No medals awarded for C.E.F. service?

[fyrftr422]

I've acquired the service file for a distant Great Uncle, Sergeant James Walter Streeter, Canadian Ordnance Corps (#2774719). He enlisted for a 3-year term in the Permanent Force, Canadian Army. Looks like in June 22, 1918 he "enlisted" in the Canadian Expeditionary Corps and the same form states that Permanent Force became C.E.F on that date. Not sure what that means really.

Anyway, he served his time in Canada, never going overseas. My question is even though he served during the war, it looks like he is not entitled to any of the 3 War Medals awarded to veterans based on what I've read about their entitlements. Maybe I've not read deep enough but seems strange that a vet would not be entitled to any of the War Medals. He has some decent hardware from his service in South Africa (King and Queen's South Africa Medals) at least.

His records don't even state what War Service Badge he would have been given, but I assume it would have been a Class 'C'.

Edited 28 January , 2016 by fyrftr422

[Mars]

Hi,

For what I see, one soldier had to serve overseas to be eligible for the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

Here is a link for the medals from the Dept. of Veterans Affairs of Canada

http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations

Mars

[Waggoner]

Mars is correct! Home service did not earn any medals. In order to serve overseas, one had to enlist in the CEF, which it appears he did. What unit was he with in South Africa?

All the best,

Gary

[fyrftr422]

Thanks both

mars, that is exactly what I thought and that is the link I had originally used to see if he would have qualified for medals. Thats a shame that just because the unit you served with wasn't 'overseas', you would receive nothing for your war service, regardless of the capacity.

\

Gary

The Attestation form says he was 39 and enlisted for a 3-year term in the 'Permanent Force' for the Canadian Ordnance Corps, not the C.E.F. specifically. The "Casualty Form - Active Service" form in his service file, at the top has hand-written ... "Perm Force became C.E.F 22 6/18 RO 795".

Streeter served with the 13th Hussars (96-03) in South Africa earning the King and Queen's South Africa medals with numerous clasps. He then did a further 5 years' service with the British Army Reserve and 4 more years with the Territorial Force. It is all listed on his Attestation Papers ... http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=256212

[LarsA]

Overseas service in England would result in an award of the BWM, entry in a theater of war would result in the Victory Medal being awarded as well for a canadian soldier.

Lars

[fyrftr422]

Unfortunately his service was in Canada only, according to his discharge certificate. In fact it looks like he did his service in his city of residence, London, ON.

[Mars]

Well, if you compare with the Korean Campaign medal, it was only given to those who actually went over there, not to all members of the Canadian Forces. Same applied to most campaigns, like the SAW.

So it makes sense for the BWM and Victory one.

Mars

[fyrftr422]

I see your point Mars and it does make sense. I guess considering the First World War encompassed the entire Canadian military at the time and required vast numbers of men and every unit, corps etc. to fight it, that all would have received recognition. Korea and the South African War were hardly total wars in the grand scheme of things, but I understand where you're coming from with it. I suppose his War Service Badge was the only recognition he received for it, apart from a Discharge Certificate, of course.

[Keith_history_buff]

  

On 22/11/2004 at 17:01, Terry said:

.. as far as Canadian soldiers are concerned, if they left Canada and proceeded overseas to the UK they qualified for the war medal, and if they then moved on to France, the victory medal. Men who never left Canada would not have been entitled to any medals, so I am assuming a UK soldier who never left Britain would also not receive medals.

Hopefully other Pals can confirm or correct this.

British War Medal
Army Order 266 of 1919 states:

2. The medal in silver will.. be granted to the undermentioned classes who either entered a theatre of war on duty, or, who left their places of residence and rendered approved service overseas, other than the waters dividing the different parts of the United Kingdom, between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918, both dates inclusive:-

• (a) Officers, warrant officers, attested non-commissioned officers and men of the British, Dominion, Colonial and Infantry Military Forces.
  (b)
  (c)
  (d)
  (e)

The Army Orders can be seen in full on the following website,

https://warrecordsrevealed.com/a-selection-of-campaign-medal-issue-related-army-orders-and-army-council-instructions-1917-1923/

as well as on the GWF