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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Mercantile Marine War Medal


topdeer

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I have just bought a group of medal to a WW1/WW2 Seaman. Who served as Stoker 2nd/1st Class Ernest David Beaumont K52130/B21412.

He received the Royal Fleet Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal and was Mentioned in Despatches. But I can not find or work out why he has the Mercantile Marine War Medal ribbon and a rose on his 1939 star ribbon. I found all of his medal index for the other medals but not this

one. This is a photo of the ribbonsFullSizeRender.jpg.bccb865162bf0a92fd9d0b87d981040f.jpg

FullSizeRender.jpg

Edited by topdeer
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46 minutes ago, topdeer said:

...and a rose on his 1939 star ribbon

The rose is supposed to denote the Battle of Britain clasp (or Bomber Command clasp) when just a ribbon is worn.

Obviously these clasps relate to ww2 aircrew.....difficult at first glance to square with a stoker from ww1....

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Does that explain why he has the North Africa 1942-43 Clasp then. But I still have no recorded of his Marine medal

Edited by topdeer
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4 hours ago, topdeer said:

I don't have his Mercantile medal just his ribbon as shown but do have all the others

 

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He clearly was awarded it as you can see its with all his other ribbons. But where is the medal index for this.

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Ernest Beaumont signed on the SS Muritai (Off No 129099) of the Commonwealth and Dominion Line on 10 Feb 1915 in London as a Deck Boy aged 15.  He served until 16 June 1915 and then signed on SS Rimutaka (Off No 111355) New Zealand Shipping Co on 19 July 1915 in the Victoria Docks London until Dec 1915, his address appears in the articles as Wood Street West Norwood where he was living as a schoolboy in the 1911 Census so it is almost certainly the same chap.   I cannot find any further service in the Mercantile Marine but as he joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker on 5 June 1918 I expect he continued to serve at sea between Dec 1915 and June 1918

 

This is ample time at sea during WW1 for him to qualify for the Mercantile Medal.

 

As to the rose on his 1939-1943 Star ribbon, it would appear he did not update his medal ribbons at the conclusion of WW2 as the rose in this case denotes that he also qualifies for the Africa Star.  It was only at the end of WW2 that the 1939-1943 Star became the 39-45 star and the rose denoted the further qualification for Aircrew Europe Medal.  The 39-43 Star was never issued as a medal, only the ribbon, my Uncle who served in the Med in the RN also had this ribbon with rose in 1944.

 

Tony

Muritai.jpg

Rimutaka.jpg

Edited by MerchantOldSalt
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