WW1 Medals

[Foster88]

I thought I'd start a new post for those of us who have recently bought WW1 silver medals from @ilovesilverireallydo if anyone would like to share them when they arrive.

I'm happy to share mine with the rest of you and I can't wait to research them.

Alternativley discuss anything WW1 medals related.

I've started this in the general PM's as they are silver afterall.

 

[HerefordBullyun]

Id be intrested to know a subject close to my heart thanks @Foster88

[Connor]

Commenting to register my interest in this thread 🍻

I never managed to pick one up I was too late, but would still like to see what everyone got

[Foster88]

I have a big interest in WW1 history.

It’s a long story that I’ll share and post here but as concise as I can. But my family history in WW1 would make a great film. A sad one but a good film.

It will be good to discuss the medals and the stories behind the WW1 medals that we’ve bought here on the forum.

To keep a long story concise, ish, I knew about my grandads uncle’s from a young age. They were known, to me at least as the O’nions brothers. Their medals were sold in the 1980’s.

So anyway, on a random Sunday night in Sept 2012 I researched them online.

It was almost an itch I had to scratch, the seed was sown from a young age. My grandad had talked a lot about his uncles and I had to know more about this branch of my family. My grandad died age 91 in early 2009 but perhaps he felt a duty to ‘keep them alive’ which in a way I suppose he has done. I’ve told my niece about them and she talked about them in school on the anniversary of the centenary of the end of WW1 in 2018.

I always wondered who were the O’nions brothers (pronounced oh’ nions, possibly onions 🤔) that my grandad kept talking about? So that Sunday night, post roast dinner I sat down and thought, I’ve never googled them, so I did and lo and behold I found their medals for sale, not just a single medal but all three brothers and their fathers medals.

I contacted the dealer and I met him at a military fair in Stockport. He told me he only listed them to his website that Sunday evening and thought he’d struggle to sell such a large family group. Now I’m not one to believe in spooky, maybe fate but something told me that evening to look online and I found them all.

The medals of John O’nions (my g-g grand father) his sons Jack O’nions, Arthur O’nions and Edward O’nions.

Once lockdown is over and we get back to some normality as a world I’m going to visit France and Jonchery-sur-Vesle cemetery. So I can pay my respects to my g-g uncle CSM Arthur Onions DCM 9880 South Lancs Regiment who enlisted on 14th August 1914 at the outbreak of war. He almost made it until he was killed on 31 May 1918. I’ll also go to see Edward O’nions grave who died in 1922 and is now buried in Douglas I.O.M. he died from his wounds sustained in WW1. 

As for Jack, who served in the Army Veterinary Corps and who was the only one of the brothers to survive WW1, he later became a horse stunt rider in 1920’s silent films in USA. He moved back to Kentucky and rode under the name of Albert Steadman and Jacky English. He first emigrated in 1909 aged just 20, he sailed from Liverpool and arrived into New York harbour just three years before the Titanic never did. After WW1 he’s a total mystery. He disappears after the war and I can find very little about him.

I could tell you much more about these brothers but, I tried and I didn’t keep it very concise did I. 😬

Anyway, it would be great to see and follow and research the medals bought from @ilovesilverireallydo

Edited March 16, 2021 by Foster88

[Connor]

Nice story mate 👍🍻

[Foster88]

They’ve arrived.

The details on mine are:

L- 10052 BMBR E. Proctor R.A (Royal Artillery)

19349 Pte N. Pearce Wilts Reg

The third is SE - 20 something and the name is too worn to read sadly but is A.V.C (Army Veterinary Corp)

Anyone else who has bought these it’s possible to read the names by bending the cardboard. You don’t have to remove the cover.

[OldNick]

16 hours ago, Foster88 said:

I have a big interest in WW1 history.

It’s a long story that I’ll share and post here but as concise as I can. But my family history in WW1 would make a great film. A sad one but a good film.

It will be good to discuss the medals and the stories behind the WW1 medals that we’ve bought here on the forum.

To keep a long story concise, ish, I knew about my grandads uncle’s from a young age. They were known, to me at least as the O’nions brothers. Their medals were sold in the 1980’s.

So anyway, on a random Sunday night in Sept 2012 I researched them online.

It was almost an itch I had to scratch, the seed was sown from a young age. My grandad had talked a lot about his uncles and I had to know more about this branch of my family. My grandad died age 91 in early 2009 but perhaps he felt a duty to ‘keep them alive’ which in a way I suppose he has done. I’ve told my niece about them and she talked about them in school on the anniversary of the centenary of the end of WW1 in 2018.

I always wondered who were the O’nions brothers (pronounced oh’ nions, possibly onions 🤔) that my grandad kept talking about? So that Sunday night, post roast dinner I sat down and thought, I’ve never googled them, so I did and lo and behold I found their medals for sale, not just a single medal but all three brothers and their fathers medals.

