth looks like either an Irish 1916 Easter Rising Medal or a Tan War Medal but they were not issued until 1941... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 11 November , 2015 Share Posted 11 November , 2015 The last ribbon could be an East and Central Africa Medal ribbon, which is either the wrong way round or down to the way the colours have come out in the photographic process.Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 12 November , 2015 Author Share Posted 12 November , 2015 The last ribbon could be an East and Central Africa Medal ribbon, which is either the wrong way round or down to the way the colours have come out in the photographic process.Thank you, that was the one I was thinking of but couldn't convince myself that there wasn't a thin stripe of a different colour down the edges of that ribbon in the photo. If it is that medal ribbon then it's looking more like a 'made up' bar to me as shouldn't the East and Central Africa Medal be before the Africa General Service Medal, not after? Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoppage Drill Posted 12 November , 2015 Share Posted 12 November , 2015 If this is the same bloke - http://www.ebay.it/itm/1898-George-Melville-Boynton-Walking-Round-The-World-In-A-Suit-Of-Paper-Clothes-/231723680126?hash=item35f3cec17e - then maybe we can conclude he was a nutter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sepoy Posted 12 November , 2015 Share Posted 12 November , 2015 Thank you, that was the one I was thinking of but couldn't convince myself that there wasn't a thin stripe of a different colour down the edges of that ribbon in the photo. If it is that medal ribbon then it's looking more like a 'made up' bar to me as shouldn't the East and Central Africa Medal be before the Africa General Service Medal, not after? Steve The other ribbon could be for a East and West Africa Medal (Mind the two central stripes do look a little narrow ) Sepoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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