Wound stripes and chevrons

[Monnaux]

Could someone please give me informations about wound stripes and chevrons?

My grandfather's discharge certiificate dated 3/04/1919 mentions that he had three wound stripes and also one red and two blue chevrons. It also mentions that these were authorised prior to 11/11/1918.

On a photo I have of him taken in Januari 1917 he has three vertical stripes on the bottom of hiis left sleeve. I assumed that they were wound stripes but he was wounded again between the moment the photo was taken and the end of the war, this wound leading to his discharge. If these are wound stripes I suppose he should have had four by the time he was discharges. COuld these lines be the chevrons mentionned in his discharge certificate?

What are the chevrons exactly and why are they awarded?

Thank you in advance,

Gerald

[HarryBettsMCDCM]

The Chevrons were for Overseas service the Red one for 1914 & the Blue for subsequent years,there was a similar post about a week ago,so a forum search "chevrons" should find it!

He would probably have been entitled to a further wound stripe,had he returned to active service,as his wound resulted in him being discharged I doubt he would have got it,as he would not have returned to Uniform.

Link To Previous Wound Stripe/Chevron Query...

[Graham Stewart]

Gerald,

These are the chevrons mentioned in Discharge Certificates which worn worn on the lower right sleeve and indicate overseas service. Wound stripes are to be found on the lower left sleeve.

Graham.

[Monnaux]

Thank you both for these informations, the link and the photo which are very helfull but, off course, trigger more questions in my mind.

The chevrons must have been awarded for 1914,1915 and 1916 and yet I'm sure he was still overseas in 1917 and took part in the battle of Passchendaele (Third Ypres). I'm not sure where and when he got his last wound but I was told it was in 1917 and I believe fairly late because he was only discharged in 1919.

Were the chevrons only awarded for a full year overseas and would it be possible that he would not have received it because he was wounded before the end of the year?

Gerald

[gporta]

I understand that a portion of a year qualified for a blue chevron. Could it be that he spent a whole year in Blighty, convalescing or working as a training instructor?

Gloria

[Monnaux]

Thank you!

I was told that he served as an instructor (he was a Marksman) for a while and I know that he was transfered from the 1st East Surrey to the 1st Border Regiment in Sept 1915 after a wound. He was also wounded with the 1st Border Regt in the Somme on 1/07/1916. According to his Medal Card he was also in the 3rd Border Regt. I assume he was either transfered from the East Surrey to the 3rd where he might have served as an instructor before being transfered to the first or that he was being transfered from the 1st Border to the 3rd after his final wound and discharge.

As I mentionned previously, I'm sure that he was in Belgium in 1917 because I remember him mentionning Paschendaele. I'm also fairly sure he lost his leg in 1917 when he was overseas.

I suppose I really need to find out exactly when and where he lost his leg but I'm not sure how to find this out.

Thanks again,

Gerald

[gporta]

If he lost his leg during the war, he could have the Silver War Badge , which could help you get further details.

If he lost a leg, he could also have been discharged with a pension, and so there could be a record in WO364 at Kew.

Gloria