1914 Star issuance and tensions in the ranks

[GrenPen]

A while ago, I read an interesting account from 1918. It mentioned that whilst those (subsequently known as) Old Contemptibles were pleased to receive their ribbons, there was frustration on the part of those who arrived in theatres of war after the cutoff date - unbeknown at that time, the 1914-15 Star would later come into being. It made mention of how they were angry and felt slighted that their service was not valued.
 

Does this ring any bells?

GP

[kenf48]

 

There was some correspondence in the contemporary newspapers sufficient for one aspect to be raised in Parliament

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1919/aug/01/1914-15-star

 

also lobbying for the Scottish Territorials

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1918/jun/26/1914-star-51st-and-52nd-divisions

 

One grievance was the decoration was awarded to all men and women who served with a unit of the BEF between the 5th August and midnight 22/23 November.   The ‘old army’,  including those retained at the Base, hence the subsequent issue of the clasp and roses.

 

The decision not to issue a medal for Gallipoli was also subject to controversy, the 1914-15 Star was therefore issued, as Churchill said, ‘to reward those who entered a theatre of war up to and including the 31st December 1915.

 

As with all conditional awards there were controversies, e.g. those Territorials on garrison duty

 

Ken

 

[PhilB]

The set up was always going to displease some. A man arriving in theatre on 31/12/15 got the star but another who, through no fault of his own, arrived on 1/1/16 didn’t. The process was necessarily imperfect due to the limitations of the time. There has been at least one interesting thread describing what the process would have been had it been formulated by medal collectors, especially modern ones! Clasps abounded.

[Medaler]

The biggest 1914 Star omissions of the lot were almost certainly the Royal Navy.

 

 

[michaeldr]

8 hours ago, Medaler said:

The biggest 1914 Star omissions of the lot were almost certainly the Royal Navy.

 

See pages 215-254 of Fevyer & Wilson's book 'The 1914 Star to the Royal Navy & Royal Marines'

for an interesting collection of items of official correspondence relating to this point