Coronation/Jubilee Medal - Order of Wear

[YorkieWar]

Hi - I'm trying to pinpoint when the UK order of wear for official medals awarded for coronation, jubilee, durbar medals etc shifted from before to after campaign medals.

 

I'm guessing not during, but fairly soon after the Great War - does anyone have any idea when (or the change in feeling which caused it)?

 

Thanks 

[tullybrone]

Hopefully an historically accurate visual representation in Downton Abbey when Lord Grantham wore 4 medals - first 2 were his Boer War Campaign medals followed by Edward VII and George V coronation medals.....if I’m lowering the tone I’ll get me coat😀

 

Steve

 

https://enoughofthistomfoolery.wordpress.com/2014/12/22/a-reply-to-the-downton-historians-post-the-earl-of-grantham-war-hero-and-gentleman-officer-part-1-medals/

[Philip Wilson]

The order in which decorations and medals should be worn was laid down in ‘Dress Regulations ‘1911. The necessity for a revised list arose towards the end of the 1914-18 War which included new decorations and medals instituted during the Great War. A revised order of wear was issued, dated 5 July 1918 (notified in Army Council Instruction 754/1918). In that list Jubilee medals appeared before gallantry and war medals. However, this was changed four months later, with the publication of Army Council Instructions 1230/1918, dated 6 November, 1918, cancelling ACI  754/1918; with a new list being promulgated which placed Jubilee, Coronation Medals  and commemorative medals after all gallantry and war medals.

 For further details see   useful 68 page booklet on ‘Coronation and Commemorative Medals 1887-1977’ by Lieut.Colonel H.N.COLE and J.B.HAYWARD & SON.

 

Philip (OMRS 943)

[Guest]

HI tullybrone, one of the blog authors here. We're very pleased that you found the blog and shared it, but a bit nervous now that we got our medal facts right now we've been outed on a forum of experts.....

[tullybrone]

Hi,

 

Now that you've raised your head over the parapet just hope that no one asks you questions about Isis as such discussion is not allowed as per the forum rules😀

 

You may not have heard the last of the medals as my reading of the authoritative post above (not mine) suggests that Lord G is likely wearing his medals in the wrong order in the episodes that pre date November 1918....although on the other hand I may be the only GWF member who watched Downton😀😀

 

Regards

 

Steve

Edited 17 January , 2018 by tullybrone

[YorkieWar]

Thanks Philip - surprised to see coronation medals before gallantry awards, but that clears the matter up.

 

Yes - looks like his lordship was ahead of the times!

[Guest]

Being sad anoraks/sticklers for detail we did write to the 'historical adviser' that in one series his lordship was wearing a KSA with one clasp and we understood that such medals were very rarely awarded, under what circumstance would Lord Grantham have been awarded that? lo and behold the next time we saw the medals the KSA had two clasps. I admit that by the end of the series we were watching for the howlers, both historical and grammatical, and judging by some sites we weren't alone.

[Philip Wilson]

3 hours ago, YorkieWar said:

Thanks Philip - surprised to see coronation medals before gallantry awards, but that clears the matter up.

 

Yes - looks like his lordship was ahead of the times!

 

 

Yes quite possibly ahead of his time. I enjoyed watching Downton. 

 

Philip

[Ron Clifton]

I have facsimile reprints of the 1900 and 1911 Dress Regulations, and of the 1921 edition of "Dress Worn at Court", which make interesting reading. In 1900 and 1911 Jubilee and other commemorative medals do come before both gallantry and campaign medals, though this was changed by 1921. The two ACIs quoted by Philip in post 3 seem to put the change at November 1918.

 

Even more interesting is the fact that in 1900 the Victoria Cross comes AFTER the knightly orders, being then regarded as the highest decoration, but not an order. This was changed by 1911 to put the VC at the head of the list, where of course it still stands. In 1900 the only gallantry awards for the Army were the DSO and the DCM.

 

Ron