I contacted the dealer and I met him at a military fair in Stockport. He told me he only listed them to his website that Sunday evening and thought he’d struggle to sell such a large family group. Now I’m not one to believe in spooky, maybe fate but something told me that evening to look online and I found them all.

The medals of John O’nions (my g-g grand father) his sons Jack O’nions, Arthur O’nions and Edward O’nions.

Once lockdown is over and we get back to some normality as a world I’m going to visit France and Jonchery-sur-Vesle cemetery. So I can pay my respects to my g-g uncle CSM Arthur Onions DCM 9880 South Lancs Regiment who enlisted on 14th August 1914 at the outbreak of war. He almost made it until he was killed on 31 May 1918. I’ll also go to see Edward O’nions grave who died in 1922 and is now buried in Douglas I.O.M. he died from his wounds sustained in WW1. 

As for Jack, who served in the Army Veterinary Corps and who was the only one of the brothers to survive WW1, he later became a horse stunt rider in 1920’s silent films in USA. He moved back to Kentucky and rode under the name of Albert Steadman and Jacky English. He first emigrated in 1909 aged just 20, he sailed from Liverpool and arrived into New York harbour just three years before the Titanic never did. After WW1 he’s a total mystery. He disappears after the war and I can find very little about him.

I could tell you much more about these brothers but, I tried and I didn’t keep it very concise did I. 😬

Anyway, it would be great to see and follow and research the medals bought from @ilovesilverireallydo

A great story and amazing coincidence

I remember my Grandad telling me loads of people sold these for melt in the fifties and sixties when silver was worth something and times were hard

I still have his medals in a box where they will stay until they get handed down to my kids hopefully never to be sold

 

[HerefordBullyun]

Intresting story @Foster88. What really goads me is the lack of value that the these medals bring WWI and WWII, standard issue medals in the regions where they are issued - dont get much money, becuase they were produced in abundence . As someone whose served 6 operational tours - one of my medals is worth 1500£, becuase it a was rare tour. If I did half the things that some of these brave blokes did and the stories behind them, the value does it no justice!

Im not complaining because my medals are quite expensive as a set, but I feel sorry those fought in the some most difficult conditions ever and thier family got nothing and we owe it all to them! 

The history is and bravery is unsurmountable. And many didnt live to tell the tale - some were kids. Lest we forget!

Edited March 16, 2021 by HerefordBullyun

[Arganto]

I bought two, one is very clear but unfortunately there's hardly anything left of the rim inscription on the other;

74868 PTE. W. B. PEARSON. L'POOL R.

*Found Private Pearson on a database, can't get a full record without subscribing though.

Edited March 17, 2021 by Liam84
Photos

[HerefordBullyun]

1 hour ago, Liam84 said:

I bought two, one is very clear but unfortunately there's hardly anything left of the rim inscription on the other;

74868 PTE. W. B. PEARSON. L'POOL R.

*Found Private Pearson on a database, can't get a full record without subscribing though.

you maybe able to find something on the national archives government website - a google would sort it

[Foster88]

3 hours ago, Liam84 said:

I bought two, one is very clear but unfortunately there's hardly anything left of the rim inscription on the other;

74868 PTE. W. B. PEARSON. L'POOL R.

*Found Private Pearson on a database, can't get a full record without subscribing though.

I’ve had a look on the Commonwealth War Graves website for the ones I got and the name on yours and couldn’t find them as a casualty. Most likely they weren’t KIA.

There’s always other places to look for records. Getting the MIC (Medal Index Cards) should be quite easy to find.

One of mine was too worn to read, all I can see is A.V.C.

[jackflash123]

Hey guys,

Not sure who's still following this post so apologies if my reply is a few months later.

A few years ago we came into possession of some World War 1 medals when my grandmother passed away. The medals we got indluded the 1914-15 Star, the Victory Medal and a few others including the Silver Service pin badge.

All of these medals (apx 6 in total) were issued to my Great Grandfather D.V.R. Edward Willams 803 of the Royal Field Artillery. The recipient engravings are all very clear and easy to read but there are some spotting issues on some of medals faces. I also received some old coins from the same era that came along with them.

I wanted to find out more about these medals and maybe let someone else love and cherish them.

Is this the correct place to be posting images and info about these medals?

I can upload images later after I get home from work if anyone is interested?

Thanks for reading 😀

 

[Foster88]

40 minutes ago, jackflash123 said:

Hey guys,

Not sure who's still following this post so apologies if my reply is a few months later.

A few years ago we came into possession of some World War 1 medals when my grandmother passed away. The medals we got indluded the 1914-15 Star, the Victory Medal and a few others including the Silver Service pin badge.

