When you buy them and they are in a mess, nasty ribbons and even mounted out of order, do you leave them as they are or do you put them right ???
There are loads of schools of thought but if its obvious that they are "as worn" by the recipient I do like to leave them as they are. This group is fascinating as is the story behind it.
Bert Wallington was born in Tottenham, North London in 1888 and went to sea about 1902 aged 14, as a Galley Boy. His career at sea, as a Ships Cook, took him mainly to and from Australia/NZ and he supplemented his income by prize fighting (bare knuckle boxing). At sea on a long trip especially back then the Ships Cook was either very good, or EXTREMELY handy with his fists (or sometimes both). After a couple of months tramping the oceans a crew on poor food might feel inclined to take it out on somebody. There are some substantial gaps in Bert's known career due to lost documents (in the archives) but we know that when he joined the "Taranaki" in Jun 1941 his discharge book listing his service had been lost by enemy action when his previous ship was sunk.
He was medically discharged in 1944 (42 years at sea) and shortly after the war corresponded at length requiring the immediate delivery of his WW2 medals. When they arrived he appears to have mounted them, magnificently out of order, his Mercantile Marine pair from 1914/18 was mounted at the end rather than the start (the Mercantile is mounted before the British War Medal and its on a BWM ribbon, the BWM on a Victory Medal ribbon follows) and isnt it..................authentic
I think thats the word.
There are loads of schools of thought but if its obvious that they are "as worn" by the recipient I do like to leave them as they are. This group is fascinating as is the story behind it.
Bert Wallington was born in Tottenham, North London in 1888 and went to sea about 1902 aged 14, as a Galley Boy. His career at sea, as a Ships Cook, took him mainly to and from Australia/NZ and he supplemented his income by prize fighting (bare knuckle boxing). At sea on a long trip especially back then the Ships Cook was either very good, or EXTREMELY handy with his fists (or sometimes both). After a couple of months tramping the oceans a crew on poor food might feel inclined to take it out on somebody. There are some substantial gaps in Bert's known career due to lost documents (in the archives) but we know that when he joined the "Taranaki" in Jun 1941 his discharge book listing his service had been lost by enemy action when his previous ship was sunk.
He was medically discharged in 1944 (42 years at sea) and shortly after the war corresponded at length requiring the immediate delivery of his WW2 medals. When they arrived he appears to have mounted them, magnificently out of order, his Mercantile Marine pair from 1914/18 was mounted at the end rather than the start (the Mercantile is mounted before the British War Medal and its on a BWM ribbon, the BWM on a Victory Medal ribbon follows) and isnt it..................authentic
I think thats the word.
Although I've seen this group aired 'elsewhere', that incorrectly ribboned Mercantile Marine still fooled me: a bronze cooly BWM naval group? Chinese dobeywallah or kruman methinks... not. Me? I'd simply have to remount 'em [much booing & hissing from the audience]. 
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