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Medals and war documents uncovered

Enigma266

War hero
My mum has just uncovered all of great grandads war information and has just found the medals. I know that one of these is the Star but don't know what it was awarded for. The shiny one says about the Great War of Civilisation 1914-1919 on the back. They are all (bar the shiny one, which is my other great grandfathers) in the name of Dawson which is strange and his name was Waterfall. We can only assume he joined up under age and used his mothers maiden name. I also have his discharge papers. The tin given by Victoria is still in the family and intact. If anyone is able to help me piece together his service records or tell me where to go then it would be much appreciated.

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How lovely to find such stuff, If you relate the number Rank and Name from the medals and place the details up here then someone will come up with his service details.
The medals shown are the three war medals. It is important to show the detail on the front of the Star ( Is it Nov 1914 or just 1915? that will show when he entered the 'theater of war' and weather he's an 'Old contemptible'
To have the paper discharge doc is quite rare, can I suggest that you keep it in a suitable plastic folder to save handling the actual document, the paper is quite fragile and quickly wears away.

The photograph shows him wearing his puttees criss cross 'Country squire style' he must have been on leave to have worn them like that, or the CSM would have 'disapproved' loudly!
 
The usual Great War trio, War and Victory medals and 1914 -1915 Star - the last awarded for service overseas before (I think) the end of November 1915. The very shiny medal is also a War Medal - the bunfight was called the Great War for Civilisation. Based on Ernest Darlow's discharge papers there should also be a Silver War Badge - a silver band with a cypher awarded on discharge before the Armistice.
 
A lovely little find: fortunately, his Medal Index Card (MIC) has survived.

Darlow.jpg


As you can see, his entitlement was the 14-15 Star, British War Medal (BWM) and Victory Medal (VM): his entry into theatre was 11 days over the qualifying period for the 1914 Star with clasp-the Star always associated with The Old Contemptibles and often, erroneously, called 'The Mons Star'. The fourth medal (that named to Waterfall) is also the VM: it was never awarded without the BWM so, unfortunately, you're missing one at least.

The BWM (the silver one) is mounted with the incorrect ribbon, as that is the ribbon for the VM. The correct ribbon is the length of ribbon below the VM ribbon.

As has been said, he would also have been issued a Silver War Badge (SWB), again sometimes incorrectly referred to as the Silver Wound Badge: the SWB was awarded to those men who had been discharged from Services for either wounds, illness or other injury.



Again, the SWB Roll for Ernest has survived:

Darlow SWB.jpg


He is recorded third from the top. All SWBs were numbered and are very collectible so it's probable that it's out there somewhere.

It's your lucky day, chap-it seems that at least some of his enlistment and Service records have survived (I managed to find them on Ancestry, even though some doughnut insisted on recording his county of birth as 'Lancashire' and not 'Lincolnshire'!). I'll come back to this tomorrow.
 
The usual Great War trio, War and Victory medals and 1914 -1915 Star - the last awarded for service overseas before (I think) the end of November 1915. The very shiny medal is also a War Medal - the bunfight was called the Great War for Civilisation. Based on Ernest Darlow's discharge papers there should also be a Silver War Badge - a silver band with a cypher awarded on discharge before the Armistice.
He's in good hands here, just my little bit - there's a wiki on the SWB.
https://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Silver_War_Badge_(WWI)
 
Thank you all! What confused me was that his surname is Waterfall yet he signed up with the name Darlow and some medals and Darlow and one Waterfall. Im so grateful for all your help with this.

I will ask mum to look for the other medal & the SWB. I know that the little gold tin and its contents went to another member of the family so it is possible the medal is with the original tin. They are bound to be around somewhere

I will have a look at the shiny medal as that relates to my other great grandfather.
 
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The ‘gold tin’ was presented by Queen Mary to troops at Christmas 1914 (not Victoria - she died in January 1901). I understand that the tins contained cigarettes for enlisted troops and chocolates for officers.

There’s a watch chain and fob in the picture. If they’re sterling silver, the hallmarks will tell you when and by whom they were made. Google British hallmarks to unlock the codes - great detective work!
 
As you can see the SWB is on his lapel. I just hope its not with the tin which apparently has been shoved in a loft! Mum has been trying to get it from them but I dont hold out much hope.

The buck stops with me and we thought if we could get everything together then perhaps a museum would be interested? I would hate the idea of it all ending up in a skip when I go
 
Do you not have direct descendants who this collection could be passed on to? As an assemblage this is very collectible and would fetch a good price but given there’s no gallantry decorations (Military Medal, for example) they’re unlikely to be put on display in a museum, but at least they’ll be safe- who knows, future descendants will be able to examine them.
 
5/Northampton Regiment was the pioneer battalion of the 12th (Eastern) Division. The battalion and division were part of Kitchener's First Hundred Thousand.

I think the tin was donated by Princess Mary (the then Princess Royal) rather than Queen Mary.
 
5/Northampton Regiment was the pioneer battalion of the 12th (Eastern) Division. The battalion and division were part of Kitchener's First Hundred Thousand.

I think the tin was donated by Princess Mary (the then Princess Royal) rather than Queen Mary.
Thanks, my bad. And go for about £100+ in good condition.
 
Do you not have direct descendants who this collection could be passed on to? As an assemblage this is very collectible and would fetch a good price but given there’s no gallantry decorations (Military Medal, for example) they’re unlikely to be put on display in a museum, but at least they’ll be safe- who knows, future descendants will be able to examine them.


Im an only one of an only one and I dont have kids
 
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