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.
Archive for Family Groups and Singles
A Birchall Sapper in Post-War Palestine
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Israel, Palestine, United Kingdom on December 17, 2023 by The DudeA Birchall in the Fenian Raids
Posted in 1850-1900 Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Brushfire Wars, Canada, Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom on December 6, 2023 by The DudeI 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.
A Birchall in the RAF
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, RAF, United Kingdom, WW2 on November 8, 2023 by The DudeA Birchall Captured in the March 1918 Offensive
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles, Medallions & Badges with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on October 12, 2023 by The DudeA Birchall in The Great Mutiny
Posted in 1850-1900 Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Indian Mutiny, United Kingdom on September 27, 2023 by The DudeA Birchall on the Western Front with the Suffolks
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on March 11, 2023 by The DudeA Longserving Birchall in the South Lancashire Regiment
Posted in 1901-1913 Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on March 4, 2023 by The DudeInteresting 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).
A Birchall, Career Cop, with an ISM
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on February 18, 2023 by The DudeThese 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.
Death Scroll to a Birchall, Dead at Gallipoli
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on February 18, 2023 by The DudeA 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.
A Birchall in the Cheshire Regiment
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on August 22, 2022 by The DudeA Birchall in the South Wales Borderers
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on August 22, 2022 by The DudeThis 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.
A Royal Navy Birchall Stoker in WW1
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Royal Navy, United Kingdom, WW1 on March 11, 2022 by The DudeThis 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.
A Birchall, Too Old for the Trenches
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, France, United Kingdom, WW1 on January 15, 2022 by The DudeThis 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.
A Birchall MID in the RAFVR
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, RAF, United Kingdom, Valour Medals, WW2 on November 21, 2021 by The DudeA Birchall in the Royal Fusiliers in France
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on October 6, 2021 by The DudeThis 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.
Another Birchall in the Liverpool Regiment
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on October 6, 2021 by The DudeAn Old Contemptible In The Sussex Regiment
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on October 6, 2021 by The DudeAn ISM to a Birchall in the Post Office
Posted in Family Groups & Singles with tags Civilian Medals, Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom on April 3, 2021 by The DudeA Postcard from France
Posted in Paper with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on January 21, 2021 by The DudeWhen the British soldiers reached France in 1914 & 15 many of them sent these embroidered postcards home to their family and friends. Usually pretty bland in content they are a very period specific bit of tourist kitsch.
This one is from a Henry Birchall to his sister “E” in Southport in Lancashire. It reads…
Dear Sister
I am pleased to hear that your Father Mother is keeping in good health. they will think I have forgot them because I have not wrote to them for a long time. I will … them a line just to let them no that I have not forgot them. So good by, till we meet again.
An Orphan for a Birchall MM Winner
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on January 14, 2021 by The DudeWhen I find a Birchall impressed medal out there on the Intertubes I am always pretty stoked. Sometimes it’s an orphan, a medal that has been split from its group. This one is particularly poignant as it belonged to a Military Medal winner, 685885 GNR J.Birchall, RA. James Birchall was gazetted for the Military Medal on the 4th of February 1918. I also found him listed as wounded on the War office casualty lists for July 9th 1918.
A Birchall with a career in the Postwar BAOR
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Post-1945, United Kingdom on October 18, 2020 by The DudeA Birchall killed on the 1st Day of the Somme
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on August 5, 2020 by The DudeA sad little orphan 1914-15 Star. Impressed to Private William Burchell, 17691, of the Royal Berkshire Regiment. William entered France on the 15th of October 1915 and was killed in action on the 1st of July at Thiepval on the Somme. I have some German ball shrapnel from the same area. Thiepval was an abattoir on that day although the Berkshires reached their objectives on schedule. William was 33 on the day he was killed. He is commemorated on the Thiepval memorial. Coincidentally a Sergeant in the Lancashire Regt named identically was also killed at Thiepval on the same day.
An Embroidered Postcard from France
Posted in Paper with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on February 23, 2020 by The DudeThese postcards were very popular, especially with the British troops, during WW1. This particular one has a personal connection being sent by a soldier with the surname of Birchall.
“With my best wishes to you and all in Garston. Yours with kind regards, L. Cpl J. Birchall.”
It is sent to a Nellie Tomas in Garston. Likely one I found in Garston on Ancestry, born in 1900. No sign of a marriage tho so Romeo was unsuccessful.
A Birchall Masonic Medal
Posted in 1919-1938 Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Masonic Medals, Masons, United Kingdom on February 23, 2020 by The DudeAlong with the military medals, occasionally drifts a Masonic medal. This one is the 1930 Royal Masonic Hospital Charity Jewel from 1930. It was awarded to Worshipful Brother J. Birchall of the Robinson Lodge (2046) in Maidstone, Kent.
A Birchall in the Liverpool Regiment
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on February 22, 2020 by The DudeAnother ordinary pair of Squeak and Wilfred, the two most common ww1 service medals. These belonged to Private 202702 John Birchall of the Liverpool Regiment.