This is the third Military Medal I have found to a recipient with my family surname. In this case it’s 26871 Private W. Birchall. William served in the 2nd Batallion, 5th South Lancashire Regiment in France.
Archive for United Kingdom
A Birchall MM Winner in WW1
Posted in Family Groups & Singles, Valour Medals with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, Valour Medals, WW1 on July 18, 2026 by The DudeA Tin Medal for a Short Service Birchall
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Cold War, Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom on February 22, 2026 by The DudeFrom the late 30’s until 1960 men in the UK were forced to undertake 18 months service in one of the branches of the armed forces. Because of the short duration of service those men did not qualify for an official service medal. In the late 90’s an entire industry grew around creating what is nicknamed “tin medals” so that the purchaser and correct some perceived oversight in official recognition. Usually I avoid these like the plague but this ones named to LAC 3137291 J.A.Burchell RAF. So in the sack it goes!
A Birchall Invalided out of the Great War
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Army Service Corps, Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on November 21, 2025 by The DudeThis is a common scenario for me. I find another family member’s medal but it’s an orphan. Especially true of the WW1 pairs. I often end up with either the BWM or the VM. Not often both of them. It makes me wonder how they got split up. In this case it’s a humble BWM for John Burchell, T-313914, a private in the Army Service Corps. John was also entitled to the SWB 392607. He was invalided from the Army on under Paragraph 392 (xvi) 2(b)i, sickness. Looking at his discharge papers its apparent his eyesight had begun to fail. His medical report shows a man with numerous wear and tear injuries. I think the Army just wore him out. He was 37 when he was discharged, too old for the game.
Another Birchall in Post-War Palestine
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Palestine, United Kingdom on September 11, 2025 by The DudeYet another GVI General Service Medal with a 1945-1948 Palestine Bar attached. This is the GSM (1918) Medal with bar to Palestine 1945-1948 issued to Gunner T. Birchall, 21043061, Royal Artillery. He served in the 39th Medium Artillery Regiment.
A really dull ISM to a Birchall in the Defence Ministry
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Imperial Service, United Kingdom on January 25, 2025 by The DudeIn the same week, from the same guy, a lowly Imperial Service Medal issued to Rowland Birchall. Rowland was awarded this in 1985 upon his retirement from the Ministry of Defence where he worked as a Overlooker. Whatever the hell that is. Maybe some kind of supervisor?
A Long Service ISM to a Birchall in the Post Office
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Imperial Service, United Kingdom on January 25, 2025 by The DudeIn my unrelenting hunt for medals to my surname I occasionally come across these Imperial Service Medals. Usually they are terrifically hard to find any real info on as the recipients are often faceless career public servants. This one here is named to a Miss Olive Birchall. I couldn’t find her in the gazette although I did find her entry into the Post Office as a telephonist in 1915.
An Ordnance Birchall in the Malaya Emergency
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Malaya, United Kingdom on January 9, 2025 by The DudeHere’s one that got caught up in the Canada Post strike and took two months to get to me. A lonely little General Service Medal with Malaya Bar impressed to 23334034 Pvt G. Birchall of the RAOC.
A Birchall Orphan to the RFA in WW1
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Royal Field Artillery, United Kingdom, WW1 on October 29, 2024 by The DudeThings have been a bit quiet in my search for Birchalls or their relatives lately. After a good start to the year here we have a lonely orphan impressed to L/20254 Bmbdr. F.Burchell R.A.
Frederick was born in 1893 and signed up on the 26th of April, 1915. He entered France on the 13th of December, 1915. It seems, aside from some illness in 1916, that Frederick made it all the way through the war.
WW1 Bahawalpur Service Medal
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals with tags Pakistan, United Kingdom, WW1 on August 12, 2024 by The Dude
Right now I am gathering a collection of British Empire WW1 service medals. Aside from the usual subjects there’s this one, issued by the Nawab of Bahawalpur, now part of Pakistan. The men of this Regiment served in the Middle East against the Turks and then later on punitive expeditions on the NW Frontier. This example is named to Carpenter Chillum Mohammad, Bahawalpur Transport Corps.
A Birchall in the Manchester Regiment
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, France, United Kingdom, WW1 on June 23, 2024 by The DudeThis group belonged to J. Birchall 1814, a private in the Manchester Regiment. He entered France on the 6th June 1915 and was demobilised on the 29th of January 1919.
A Post-War Birchall in the Territorial Army
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Territorials, United Kingdom on June 22, 2024 by The DudeThis single came from a UK auction with no other info and I haven’t been able to find any more about the guy. A 1947 pattern Territorial Efficiency Medal for 12 years service to Private J. Birchall 3653777, South Lancashire Regiment.
British Allied Subjects Medal
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Rare Medals, Valour Medals with tags United Kingdom, Valour Medals, WW1 on June 22, 2024 by The DudeThis is a rare medal and hard to find. The Allied Subjects’ Medal was a British decoration, distributed by the Foreign Office, to citizens of allied and neutral countries who gave assistance to British and Commonwealth soldiers, mainly escaped prisoners of war, behind enemy lines between 1914–1918.
In WW2 this medal was replaced by the Kings Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom
Another Birchall, killed on the Somme
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, The Battle of the Somme, United Kingdom, WW1 on June 22, 2024 by The DudeThis is the Victory Medal for Private J. Birchall of the Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire) Regiment, 4100. He entered France on the 4th of September and he was killed in action on the 9th of August 1916 and is buried at the Dive Copse British Cemetery, Sailly-Le-Sec.
Commemorative Medal of the 1939-1945 War with Grande Bretagne Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags France, United Kingdom, WW2 on February 9, 2024 by The Dude
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.
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 DudeIt 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.
A 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 Dude
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. Frederick appears on the rolls as a member of the 39th Battalion, Norfolk Rifles.
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 DudeThis 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 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 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 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 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.
Atlantic Star with Air Crew Europe and France & Germany Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Battle of the Atlantic, Bomber Offensive, United Kingdom, WW2 on April 30, 2023 by The DudeThe 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.
A 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 DudeSeems 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.
A 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 DudeThis 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.
Kiwi Medals 