This group is for Sapper Thomas Birchall of the Royal Engineers. The medals are impressed to 125581 Spr T.Birchall R.E. Thomas was from Wigan and was a shoe and boot repairer before the war.
Archive for United Kingdom
A Birchall Sapper in World War One
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 23, 2013 by The DudeA Birchall Group in the Lancashire Fusiliers
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 23, 2013 by The DudeThis Group is for Joseph Birchall. He served in the Lancashire Fusiliers and enlisted on the 11th of November, 1915. The medal is named to 202627 Pte J.Birchall Lan.Fus. John enlisted on the 11th of December 1915. He was discharged in 1919 due to injury.
A Birchall Group for the Royal Field Artillery in France 1915
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 23, 2013 by The DudeThis group is named for Leonard Birchall. It is stamped 94017 Gnr L.Birchall R.A. He was a clerk from Middlesex according to his attestation papers.
A Birchall Casualty from El Alamein
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags El Alamein, Family Groups and Singles, North Africa, United Kingdom, WW2 on April 22, 2013 by The DudeThis is an unmarked group but I received it with a packet of papers indicating it belonged to Signalman John J. Birchall, killed at El Alamein in Egypt on the 23rd of November 1942. John’s number was 2367713 and he belonged to 1st Armoured Brigade Signals, Royal Corps of Signals at the time of his death. He was the son of William and Elizabeth Birchall of St. Helens, Lancashire.
The final photo is of the El Alamein War Cemetery where John is buried.
A Birchall Group from Desert Storm
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags 1st Iraq War, Desert Storm, Family Groups and Singles, Iraq, Kuwait, United Kingdom on April 22, 2013 by The DudeThis is a group for the 1st Iraq War with a Kuwaiti Liberation Medal and a Gulf Medal with a bar for 16 Jan to 28 Feb 1991. The medal is impressed to 24792731 LCpl A.J.Birchall R. Signals.
A Birchall in the Malayan Emergency
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Malaya, Malaya Emergency, United Kingdom on April 22, 2013 by The DudeThis is a EIIR GSM with a Malaya Bar marked to 22670124 A.Birchall R.A.M.C.
A First World War Merchantile Marine Medal to Birchall
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Maritime Medals, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 22, 2013 by The DudeAwarded to anyone who sailed through one of the “war zones” in World War One, this medal is named to Frederick J. Birchall. Frederick James Birchall came from Liverpool.
A Birchall Casualty from Arras, France, May 1917
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Arras, Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 21, 2013 by The DudeThis is the WW1 group for Benjamin Lawrence Birchall, who died of wounds at the 37th Casualty Clearing Station at Avesnes-le-Comte on the 11th of May, 1917. He was a Gunner for the Royal Field Artillery and was in the 17th Division Ammunition Column at the time of his wounding. Each medal is stamped 76646 L.Birchall RA.
He was the son of Benjamin R. Birchall and Elizabeth A. Birchall of Drummany, Sterlogan Park, Blackrock, Dublin. His death penny is named Lawrence Birchall.
The final photo is of the Avesnes-le-Comte Communal Extension Cematary where he is buried.
Medal Packets for Commonwealth WW2 Campaign Medals
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals, Paper with tags Cases & Award Packets, United Kingdom, WW2 on April 21, 2013 by The DudeThis illustrates the variety of packets that the Commonwealth campaign medals were distributed in.
Swiss West End Watch Co Trench Watch.
Posted in Timepieces with tags Trenches, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 21, 2013 by The DudeThis watch, by West End Watch Company, is a “Silidar” model, near the top end. It has an enamel face which dates it to prior to WW2. The watch case is the classic trench watch type, raised.
Award Case for The Kings Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals, Rare Medals with tags Cases & Award Packets, United Kingdom, WW2 on April 20, 2013 by The DudeThis case is for the woman’s issue of the Kings Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom. My medal is a men’s issue so it won’t fit this case. If anyone is looking for one of these then ping me. 
A Birchall Wartime Red Cross Medal
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Red Cross, United Kingdom, WW2 on April 20, 2013 by The DudeThis British Red Cross Proficiency Medal was issued to a Mrs. F. Birchall in 1940. I can’t make out the full name on the certificate because it is smudged. So it goes.
A Birchall Group from the Anglo-Egyptian War 1882
Posted in 1850-1900 Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Anglo-Egyptian War, Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom on April 19, 2013 by The DudeAn Egypt Medal with the Tel-El-Kebir bar along with the Khedive’s Medal, awarded to 2301 Pte. P Birchall 7/Dragoon Guards. It says on the medal roll for the Egypt medal that he was serving with the depot. However the Khedive roll has him with the regiment. The Chelsea Hospital records show him discharged from hospital without pension in April, 1884.
