This is a French medal awarded to all participants in recognised formations, fitted with a range of bars depending on the type and theatre of service. In this case the bar is “Grande Bretagne” for participation in air operations flown from a UK territory base between 25 June 1940 and 8 May 1945.
It seems to be the year for orphans with this lonely General Service Medal (1918) with the bar for Palestine 1945-48. This particular example is impressed to 19143701 SPR P.J.BURCHELL R.E. As you can see by the medal roll Sapper Burchell made it to Lance Jack by the time the medal was issued. I have a Naval GSM to the same surname with the same bar.
I was really happy to find this single out of an auction in the UK. This medal is impressed to Pte F.Birchell Fenwick Rifle Company. It is the Canada Service Medal and it has the bar issued to it for the Fenian Raids 1866. This medal wasn’t approved until 1899. It’s one of a handful of 19th Century Birchalls I have found and the first 19th Century CSM. No. 2 Company (Fenwick Rifles) (Simcoe, Ontario) was first raised on 22 January 1862 as the Simcoe Volunteer Militia Rifle Company.
This group belonged to Frederick Birchall. Frederick was an aero engine fitter before the war and he served in a similar role during WW2. He ended the war as a Warrant Officer II (Fitter), deploying to RAF airfields in France and Germany.
A simple one here. This is the Silver War Badge issued to 49532 Private Arthur John Birchall from the Lincoln Regiment. Arthur was captured at Kemmel on 15th April 1918 and held in Westfront and Friedrichsfeld POW Camp.
A very tidy Indian Mutiny medal named to Sergeant William Burchell, 2nd Batallion, 4622, The Rifle Brigade. I can’t find a roll entry for the Crimea medal so he must have avoided that shitfest.
The Atlantic Star was awarded for six months of service afloat or two months for air-crew service and was not awarded unless the recipient was qualified for the 1939-1945 Star by six months of operational service afloat or by two months of airborne service. Therefore, the total requirement was twelve months of service afloat or four months of airborne service. This star is non-conforming since you were only allowed either the F&G bar or the ACE bar to be added, whichever you qualified for first.
This is the Emergency Service Medal 1939-1946 issued by the Republic of Ireland. For service with good conduct between 3 September 1939 and 31 March 1946 this medal came in eleven variations depending on the unit or branch of service. I have four of these variants, this one is for NA SEIRBHISE REAMHCURAIM IN AGHAIDH AER-RUATHAR : the Air Raid Precautions Organisation.
This is the Emergency Service Medal 1939-1946 issued by the Republic of Ireland. For service with good conduct between 3 September 1939 and 31 March 1946 this medal came in eleven variations depending on the unit or branch of service. I have four of these variants, this one is for NA FORSAI COSANTA : the Defence Forces (Regular Army, Air Corps, Marine Service, etc.).
Seems I have a bit of a flush of Birchall’s this year. My 65th Birchall is a WW1 pair to G.J. Burchell 57346 of the Suffolk Regiment. George John Birchall was moved later to the Northamptonshire Regiment and then to the A.S.C. likely as he aged out.
Interesting orphan off EBay. This Long Service in the Volunteer Force Medal was awarded to Corporal William Birchall, 6889, 2V.B. South Lancashire Regiment. William had served 20 years by 1908 in this regiment and reenlisted as a regular in the same regiment in 1908. He served through the First World War, being discharged due to age on the 29th of September 1917 at the rank of C.S.M (age 48).
These medals are always pretty difficult to identify, just a name and a king to go by. Luckily George V didn’t live that long and I find a John Burchill, Protective Officer of London being gazetted on the 1st of October 1914. For long service and likely a retirement award. A Protective Officer was similar to a police officer but working for one of the large ports within Customs and Revenue.
