TonyR Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 Hello all, can you help decide if I have right MIC and explain some things for me please? I searched for MIC with surname Smith & number 1223* and the only card to come up fitted with Ernest J and the Royal Warks Regiment on Transfer to Reserve papers. I cannot believe it was so easy, especially with the name Smith, so does anyone agree I have right MIC. If I have, can someone then please explain what the writing means. Finally on the Transfer papers, it has what looks like 'Gold Wound Stripes - Three' & then underneath 'Chevrons Blue - Four'. Again can someone explain what these mean for me please. Many thanks in advance. TonyR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyR Posted 11 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 February , 2006 Hi, here's MIC. TonyR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pte1643 Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 I would say, it looks like you have your man. A soldier is awarded a Gold Wound Stripe for each occasion he is wounded, these are worn, Vertically, on the Lower Left Sleeve. The Blue Chevrons, worn on the Lower Right Sleeve, are (I think ) Overseas Service Stripes. One for each Year??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gporta Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 Pte1643, I'm pasting here information posted time ago by froum member Jim Gordon: The issue of Wound Stripes was authorised by Army Order 249 published 6th July 1916. Eligibility is not covered by this Order but the casualty had to be rendered unfit for duty by his wound. i.e. men returning to the Line immediately after being treated did not qualify and, I think, gassing victims did not qualfy either. There was no limit applied to the number of Wound Stripes worn. Overseas Chevrons were authorised by Army Order 4 published on 20 December 1917. Be careful here. A common mistake iis that each Chevron represents 1 years service. It does not. A man qualified for a Chevron on the day he stepped of the ship carrying him overseas. Thus a man who has 3 Chevrons could have been overseas for any time between 2 years + 1 day and not more than 3 years. (Note: as per the gassed casualties, some say they didn't qualify as wounded -as far as Wound Stripes go-, but others give data which suggest gassed men did qualify: some previous threads dealing in the subject can be read here , here and here ) I found another interesting reference somewhere else (sorry as I didn't keep record of where I found this bit). It speaks about Australians yet I wonder if the same arrangement worked for other Dominion forces (i.e.: canadians): In the case of Australians, the first chevron was earned the date the individual left Australia. Additional chevrons were awarded for each successive aggregate period of 12 months service outside Australia. (I wonder when the younger men who reached the front in 1918 were given their blue chevron: after their first spell in the front line? or maybe only after armistice?). Hope this was of help, Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pte1643 Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 Some good information there, thanks Gloria. At least I was "In the Ball Park". How do SWB's come into the equation? If a man was wounded, such that he qualified for a Wound Stripe, would he then qualify for an SWB? Or do the SWB's have their own criteria? Anyone... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyR Posted 11 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 February , 2006 Thanks for the info Gloria & Pte 1643. I'm new to all this & struggling to understand things but managed to follow the general theme of it. However I have no idea what SWB's are. Can someone elaborate for me please? Many thanks, TonyR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pte1643 Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 However I have no idea what SWB's are. Can someone elaborate for me please? SWB = Silver War Badge. Issued to service personnel that are wounded, contracted an illness or rendered disable. Each badge is numbered to the recipient. They were issued, and worn, so that when back home they can be seen to have "done their bit". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TonyR Posted 11 February , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 February , 2006 Thanks Pte 1643, I should have asked you to be gentle with me earlier in the post. This stuff really makes my brain hurt! TonyR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry_Reeves Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 Being gassed did qualify a soldier for wound stripes, under the same conditions as any other wound. Terry Reeves Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gporta Posted 11 February , 2006 Share Posted 11 February , 2006 If a man was wounded, such that he qualified for a Wound Stripe, would he then qualify for an SWB? Or do the SWB's have their own criteria? If I understand it correctly, as far as his wounds disabled him from further service, so he was discharged/invalidated from the army during the war, he would get SWN and Wound Stripe, but as far as he could recover and keep serving in the forces, he just got the wound stripe... Still, I'll give you links to places which may give you better info: - Chris Baker's parent site offers information about it here and here - The Silver War Badge had been dealt with in a lot of threads previously, I have gleaned for you just a few ones which I believe can give you further information here, here, here and here Best, Gloria Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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