A Birchall Medal Group from the Palestine Mandate
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Palestine, United Kingdom on April 19, 2013 by The DudeOkay, this is a small family group but interesting. The 1939-45 Victory Medal means he was enlisted in 1945 but missed being deployed to any of the war zones. The Palestine Bar on the GSM means he deployed to Palestine during the emergency there between 1945 and 1948. The medal group is named to 1445860 Gnr W.Birchall R.A. The medal roll below indicates he was attached to 66th Battery, Airborne Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery.
A Birchall Group from the Troubles
Posted in 1945 + Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom on April 19, 2013 by The DudeThis is a group awarded to 23849729 Sgt J.S. Birchall Royal Signals. One medal is the GSM with the Northern Ireland Bar. The other is the LSGC medal with the Regular Army bar.
A Birchall Casualty Group from Passchendaele
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Passchendaele, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 18, 2013 by The DudePublished in the Reporter 6th October 1917.
BARDSLEY SOLDIER. Sgt-Major W. Birchall Dies from Wounds. It was with much regret that the people in Bardsley learned this week that 350051 Sergeant-Major WILLIAM BIRCHALL, Manchester Regiment, T.F. C Coy 1/9th battalion, had passed away as the result of wounds received whilst serving with the forces in France. News that he had been wounded in the right leg came through to his wife and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Josiah Birchall, of Bardsley, last week, and on Wednesday morning of this week a letter came from the Rev. G.M.Wheeler, Church of England chaplain, stating that he never recovered from his collapse, and passed peacefully away to his rest and reward.
By all who knew him in Bardsley, Sergeant-Major BIRCHALL was respected and beloved for his kindliness and ever present desire to do a good turn to anyone in need of it. He joined the Volunteers 17 years ago. He visited New Zealand after his sister’s death, which took place at her uncle’s in Dunedin, and whilst he was away he joined the Dunedin City Guards. He was away rather over 12 months, and on his return he entered the Territorials. He was colour-sergeant when they were called up for service in August 1914, and went to Egypt and the Dardanelles [He landed at Gallipoli 9th May 1915].
During that campaign he was slightly wounded in the chest. Later he came to France. He was there wounded in the neck by a piece of shell, and on recovery rejoined his regiment, and removed with them to Belgium, where he was wounded on the 16th September, sustaining a compound fracture of the right leg. He died on the 25th September, and was buried in the military cemetery near the clearing station by the Church of England chaplain, Re. G.M. Wheeler.
He was 36 years old. The family are associated with Bardsley Church and School, and are much asteemed in the village. He leaves a wife, Mrs Edith Birchall, of 27, Ann St, Roslyn, Dunedin, New Zealand, and two children, a boy and a girl. (William Birchall is buried in the Mendinghem Military Cemetery pictured below).
William’s gravestone
A Birchall Military Medal Group from the Somme
Posted in Family Groups & Singles, Valour Medals with tags Family Groups and Singles, Somme, United Kingdom, WW1 on April 18, 2013 by The DudeThis Military Medal was awarded to Richard Burchell R.F.A. service number 686, gazetted 21st October 1918. He was a driver in the Royal Field Artillery. The rank on the Military Medal is Acting Lance Bombadier while on his medal card it shows it as the obsolete rank of Lance Sergeant. He was awarded the Military Medal for actions including driving shells up to the guns while under direct fire from German artillery. According to his records he was reduced in rank in May 1917 after being AWOL for 3 days. Court martialled and sentenced to Field Punishment Number 2 and ordered to forfeit a weeks pay. Apparently after being wounded at Beaumont Hamel he was evacuated to a base hospital and returned to the line on October 5th 1916. He was lucky not to forfeit the Military Medal. His Territorial Service Medal shows his movement to the Royal Artillery and his peacetime rank of driver.
A Birchall Group from the Boer War
Posted in 1850-1900 Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Boer War, Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom on April 16, 2013 by The DudeThis is a group from my family consisting of the Kings South Africa Medal with South Africa 1901 Bar and South Africa 1902 Bar and the Queens South Africa Medal with Transvaal Bar and Orange Free State Bar and Cape Colony Bar. It is marked to 3573 W. Birchell RL: Berks Reg.
British Propaganda Ashtray
Posted in Propaganda Items with tags David Low, Enoch Boulton, Fieldings, United Kingdom, WW2 on April 14, 2013 by The DudeThis is one of a series of faux chamber pots put out by Fieldings of Staffordshire, England early in 1939 to take advantage of the, then recent, “Violation of Poland” by Hitler’s armies. It is tiny in size, less than 5cm in diameter. On the front it says ‘Flip Your Ashes On Old Nasty” and “The Violation of Poland”. On the rear it says “Jerry No1”. Inside is a cartoon image of Hitler, probably by David Low, a prominent political cartoonist of the period. The design is by the outstanding designer Enoch Boulton.
