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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Medal Placement


tankengine888

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Hello!

I did a search all over to no avail

Now, I see people with medals that seem to have inconsistent size.. in that regard, I mean bottom row ribbons shorter than the top row or the ribbons going past the width of the button.

EXAMPLE: Top row larger than Bottom Row [Whittle VC]
P01383.014

EXAMPLE: Ribbons go past the width of the breast pocket [Later Lieutenant Colonel J. K. Paul]
image.png.1dd5e60ef865d921238137a011137ede.png

These are the only photos I can find but I hope you see my point.

I'd be glad to hear an answer,

tank.

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Firstly you would have to work out how many medals were involved. Some being a single colour, up to 7 or more different width stripes. Otherwise there could be the combination of full size and miniature , dress, medals.

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7 minutes ago, chaz said:

Firstly you would have to work out how many medals were involved. Some being a single colour, up to 7 or more different width stripes. Otherwise there could be the combination of full size and miniature , dress, medals.

This makes semi-sense to me..I noticed Colonel Paul wears medals like Khedive Star, South African Medals, ETC which are not colourful like a Victory Medal which might explain it all. 

Also, my usual thought was that medals would be placed in a triangle shape.

i assume Whittle wearing his BWM and VM on the bottom are due to when they were issued to him.

Note: I understand that the 1914-15 star was awarded first before the BWM and VM

I hope that made sense.

Tank 

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you say "in a triangle". 

In Russia, China, America medals are handed out like sweets.!

IF a soldier served in WW1 he would have only had 3, had he served 1900-02 he may have had a KSA and or QSA, The Khedive star was awarded from 1882-1891. This would have meant he could possibly have had 3 , KS, KSA and QSA. but by 1914 he would have been around 39 so getting too old for a soldier in active service, an Officer maybe  could have. so Total 6.

there were a few more options , such as Egypt medal , which like the KSA and QSA could have multiple bars but would not show on a ribbon bar. A GSM or NGSM  could be late war .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Australian_campaign_medals will give an idea for Aussies, see the modern (post WW2) have a lot more issues.

 

that said , you could possibly add a WW2 War or defence to a trio but then that would be 5, obviously officers and SNCO's may have more. Dads Army, Air Raid etc

compare to sweet shops 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awards_and_decorations_of_the_United_States_Armed_Forces

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orders,_decorations,_and_medals_of_Russia

some of these are for sharp shooting, cleanest boots etc!!

 

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5 minutes ago, chaz said:

you say "in a triangle". 

In Russia, China, America medals are handed out like sweets.!

IF a soldier served in WW1 he would have only had 3, had he served 1900-02 he may have had a KSA and or QSA, The Khedive star was awarded from 1882-1891. This would have meant he could possibly have had 3 , KS, KSA and QSA. but by 1914 he would have been around 39 so getting too old for a soldier in active service, an Officer maybe  could have. so Total 6.

there were a few more options , such as Egypt medal , which like the KSA and QSA could have multiple bars but would not show on a ribbon bar. A GSM or NGSM  could be late war .

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Australian_campaign_medals will give an idea for Aussies, see the modern (post WW2) have a lot more issues.

 

that said , you could possibly add a WW2 War or defence to a trio but then that would be 5, obviously officers and SNCO's may have more. Dads Army, Air Raid etc

compare to sweet shops 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Awards_and_decorations_of_the_United_States_Armed_Forces

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orders,_decorations,_and_medals_of_Russia

some of these are for sharp shooting, cleanest boots etc!!

 

(My post to become Lieutenant Colonel!)

I do know that America had a fruit salads.. I guess that line in Seven Days in May was right!

Senator Frederick Prentice:

You make me think that fruit salad on your chest is for neutrality, evasiveness, and fence-straddling.

Colonel Martin "Jiggs" Casey:

On the contrary, Senator, they're standard awards for cocktail courage and dinner-table heroism.

 

Back on topic, it's between 1 to 3 for a WW1 soldier to be pedantic.

in Colonel Paul's case of having a rainbow of ribbons, I found this.

John Keating Paul was born in England on 19 September 1864, and spent his early life in India before travelling to England for schooling and further study at the Royal Military Academy. He subsequently served as a professional soldier with the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment. He took part in the Sudan campaign of 1885, in the action at Hasheen and in the advance to Taimi and Takool. He subsequently served in the Hazara campaign of 1888, on the north-west Indian frontier before emigrating to Victoria in about 1890 to join the Australian Garrison Artillery

He had (at time of that photo and not in order)

Indian GSM (1854.. per his uniform on AWM)

Queens South African Medal

Khedive Star

Egypt Medal

there are 2 others.. probably for militia service 

 

It is funny how these medals all rack up so quickly. I recall Captain Mainwaring said something about how everyone got a medal for 'every tin pot campaign'.. he should've joined the Americans. (From Battle of the Giants)

Also! I saw when Jones was wearing his denims, his medals were all over.. but ofcourse, this was a tv show.

Screenshot_2022-08-07-00-27-11-11.jpg.55140b1922af7308b1ef828fcb60f49b.jpg

 

Im just thinking what a father would say after their children saw their massive fruit salad for having the cleanest toilet and being able to shoot more than 2 metres without missing 

Tank.

P.S I need sleep, back in the morning.

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