Original Items: Only One Group of 8 Available. Now this is a rare opportunity! There are 8 genuine British Military and Constabulary medals, 7 of which happen to be engraved and numbered!

During the 17th and 18th centuries the service of the ordinary British soldier was simply rewarded with a state pension. During this time, due to the suffering and actions of the soldiers on both sides during the English civil war, public opinion of soldiers was quite low. Usually, only the most desperate volunteered for military service and in some cases it was the only alternative to a prison sentence. Public opinion of the British Army slowly began to change after the Napoleonic Wars (1799 to 1815) due to the heroic actions of soldiers and their officers. However, during this time, medals were only given to highly promoted officers and members of the aristocracy for their services.

The first British Army medal awarded to ordinary soldiers was the Waterloo Medal, issued around 1816-17. This was given to every individual British soldier who could prove that they were present during the campaign against Napoleon in which the British Army, alongside their Dutch and German allies, suffered horrific loss and suffering whilst performing feats of heroism. The medal was unique as not only was it the first of its kind but each soldier or officer who received it had their name stamped into the medal, recognising them individually. Around 39,000 of these medals were issued to the men who applied for them. The material chosen for the medal was Silver, which alongside Bronze, would be used widely for many medals in the coming century.

The Medals Included In This Lot:

- x2 1914–15 Stars: The 1914–15 Star is a campaign medal of the British Empire which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theater of the First World War against the Central European Powers during 1914 and 1915. The medal was never awarded by itself and recipients also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

1- Seaman F. Barter Royal Navy Reserve (C. 3634) with ribbon
2- Private P. Guntrip (DM2-075272) Army Service Corps

- 3 x British War Medals: The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in silver and 110,000 in bronze, the latter awarded to, among others, the Chinese, Maltese and Indian Labor Corps.

1- Captain H.C. Reader
2- Second Lieutenant P. H. Hudson
3- Private F. McAllister (10954) Royal Irish Rifles, Royal Irish Fusiliers

-1 Special Constabulary Long Service Medal (WWII Issue): The Special Constabulary Long Service Medal is a long service medal awarded in the United Kingdom to members of the Special Constabulary who have completed a specified period of service. Established in 1919 by King George V, the medal was initially created to reward members of the Special Constabulary for their service during World War I.

The medal may be awarded to Special Constables who are recommended by the Chief Officer of Police of the department in which they serve so long as they have served for at least nine years, and willingly and competently discharged their duty as a Special Constable. Years of service during World War I from 1914 to 1918 and service during World War II from 3 September 1939 to 31 December 1945 are counted as triple.

Name/Engraving On The Medal:

1- Leonard W. Robson

-1 Mercantile Marine War Medal: The Mercantile Marine War Medal was established in 1919 and awarded by the Board of Trade of the United Kingdom to mariners of the British Mercantile Marine (later renamed the Merchant Navy) for service at sea during the First World War. One or more voyages through a danger zone during the war qualified a mariner for the award of the medal, as did service at sea for not less than six months between 4 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. Men who served in coastal trades, such as pilots, fishermen and lightship and post office cable ship crews could also qualify. There was no minimum qualifying period for those killed or wounded by enemy action, or taken prisoner. All recipients also received the British War Medal.

Names/Engraving On The Medal

1- Sidney Clatworthy: Clatworthy was born in 1880 in Rochester, England.

-1 Africa Star: The Africa Star is a military campaign medal, instituted by the United Kingdom on 8 July 1943 for award to British and Commonwealth forces who served in North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943 during the Second World War.

Three clasps were instituted to be worn on the medal ribbon: North Africa 1942–43, 8th Army and 1st Army. The Africa Star was awarded for a minimum of one day's service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943. The operational area includes the whole of the area between the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar, together with Malta, Ethiopian Empire, Kenya, the Sudan, both Somalilands and Eritrea. Areas not bordering on the Mediterranean only qualified for the Africa Star between 10 June 1940 and 27 November 1941 inclusive.

This is an incredible lot of medals just waiting to be researched! You do not want to miss the opportunity to add these 8 British Military medals to your collections! Comes ready to display.