France & Germany Star with Atlantic Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags United Kingdom, WW2 on February 14, 2010 by The DudeThis is my stock France and Germany Star, in this case only notable for the additional Atlantic Bar.
The France and Germany Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II.
The medal was awarded for operational service in France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Germany from 6 June 1944 (D-Day) to 8 May 1945. The qualifying sea area is the North Sea south of a line from the Firth of Forth to Kristiansand (South), in the English Channel and in the Bay of Biscay east of longitude 6° west, provided such service was directly in support of land operations in France, Belgium, the Netherlands or Germany.
British uniform regulations stipulated that neither the Atlantic Star nor the Air Crew Europe Star would be awarded to a recipient of the France and Germany Star. Subsequent entitlement to the Atlantic Star was denoted by the award of the Atlantic clasp. A clasp for the Air Crew Europe Star was not issued as that Star could not be earned after 5 June 1944.
Army personnel who entered Austria may not qualify for this award, as their service is recognised by the grant of the Italy Star.
WRVS Women’s Voluntary Service Long Service Medal
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Civilian Medals, United Kingdom, WRVS, WW2 on February 14, 2010 by The DudeOn 16 May 1938, the British government set out the objectives of the Women’s Voluntary Service for Civil Defence. It was seen “as the enrolment of women for Air Raid Precaution Services of Local Authorities, to help to bring home to every household what air attack may mean, and to make known to every household [in the country] what it can do to protect itself and the community.”
In the words of the then Home Secretary, Sir Samuel Hoare, “as regards their civil defence functions, the Minister regards the Women’s Voluntary Service as occupying … much the same relationship as that of the women’s auxiliary services for the armed forces of the Crown.”
This medal was issued for 40 years of service to this organization.
The 1939-1945 War Medal with Mentioned in Dispatches Device
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals, Valour Medals with tags United Kingdom, Valour Medals, WW2 on February 14, 2010 by The DudeThis medal is identical to my other British cupro-nickel War Medals with the exception of the mentioned in dispatches device which is affixed correctly to the ribbon. The nickel medals were issued to British and other Commonwealth troops with the exception of the Canadians who received a silver one.
The Africa Star with North Africa 1942-1943 Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags North Africa, United Kingdom, WW2 on February 14, 2010 by The DudeThe Africa Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in World War II.
The Star was awarded for a minimum one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943.
The whole of the area between the Suez Canal and the Strait of Gibraltar is included, together with Malta, Abyssinia, Kenya, Sudan, The Solmalilands and Eritrea. The areas not bordering the Mediterranean only qualified for the Africa Star from 10 June 1940 to 27 November 1941.
Members of the Australian Imperial Force qualified for the Star for service in Syria from 8 June 1941 and 11 July 1941.
The example pictured includes the North Africa 1942-43 bar.
The Africa Star with 1st Army Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags North Africa, United Kingdom, WW2 on February 14, 2010 by The DudeRegulations only allow one clasp to be worn with the Star, being the first clasp the recipient qualified for.
- 8th Army
Awarded for service with the 8th Army between 23 October 1942 and 12 May 1943. An ‘8’ is worn on the ribbon in undress to denote this bar. This award is controversial because Eighth Army was created in October of 1941 and fought in Africa for a year before the award service requirement. The award dates from the start of the El Alamein battle that ultimately led to the German eviction from Africa. Reportedly General Bernard Montgomery refused to allow Eighth
- Army soliders who fought under his predecessor, General Auchinleck, from October of 1941, and even his first few months of service starting in August of 1942 to wear the award.
- 1st Army
Awarded for service with the 1st Army between 8 November 1942 and 12 May 1943. A ‘1’ is worn on the ribbon in undress to denote this bar.
- North Africa 1942-43
Awarded for service with the navy, merchant navy, or Royal Air Force in specified areas from 23 October 1942 to 12 May 1943. In undress, a rosette on the ribbon denotes this bar.
- Use of rosette emblem
During the same dates, inshore service by the merchant navy, certain commands of the Royal Air Force and by the personnel of the headquarters of the 18th Army Group earned a silver rose emblem instead of one of the clasps.
The example here is one with a 1st Army bar.
The Africa Star with 8th Army Bar
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags North Africa, United Kingdom, WW2 on February 14, 2010 by The DudeThis example of the Africa Star has an additional 8th Army bar attached. See above for other examples. I have a few more Africa Stars, in groups mostly and a single without any bar.
Kiwi Medals 