All of these medals (apx 6 in total) were issued to my Great Grandfather D.V.R. Edward Willams 803 of the Royal Field Artillery. The recipient engravings are all very clear and easy to read but there are some spotting issues on some of medals faces. I also received some old coins from the same era that came along with them.

I wanted to find out more about these medals and maybe let someone else love and cherish them.

Is this the correct place to be posting images and info about these medals?

I can upload images later after I get home from work if anyone is interested?

Thanks for reading 😀

 

I’d be happy to help and I’m sure a few other members here would be too.

Do you know what the other medals are? Typically most service personnel were awarded the Victory and the British medal as standard. Those who served in 1914 - 1915 were also awarded the star medal.

A service number of 803 is very low and with him being awarded the 1914-15 star it sounds like he fought for most of the war or likely from the beginning.

[Dakaras]

Researching family medals is always interesting good luck with it. 

My grandfather was also in the trenches, he was awarded the DCM for one action which saw the CO awarded the VC on the same day, unfortunately the CO (chap called Vann ) didn't make it through the war dying a few days later,  My grandfather was his runner and with him at the end.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Vann

Edited July 7, 2022 by Dakaras

[jackflash123]

5 minutes ago, Foster88 said:

I’d be happy to help and I’m sure a few other members here would be too.

Do you know what the other medals are? Typically most service personnel were awarded the Victory and the British medal as standard. Those who served in 1914 - 1915 were also awarded the star medal.

A service number of 803 is very low and with him being awarded the 1914-15 star it sounds like he fought for most of the war or likely from the beginning.

Hi @Foster88 and thanks for your reply.

Sadly my grandmother had dementia for several years before she died so there wasn't much knowledge about my relative who served, and we didn't even know about the medals until her last will and testament was activated upon her death.

I'm not certain what each of the medals is called but I know there's a 1914-15 Star and Victory Medal. I also think there's a Defence Medal too, but I'm not sure what the others are. I will post some images later and maybe I can learn more about them from people who are knowledgeable in this subject.

Thanks again for taking the time to read and reply 🙂 

 

[jackflash123]

6 minutes ago, Dakaras said:

Researching family medals is always interesting good luck with it. 

My grandfather was also in the trenches, he was awarded the DCM for one action which saw the CO awarded the VC on the same day, unfortunately the CO (chap called Vann ) didn't make it through the war dying a few days later,  My grandfather was his runner and with him at the end.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Vann

Wow thats some interesting history right there. I wish I knew the specifics of my great grandfather's service, and how/why he was awarded his medals.

I did look on some of the war records websites but as others in this thread have stated you need a subscription to have access to them, and I was only just reminded of these medals by my mother last night. So not had any free time to do some research.

I will post some images later and if anyone can shed any light it would be amazing.

Thank you @Dakaras for taking the time to read my post and for replying withe some great info 👍

[Petra]

5 hours ago, Foster88 said:

I’d be happy to help and I’m sure a few other members here would be too.

Do you know what the other medals are? Typically most service personnel were awarded the Victory and the British medal as standard. Those who served in 1914 - 1915 were also awarded the star medal.

A service number of 803 is very low and with him being awarded the 1914-15 star it sounds like he fought for most of the war or likely from the beginning.

You have his unit, service number etc. pretty straight forward to put that information into website and get a result

[jackflash123]

Hi @Foster88,

Thanks for your offer to help with learning a bit more about the WW1 medals awarded to my Great Grandfather.

I have taken some (not so great) images of the medals in the hopes of gaining some insight. 

Restrictions on file sizes so I will add more images in a new post.

[jackflash123]

More images...

There should be six different ones in total.

[Petra]

1914 -15 star and victory medal to start

[jackflash123]

6 minutes ago, Petra said:

You have his unit, service number etc. pretty straight forward to put that information into website and get a result

Thanks for your reply @Petra I have limited information unfortunately.

I know he was in The Royal Field Artillery and I think I know his service number was 803, as shown on the reverse of the 1914-15 Star.

I dont have much more info apart from his name obviously.

[Petra]

2 minutes ago, Petra said:

1914 -15 star and victory medal to start

WW2 defence medal 

[Petra]

3 minutes ago, Petra said:

1914 -15 star and victory medal to start

Allied victory medal

[jackflash123]

1 minute ago, Petra said:

WW2 defence medal 

Oh OK, I thought they were all WW1 medals. I doubt he served in both wars, but I suppose its possible.

But maybe he got the WW2 medal from elsewhere?

1 minute ago, Petra said:

Allied victory medal

This is great to get some clear info 👍

[Petra]

3 minutes ago, jackflash123 said:

Thanks for your reply @Petra I have limited information unfortunately.

I know he was in The Royal Field Artillery and I think I know his service number was 803, as shown on the reverse of the 1914-15 Star.

I dont have much more info apart from his name obviously.

There is a mix from both wars, obviously did something in ww2 , due to age probably something in home front