Graeme Heavey Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 My gt gt uncle ( gt grandads bruv ) served in the 6th Bn Border Regt. Thanks to a very helpful pal who looked up his details at Kew for me and using the Regimental info on this site, it appears the Bn were sent to Gallipoli. He enlisted 7 Nov 1914 and was discharged 14 September 1916 wounded King Regs Para 392 XVI ' no longer fit for further war service '. His MIC says he was only given BWM and Victory medal and a SWB. Sureley he fits every criteria for a 1915 star? Any advice chums? Graeme Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Robertson Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 Graeme, Strange! Have you a copy of the MIC so we can check? Qualification for the 14-15 Star ended on 31st December 1915 and I would have expected any involvement at Gallipoli to have been done by that date. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pte1643 Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 According to the Mother site (just had to check ), the 6th Borders, part of 11 Div, were withdrawn from Gallipoli on 21st Dec 15. So it does seem strange that he wouldn't qualify for a '15 Star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 8 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2006 Lads, thanks for your replies. I do have a copy of his MIC but, as my grandad wouldve said, ' I aint that sure whatta do ' to upload it!! Do you think the person completing the card may of forgot to write 'ditto' or something like that? Would I also be right in thinking that loads of men who saw action after 31 december 1916 never got given a star? I cant believe that-sureley I'm wrong!!!?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pte1643 Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 Would I also be right in thinking that loads of men who saw action after 31 december 1916 never got given a star? Surely you mean Dec '15. But No, if you have served before the Dec 31st "Cut off" you'd have still qualified for the Star. If that's what you were asking. Do you have the MIC in .jpg format yet, or is it still in .pdf format? If .jpg, then just use suitable image software to reduce the size to no more than 100KB. And add to your post as a file attachment. If it's still in .pdf (as it was downloaded) then... 1. Open the image. 2. Find the "Camera" icon in Acrobat reader, click it and then "Drag" a box around the actual MIC you want (the 1 of the 6). When You've done this it will say "The image has been copied to the clipbaord",Click OK. 3. Then Open up your preferred image software (Paintshop Pro, Photoshop etc). 4. Now Paste as a new image. 5. While there, reduce the size to 100KB. (I think about 400 pixels wide is about right for an MIC) Jobs a Good 'Un. If you prefer, or have difficulties, e-mail me the .pdf, and I'll post it for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 8 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2006 Cheers guv!!! I'll just go and try to find it. Yes, I did mean 1915!!! What I meant to ask was: if you were joining up after the 31 Dec 1915 cut-off eg you joined up Oct 1916 and went to the front 1917, would you get a star!? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Morgan Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 I don't know much about this, but when I asked a similar question about a man who was killed in 1915 but didn't have the 1915 star on his MIC, pals told me to search again using his number as he might have two MICs. And this proved to be the case. I wonder if this could be the answer here? Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliot#1 Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 No. You had to serve before dec 31st 1915 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 There is a vaild reason why a man who enlisted in 1914 would not qualify for a Star. He simply may not have gone overseas before the 31-12-1915 qualifying date. He could well have served in the UK in a Reserve unit and then transferred to the 6th Battalion when they needed reinforcements. In this case, after the evacuation of Gallipoli. Remember that the unit on the Medal rolls is the first unit served with Overseas. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 I have a pair in my collection to a Canadian artillery major who was an original 1914 man with the First Contingent. He was an experienced militia officer who would have been an obvious choice to proceed to France with the 1st Division in early 1915, and my concern before I bid on them was "why no star"? Luckily I was able to find out that some time after his arrival in England he came down with tonsilitis and was hospitalised. He never left the UK for France until 1916 (and was KIA that autumn on the Somme). Hence no 14-15 star. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 8 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2006 The first unit on the medal roll for him (in fact the only one) is the 6th Battalion. I'm stumped. Just to say I also feel that its quite unfair of the forces bosses not to give out campaign stars to ALL servicemen, even if they signify something diiferent or are slightly different to depict a theatre. Blokes who went to Egypt for example. I find it cruel! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 There is a vaild reason why a man who enlisted in 1914 would not qualify for a Star. He simply may not have gone overseas before the 31-12-1915 qualifying date. He could well have served in the UK in a Reserve unit and then transferred to the 6th Battalion when they needed reinforcements. In this case, after the evacuation of Gallipoli. Remember that the unit on the Medal rolls is the first unit served with Overseas. I'm with Stebie on this one, having looked for a second MIC (and not finding one) this is by far the best reason for his not being awarded a Star. Does his MIC give a date for entry into a theatre of war? If it's blank then that would indicate an entry post 1st January 1916 and thus no qualification for a Star. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 Just to say I also feel that its quite unfair of the forces bosses not to give out campaign stars to ALL servicemen, even if they signify something diiferent or are slightly different to depict a theatre. Blokes who went to Egypt for example. Just to clarify, blokes who went to Egypt did qualify for a Star (the 1914-15 Star) providing they met the required criteria of having served in that theatre before December 31st 1915. It does seem strange that Stars were issued for service overseas upto the end of 1915 and not for 'new' servicemen's subsequent service after the 1st January 1916. I wonder if this had anything to do with the change to conscription at the beginning of 1916? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 8 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 8 February , 2006 Cheers mate. I cant tell about the date of entry to theatre at the moment coz I'm at work and havent had the brainpower to forward his MIC to myself!! I'll have a butchers when I get home though. I assume from your comments that no date of entry into theatre was put down after 1915? Is that coz there were shed loads of blokes going in? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HarryBettsMCDCM Posted 8 February , 2006 Share Posted 8 February , 2006 Just service overseas was not criteria for receiving a Star,it had to be for one of the recognised theatres,so it would have been possible{though not in your case where I suspect as Steve does ,that he simply wasn't @ Gallipoli,but joined the 6th battalion in France,in 1916}to receive just the British War Medal,with no Victory Medal,& therefore no Star for some service O/S in 1914,such as India,Malta,etc; Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graeme Heavey Posted 10 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 10 February , 2006 Once again thanks for all the info lads. I'm off to Kew with Dad on Monday so I shall keep you all informed of what I find out! It does seem likely that he didnt serve at Gallipoli doesnt it? I was mystified, but as ever, the pals would appear to have come up trumps!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 10 February , 2006 Share Posted 10 February , 2006 Hello Graeme As suggested above I would check for a 2nd MIC, it isn't unusual at all to have 2, one with the Star qualification and the other with the Victory and BWM. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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