New to British medals - naming/research question

[dt78]

Hello all:

I'm a longtime collector of US medals, but recently acquired a few British medals in a trade (my first ever British medals, in fact). Three of them were named, and hopefully some forum members more knowledgeable than I can provide a little insight as to the naming abbreviations and research options.

The first is a 1914 Star with the numbers 8242 (regiment or service number?), followed by the recipient's rank and name, then 1/D. OF CORNWALL:L.I. After researching some of the archived threads on here, I'm guessing this stands for Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, but I haven't a clue what the 1 stands for.

<p>The other two include a WWII Africa Star and a South African service medal. Both of the medals have an "N" prefix in front of the number. I read most of the thread on prefixes, so I assume this means both recipients were members of the Royal Army Medical Corps? While trying to research WWII campaign stars online, it seems like many are not named, so what significance does a named star have? Is there any way further research can be conducted on the individual recipients?

<p>Sorry for so many questions, but I'm a complete novice with British medals, and I always enjoy trying to put history back with a medal if I can. Thanks for any help!

Regards,
Dave

[RPN]

Hello Dave

You may want to have a look at this website which will probably answer all of your questions about British and Commonwealth medals:

http://www.britishmedalforum.com/index.php

Regards
Paul

[dt78]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the link! That's just what I needed ... it looks like there will be lots of great reading for me to do over the weekend.

-Dave

[Mons 1914]

Hi Dave,
the "1914" Trio, is from the First World War.
1/D. OF CORNWALL:L.I. - your correct - 1st Battalion Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry.
8242 - Is his service number, it's probile he attested in early 19 hundreds - 1905- 1908, (although could have seen service during the Boer War 1899-1902)

The 1/D.C.L.I - where among the very first "Old Contemptibles" to arrive in France at the start of the war, arriving on the 14 August with the 14th Brigade 5th Division, by the 23rd they were in positions along the "Mons-Conde Canel" and played any important part of the retreat of the B.E.F, throughout 1914.

Hope this helps.
Scott

[leigh kitchen]

What are the details of the 1 DCLI man? It's worth checking the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site & "Soldiers Died" for him, in the event he was a fatality.

[ChrisB]

Not sure that this is your bloke but the CWGC records that a Leonard C Whale Service No: 8242, 1st Batt. DCLI, died 22 April 1915.

If this is your chap here is the link to the medal card and CWGC site:-

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/d...&resultcount=1

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_...asualty=913662

Cheers
Chris

[Greeves]

Hi Dave: the other guys are spot on with regards to the 1914 Star. As for the Africa Star and the ASM:

1. Are they both named to the same person?
2. The "N" prefix on South African medals indicates that the recipient was Black (yes, they prefixed by race in SA back in the day, ), a "C" prefix would indicate the person was "coloured" or of mixed race. White recipients had no prefix.

3. You can research South African medals, and usually get a fairly complete service history: Audrey Portman is the woman to contact, she's regarded as
http://www.icon.co.za/~bevp/

[Greeves]

Also, regarding your 1914 Star, my Grandfather's service number was 8846 and he joined in 1906. He was in a different regiment, mind you, but I've found that numbers seem to match time periods fairly closely around this time frame when it came to infantry regiments. So, he probably did join in the early 1900's.