Medal Riband Identification

[SteveE]

Pals

 

Once again I’ve been sent a photo with the subject sporting a medal riband and I have no idea what the medals are.  

 

My ‘gut feeling’ is that they’re either self awarded foreign awards or more likely non-military medals.  The photo is dated 1916 and I was wondering if any of the medal experts on the forum could hazard a guess at what the two medals might be?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Steve

[chaz]

as no one has answered.

was he  British? that would/should rule out unofficial medals and non military. also being 1916 any pre ww1 issue. not KSA or QSA.

possibly French

Edited 6 June , 2018 by chaz

[Loader]

I can't back this up with any facts but the ribbon with all the stripes seems to have an Italian look about it. Quite a puzzle in any case. Or maybe French or Russian. Good luck.

[IPT]

Possibly police medals from somewhere in the Empire?

[SteveE]

Thanks for the responses.

 

I'm afraid I don't own the photograph so can't post the whole image but in answer to a couple of the questions.... yes, he was British and served with the ASC in France until discharged due to sickness in 1916, any prior service was not with the British Army but he did have links to the Gold Coast and Sierra Leone.

 

His uniform in the photo is not consistent with his ASC service and is 'made up'.  He wears a collar badge of the Gold Coast Rifle Volunteers as a cap badge and also sports a collar badge of the Legion of Frontiersmen (an organization which he is known to have at least joined by the end of the war), he has two wound stripes (to which he was apparently not entitled) and those two medal ribbons.  My 'gut feeling' based on the uniform detail is that the medal ribbons are also 'made up' self awards but I can't identify what they could possibly be.....

 

Regards

 

Steve

[DavidOwen]

Might be a long slog but try here http://www.medals.org.uk/

Good luck!

David

 

Just found this but not sure it helps http://www.frontiernet.net/~ericbush/FOREIGN/OTHERS/LoF.html

 

Edited 7 June , 2018 by DavidOwen
added 2nd link

[SteveE]

Sorry David, I somehow missed your reply but thanks for the links, I'll give them a go.  I will say however that the Legion of Frontiersmen archivists didn't recognize the ribands as being Legion issue.

 

Steve

[chaz]

could it have been a posed 'shop' picture in which case a costume uniform made up from odds they could make or scrounge

[SteveE]

16 hours ago, chaz said:

could it have been a posed 'shop' picture in which case a costume uniform made up from odds they could make or scrounge

From discussions with the owner of the photo and the Legion of Frontiersmen's archivists I get the impression that this guy was a bit of a 'Walter Mitty' character.  I therefore think it more than likely that it is a 'made up' uniform from bits and pieces that he's likely to have picked up on his travels and that the medals, whatever they are, are likely to be 'self awarded'.  

 

Steve