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.
Another Ethiopian medal, this one a bronze trilobe medal with wreath and ribbon ring suspension; the face with a traditional Ethiopian portrait of Emperor Haile Selassie I wearing the Ethiopian Crown and circumscribed with the Amharic inscription in Ge’ez ‘Haile Selassie the First’; the reverse with crossed batons supporting a Trinity star circumscribed with an Amharic inscription in Ge’ez, on original ribbon mounted for wear with a clip with maker’s mark ‘MAPPIN & WEBB LD’ with one bronze palm bars denoting a second award of the medal. The medal was created to reward those engaged in military action against the invading and occupying Italian forces in the years 1935 to 1941 and was awarded both for acts of bravery in the face of the enemy and for long and distinguished service.
This medal is part of my small accumulation of WW2 Ethiopian medals. The Military Medal of Merit of the Order of St. George is a bronze trilobe medal with Trinity star and ribbon ring suspension; the face with an image of St. George on horseback slaying the dragon below the Amharic inscription ‘Hayal Kokebe Kibr’ (luminious star of victory); the reverse with a Trinity star with three crossed spears imposed above the date ‘1923’; three small edge knocks to the reverse, lower left, lower right and right; on original ribbon. The medal was instituted in 1923 and was the highest military decoration of Imperial Ethiopia, awarded rarely for acts of great bravery and outstanding military leadership in times of conflict.
Here’s a great group coming from my never-ending search for medals impressed to my surname. In this case its a WW1 Military Medal group combined with a WW2 service medal group, named to J.E.Birchall 91004, The Kings (Liverpool) Regt.
It came with a little certificate from his commanding General commending his “…skilful use of his Lewis Gun section during operations against Evillers and Mory Copse on the 23rd and 24th of August 1918”.
The village of Evillers was completely destroyed during this offensive. John Eric Birchall later served in WW2, as evidenced by his Defence Medal and War Medal. This service was as a Lieutenant in the Home Guard. Given his age, it was probably his MM that got him that rank.
This 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 King’s medal was issued in two versions: The King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom and the King’s Medal for Service in the Cause of Freedom. Both medals were silver and 36 millimetres in diameter.
The King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom was introduced on 23 August 1945, to mark the acts of courage by foreign civilians in the furtherance of the British Commonwealth in the Allied cause. It was primarily intended to reward those foreign civilians who had assisted British escapees in enemy occupied territory. The medal’s obverse has the crowned profile of King George VI, with the text “The King’s Medal for Courage in the Cause of Freedom” on the reverse. The medal’s ribbon was white with two narrow blue stripes in the centre and two broad red stripes at the ribbon’s edges.
There are a number of fakes of this medal in circulation, all cast from the same original. Look for an edge bruise at 5:30 on the medal and avoid if you see it.
My example came with some Free French membership badges which were numbered, offering me an opportunity to research and discover the recipient. Excellent.
Kiwi Medals 