victoria cross information needed, where to go

[jdsmith46]

Anyone around here know much about Victoria crosses? I need to identify one. If I am in the right place I will post pics. If not could someone point me in the right direction. Thank you in advance

[peter monahan]

Perhaps you could be a little more specific in your request? Do you want citations, a list of winners or something else?

Here is a site at the National Arcxhives [UK] giving details for all the awards from its inception to 1946. Other sites will have info. on the newer awards.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/d...toriacross.asp

I hope that is some help.
Peter

[jdsmith46]

Thank you. Our company bought one this past week. Below is our picture. We know the original one to ours is in the Lord Ashcroft collection. I feel this was a copy used by the owner as a true wearing piece. Look at the pics and let me know what you think.

[peter monahan]

Who is the original attrributed/named to?

This one looks as if it has a brooch pin on the reverse and the suspender looks 19th century, as does the very short ribbon. On the other hand, I'm not sure how early the copy is.

Modern medals are usually on longer medals and I would have expected to see a modern one worn 'court mounted' with the recipients other medals & orders.

So is it a modern copy, can you tell?r an older one?

[jdsmith46]

This is attributed to Alexander Kerr. It is marked with all the right information and it is done by hand for sure. The back of the medal is marked correctly and the back of the mounting bar has all the correct information you can see how the jeweler put all the letters in with great precision. Under magnification we can see these marking were done by hand and matches other ones we have seen.
I would not be suprised if this is his copy. This was worn for sure. The box is of the period, the medal is of the period, the pin and mount is of the period. This appears in no way any type of knock/ type copy. The estate in which it came from holds some other very very expensive/noteable military memorabilia.

[Darrell]

Can you not show the reverse?

[jdsmith46]

I shall. Here it is. Thank you for your time.

[A H]

William Alexander Kerr's original Vc is in the Imperial War museum. I wouldn't mind seeing some macro and super macro pictures of this cross, if you have time.

Cheers Adam

[peter monahan]

"The box is of the period, the medal is of the period, the pin and mount is of the period. This appears in no way any type of knock/ type copy. "

That would make sense for a period copy. At that time medals were pinned on individually by the wearer, rather than mounted in groups as is modern practice. Nice find!

[jdsmith46]

Peter thank you. I just wish i could find out if he had a copy made.

[byterock]

"was a copy used by the owner as a true wearing piece"

No way you can say that unless you have some other proof.

The inscription is incorrect by the way

It one at the IWM is


LT. WILLM. ALEXR. KERR.
24 BOMBAY N. I.
10
JULY
1857



Kerr lived a comfortable retirement in Kent, as far as I have read his medal was sold after his death by a relative. I do not think there is a record of a replacement being issued.

[jdsmith46]

Thats the truth. I feel it could have been and actually proving are two different things for sure!
I am researching now of any known style of copy done based on pin/bar design. That may be my only hope to try to identify who made this type of pin during that timeframe. From that I am going to work back.
The thrill of the hunt!

[Mike Swan]

Gazette date: 24 April 1858.

On 10 July 1857 at Kolapore, India, Lieutenant Kerr, with a small party went to attack the position taken up by mutineers in the stronghold near the town. The attacking party had no guns and the enemy kept up a ceaseless fire, but Lt Kerr made a dash at one of the gateways with some dismounted horsemen and forced entrance. The attack was successful and the defenders were all either killed, wounded or captured.

Kerr was born 18 July 1831, Melrose, Roxburghshire, Scotland.

Died 19 May 1919, Folkestone, Kent.

This info appears in "The Register of the Victoria Cross" published by This England, 1997.

Mike

[jdsmith46]

I have been in email contact with Michael Naxton, Curator of the Ashcroft Collection that holds Alexander Kerrs original Victoria Cross. We have emailed back and forth in regards to this medal. We have supplied him with several pictures to identify it. Naxton was also in charge of the medals while at Sothebys. While there is doucumentation showing a second cross being made for Kerr,per government records, the assumption made by him and other experts that review the piece would agree it was made for Kerr as his secondary Cross for everyday wear.
We are pleased that we can now represent this piece better than before and having the true expert of this medal comment on this is just fantastic!

[Chris Boonzaier]

the assumption made by him and other experts that review the piece would agree it was made for Kerr as his secondary Cross for everyday wear.

What EXACTLY did they/he say?

As is, I would not be so keen on having it in the collection...