teamski Posted December 7, 2018 Share #1 Posted December 7, 2018 One of the chief complaints by WWII British soldiers after getting their medals was the fact that they weren't named. Naming of British medals had been the tradition up until the war, so why not now? Some soldiers had their medals unofficially named and these medals are called "Boots named" medals due to the fact that the Boots pharmacy chain engraved medals as a service after the war. I personally only owned one Boots medal and it was a War Medal that was issued posthumously to a RAF pilot who died in a training flight. Now, of all of the British dominions, only two officially named their medals; the South Africans and Australians. Everybody else was SOL. This first group is a South African group to a member the South African 6th Armored Division in Italy. His medals are named on the edges of the coins and on the back of the stars as was usual for British medals. Naming only included name and number with no rank or unit included. Link to comment
teamski Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted December 7, 2018 The reverse of the stars..... Link to comment
teamski Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted December 7, 2018 The Australians named their medals as well, with only the number and name of the recipient. Link to comment
teamski Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted December 7, 2018 The reverse..... Link to comment
teamski Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share #5 Posted December 7, 2018 New Zealand did not name their medals...... Link to comment
teamski Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share #6 Posted December 7, 2018 ......and neither did the Canadians (from my DFC group). Link to comment
teamski Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share #7 Posted December 7, 2018 Now, you will find some Indian groups named, but I am almost certain that this was done after independence, but I could be wrong. I hope you enjoyed the thread...... any corrections welcomed of course! -Ski Link to comment
bobgee Posted December 7, 2018 Share #8 Posted December 7, 2018 Ski - Rhodesia also named their medals. I had the honor of owning 2 groups to a pair of brothers - both were KIA - one was awarded the CGM-Flying as a P-40 pilot in Italy. The other was a a Bomber gunner KIA over Germany. Also recall that the BOOTS Chemists offered a free naming of medals to Brits, post-war of course. Bob Link to comment
teamski Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share #9 Posted December 7, 2018 Thanks for the correction! I, myself, have never had the honor, hehehehe...... -Ski Link to comment
PaulR Posted December 9, 2018 Share #10 Posted December 9, 2018 I love the British mounting practice. Very cool mounted bars. Link to comment
teamski Posted December 9, 2018 Author Share #11 Posted December 9, 2018 Yeah, it is pretty cool. The term for mounting medals with the medal sewn to the ribbon is called "court" mounted. Medals mounted with the medals dangling is called "Loose" mounted. -Ski Link to comment
captainofthe7th Posted December 10, 2018 Share #12 Posted December 10, 2018 More excellent groups, Ski. I have started picking up the South African groups due to the ease of researching. The Australian medals are very popular and also have records available, but I haven't been able to pick any up at a good deal. I enjoy seeing both countries represented and have been able to learn a bit about their involvement in the war - things we have not learned about in general history classes. Rob Link to comment
teamski Posted December 10, 2018 Author Share #13 Posted December 10, 2018 More excellent groups, Ski. I have started picking up the South African groups due to the ease of researching. The Australian medals are very popular and also have records available, but I haven't been able to pick any up at a good deal. I enjoy seeing both countries represented and have been able to learn a bit about their involvement in the war - things we have not learned about in general history classes. Rob South African groups used to be dead cheap. I got this group back in 1996 at an antique mall in Newmarket when I was stationed at RAF Mildenhall in the UK. You would find these "medal boards" at antique shops that would have groups or individual medals pinned up in a hanging case. The group cost a mere 28 pounds or about $42 at the time. Stupid cheap and yet you get a named grouping. This was at a time when WWI trios were going for 20 pounds! Things have gone up quite a bit since then. -Ski Link to comment
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