WWI Medal - 1914-15 Star

There were five campaign medals issued during the First World War.  The first was the 1914 Star and a previous blog outlined the requirements and sources relating to the 1914 Star (also known as the Mons Medal), 

The post is at  http://familyhistoryrecordsonline.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/wwi-1914-1914-star-mons-medal.html

The 1914-15 Star is the next medal that was awarded.

The 1914 Star / Mons Medal was awarded to those people who saw active service from the opening of the war on 5th August 1914 to midnight on November 22 1914.

The 1914-15 medal was awarded to officers and men of the British and Imperial forces who served 'in any theatre of war' against Germany or their allies, including naval operations, between 5th August 1914 and the 31 December 1915.  Whilst the large majority of service personnel would  have received it, it was not universal.  Exceptions included those who received the Africa General Service Medal or the Sudan 1910 Medal 

Notable inclusions for the awarding of the 1914-15 Star included those service personnel who fought at Gallipoli (25th April 1915 to 31 December 1915), in Egypt, and the capture of German Samoa on 29 August 1914.

However, a person could not hold both the 1914 Star and the 1914-15 Medal, so if the person had the 1914 Star Medal they would not receive the 1914-15 Medal. The cut off date for the award of the 1914 Star was midnight on the 22nd November 1914.

The reason that the 1914-15 Medal was awarded was that conscription started (under the Military Service Act 1916) on the 2nd March 1916, which stated that any man aged between 18 and 41 could be called up for military service. The 1914-15 Medal therefore recognised the men who had volunteered before conscription became compulsory. There were various exemptions (including, at first, married men) but over time the exemptions became fewer and fewer.

There are various estimates of the numbers awarded, with 2.35 or 2.4 million and the more precise 2,078,183 all being given on various websites.

The design was identical to the 1914 Star (though the words Aug and Nov were omitted and the scroll across the centre had the dates 1914-15 Star added).

The ribbon is also identical to that of the 1914 Star, being red, white and blue stripes on watered silk. Also like the 1914 Star the soldier's regiment and number were inscribed on the flat face on the rear of the Star.

Medal Index Cards

By far the most important source are The National Archives Medal Index Cards (in series WO 372) at

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/medal-index-cards-ww1.htm

There are over 5 million cards, most of which are for soldiers in the British Army.  The collection includes:

• most British Army officers
• Indian Army personnel
• British Army Nurses
• Royal Flying Corps personnel
• Royal Naval Division personnel
• some civilians

The Medal Index is also available Ancestry under the title 

'British Army WWI Medal Rolls Index Cards, 1914-1920' at

http://search.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=1262


For a list of all medals on Ancestry and Findmypast go to
http://www.familyhistoryrecordsonline.com/military.html#medalsandhonours

On the Medal Cards the 1914-15 Star was often written 15 Star in the stamped box (top right) and could also be described in the hand written text below (in this case in the section 'Action Taken').

WWI Medal - 1914 Star / Mons Medal

As it is approaching the now famous 'Christmas truce' and the football match between the English and German soldiers fighting in the muddy and cold trenches along the front line, it is a good time to reflect and look at 1914 Star - the campaign medal for the opening months of the First World War.

Background

With war brewing for the months before its opening campaigns in August all sides had had a chance to prepare for war.  The German grand plan (known as the Schlieffen Plan after the German General who had devised it) was to go round the army and defences which France had been building up along the German border in preparation for another war against Germany.   The Germans took advantage of the lack of French forces along the Belgium border and attacked through Belgium.  As Belgium's neutrality had been guaranteed by Britain, the British sent units of the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) to Belgium and France in early August.

The opening campaign was a crushing victory for the Germans and whilst there were moments of heroism by the British forces, the allied forces were pushed back in an action known as either the Great Retreat or the Retreat from Mons. The Allied lines were finally stabilised about 200 miles from their original positions along the Rivers Marne and Aisne.

With the lightning strike on Paris not now feasible, the German army raced to Channel coast, both to seize re-supply ports, but also to try to out-flank the Allied lines.  One area which stood between the Germans and the sea was the higher ground round the Medieval city of Ypres (or 'Wipers' as it became known to the English).  The First Battle of Ypres (there were four in all) was the result of a massive German attack along a long front, which the allies managed to halt and hold the line.  It was a significant defensive victory and meant that the Germans could not encircle the Allies nor gain significant Channel ports, such as Calais.

The early days of very mobile warfare had passed and by Christmas defensive trench warfare had become the norm.   It was from these trenches that the soldiers emerged at Christmas to play their famous match.

1914 Star (the Mons Star)

There are a great many sources for the background history of First World war (Wikipedia is a good starting point).  For family historians a key record for the early weeks of the war is that regarding the awarding of the Mons Star medal. 

The Mons Star was the nick name for the correctly named '1914 Star'.  The same medal could also be called 'Pip' - as it was often awarded with the British War Medal and the Victory Medal - the trio of which were called 'Pip, Squeak and Wilfred'.

The 1914 Star covered the first 16 weeks of the war and included

• The Battle of Mons
• The retreat to the Seine
• The Battle of Le Cateau
• The Battle of the Marne
• The Battle of Aisne
• The First Battle of Ypres

The 1914 Star was awarded to servicemen and women and civilians of the British and Indian Forces who saw service in France and Belgium between the 5th August and 22 November 1914. Any personnel arriving on the 23rd November or later were not eligible for the 1914 Star, but where awarded the 1914/15 Star (which will be covered in a later blog).

As well as the Army this included the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve  The 1914 Star was authorised in April 1917 by King George V.  In all 365,622 Mons Stars were issued. Whilst the front was ornate, the reverse was plain to allow for the inscription of the recipient's service number, rank, name and unit.

In 1919 a bar (ie another medal of the same type) was sanctioned with the inscription "5th Aug-22nd November 1914".  The 1914 bar was only awarded to those who had actually been under fire during the specified period.  As the same ribbon was used as the later 1914/15 Star, to differentiate the 1914 and 1914/15 Star holders of the 1914 Star were permitted to wear the ribbon with a small silver rosette.  this was often noted on Medal cards as the 'Clasp and Roses' or 'C&R'.  This was not sent out unless applied for.

1914 Star records are held by the National Archives and two main collections exist:

1914 Star: officers: medal rolls 1914 Star C 502 at
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4437729
and
1914 Star: other ranks other ranks: medal rolls at
http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4437610

These have not been digitised but can be seen at the National Archives and copies can be ordered.  Individuals can be searched for my name. 

Findmypast has a list entitled 'Royal Navy, 1914 Star Medal Roll 1914-1920' at
<a href="http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=2114&awinaffid=212927&clickref=&p=http%3A%2F%2Fsearch.findmypast.co.uk%2Fsearch-world-Records%2Froyal-navy-1914-star-medal-roll-1914-1920" onmouseover="self.status='http://search.findmypast.co.uk/search-world-Records/royal-navy-1914-star-medal-roll-1914-1920'; return true;" onmouseout="self.status=''; return true;" target="_top">Findmypast</a>
which includes the Royal Marines.

Medal cards also list those men who were awarded the 1914 Star as in this example in top right quarter of this medal card where it is written '14 Star'.

A list of medals from 1800 onwards that are available through Ancestry, Findmypast and The Genealogist is at http://www.familyhistoryrecordsonline.com/military.html#medals