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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Small stars worn above medal ribbons?


gem22

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In the book 'Laurence Attwell's Letters from the Front' is a photograph of the soldier taken after the end of the war. He was a private in the Civil Service Rifles and served with the battalion from it's arrival in France until after the Armistice. As a consequence he is seen wearing the ribbons of the trio.

However, above the ribbons are sewn three small stars. They appear to be silver or white in colour (it's a B&W photo), six pointed, irregularly spaced, and not sewn at the same angle. I cannot be certain what material they are made of; it could be metal or cloth.

As far as I know they are nothing to do with wounds, length of service, or MIDs, but I have absolutely no idea what they signify.

Can anyone solve this puzzle for me?

Much appreciated.

Garth

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Could they be rosettes and not stars? They commonly are worn incorrectly

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Garth

Civil Service Rifles = London Regiment = a TF unit. As I understand it, the TF equivalent of a GC badge in the regular Army was a Star (worn on the sleeve) so they could be his pre-war TF service awards added to his war service medals.

Glen

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Thanks for the answers so far. To reply in order: Sorry but cannot scan the photo as I risk damaging the spine of the book; something I am very loathe to do. The photo is number 10 of 10 facing page 81.

Definitely not rosettes.

Attwell enlisted after start of the war so probably not a TF GC badge and, in another, full length photo, he can be seen with a wound stripe and a GC stripe on his sleeve. The photo with the medals is head and shoulders only and his sleeves are not visible.

Garth

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Nice idea Stoppage but if that was the case I would expect the stars to be evenly spaced and how do you attach a full size medal to a small star?

Garth

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  • 7 years later...

They look like Service Stars Awarded to Boy Scouts, one per year ? Medal Ribbons would also have been worn with a Scout Leaders uniform.

 

Edited by travers61
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Another late contribution, but would agree on the Scouting connection:

20190427_110441.jpg

20190427_110451.jpg

20190427_110520.jpg

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