A poignant item named to Alfred Burchell who served in the Royal Marine Light Infantry Plymouth Bn as a Private. He died of wounds at 7am on the 28th of May 1915 in 15th General Hospital Alexandria. He suffered a GSW in the left shoulder deemed dangerous, at ‘Y’ Beach, Gallipoli two days earlier on the 26th leading to the amputation of his left arm). He is buried at Chatby War Memorial Cemetery (Egypt 6). He was ex-1826 Private 4th Bn. Somerset Territorials, enlisted 8/4/1913 (later transferred to RMLI) ; Plymouth Bn. at Dunkirk & Defence of Antwerp 1914 ; MEF 6/2/15-28/5/15 DD. PLY/16337 Son of Mrs. Frances H. Burchell, of Hillside Cottages, Bleadon, Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. 1914 Star issued to father 31/10/19.
This medal group belonged to a Peter Birchall. The group is impressed to 51660 PTE. P.BIRCHALL CHES. REG. Peter was enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment in 1915 and demob’d at the end of the year. He was redrafted into the Labour Corps and served the rest of the war there.
This lonely orphan BWM is all I have to commemorate James Burchall. The medal is impressed to 683648 PTE J.BURCHALL S.W.B. James was initially mobilized into the South Wales Borderers (15116) in 1914 and served there until he was released to the Labour Corps in 1917. He was 29 and a labourer from Barrow in Lancashire. He was entitled to the Victory medal and the 1914-1915 Star, both lost to time. From his records he served in Salonika in Greece as well as in France, as a farrier. He was pensioned due to illness from malaria and dysentary.
This pair of WW1 service medals appeared off EBay. They are impressed for K46500 R. BURCHALL STO.1 R.N. Richard was born on 30th September 1892 in Wigan in Lancashire. He was a bricklayer by trade. His K prefix on his number shows that he was transferred from the Army upon enlistment to the Royal Navy on the 19th of October 1917. His first ship was HMS Vivid on the 31st of December 1917. His final posting was on HMS Dido, a cruiser, before being discharged on the 19th of February 1919.
This is a lonely little orphan Victory Medal for Pioneer James Burchell of the Royal Engineers. The medal is engraved 110501 PNR.J.BURCHELL R.E. James enlisted voluntarily on August 14th 1915 at the age of 46. While this seems old for the time he did indicate 5 years prior service with the Royal Sussex Regiment. James was retired sick and no longer fit for service on the 31st of July 1916. He was entitled to the SWB #236,996.
An almost lost group here to Leading Aircraftsman R.Birchall (1155198) in the RAFVR. The group came with a Welsh Regiment cap badge so I assume he was originally enrolled in that unit before transferring to the RAFVR. He was awarded an MID oakleaf in June 1945.
This is the bar issued to French service members who served in the Atlantic Theatre between September 3rd 1939 and May 8th 1945. It was intended to be placed on the Commemorative Medal of the 1939-45 War, like this example here.
This group is the usual suspects for a mid war soldier in France. These three were awarded to Alfred Charles Burchell. They are impressed to K-1445 PTE A Burchell, R.Fus. Alfred disembarked into France on 17th November 1915. On the 8th of July 1919 he was released into Z Pool, basically a civilian again.
This lonely little Orphan is the BWM, or British War Medal for Private Harold Birchall. The medal is impressed to 330057 PTE. H. BIRCHALL . L’POOL R. At some point Harold was transferred to the Labour Corps and issued a second number, 325057.
Here’s a nice WW1 group to an early arriver in France. Impressed to 9095 L.Cpl H.W.BURCHELL 2/R SUSS:R. & L-9095 T.SGT H.W.BURCHELL R.SUSS.R. This man landed in France on the 12th of August 1914 and has the November Bar on his 1914 Star to show it.
This is a French medal awarded to all participants in recognised formations, fitted with a range of bars depending on the type and theatre of service. In this case the bar is “Extreme Orient” for operations (including in the Indian and Pacific oceans) between 7 December 1941 and 15 August 1945.
In my never ending quest for medals named to my surname I inevitably roll past non-military items. Like Masonic medals or in this case an Imperial Service Medal. This one is named to Evelyn Gertrude Maud Burchell, a telephonist in the GPO. She was gazetted in February 1946.
This is a French medal awarded to all participants in recognised formations, fitted with a range of bars depending on the type and theatre of service. In this case the bar is “Mer Du Nord” for Naval Operations in the North Sea between September 3rd 1939 and May 8th 1945.
Kiwi Medals 