This trio are a 1915 Star, Allied Victory Medal and British War Medal awarded to Private C. Burchell (M2-048414). I haven’t found his first name yet but his army number indicates that he served as an electrician in the Army Service Corps. His record shows he entered France on the 16th of March 1915 and that he was released into the Class Z reserve on the 21st of April 1919. I hope he had a decent war.
Archive for WW1
A Birchall Electrician in WW1
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on January 9, 2019 by The Dude
German Ball Shrapnel from the Somme
Posted in Ammunition & Fusing, Missiles & Projectiles, Odds & Ends with tags France, Germany (Imperial), The Battle of the Somme, Thiepval, United Kingdom, WW1 on December 10, 2017 by The Dude
Shrapnel and shell fragments accounted for a large proportion of those killed and wounded in WW1. Those blown into the ether by high explosive to one side, artillery accounted for around 70% of casualties. These six balls were recovered from the Thiepval Redoubt on the Somme and are German in origin. Thiepval was a slaughterhouse on the first day of the attack and, despite early success, took a savage pounding from German counter-fire.
The Battle of Thiepval. The view looking toward Thiepval on morning of attack and showing German barrage. (IWM)
A Career Navy Birchall in WW1 & WW2
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Royal Navy, Torpedoes, United Kingdom, WW1, WW2 on November 11, 2017 by The DudeThis orphaned British War Medal is impressed to K6690 F.BURCHELL L.STO R.N. Luckily today is Remembrance Day, so the Ancestry military records are free. He was hard to track down because the naming of the medal is in error. It belonged to George Victor Burchell, born in Preston in 1896. He joined the Royal Navy as a boy of 12. He served in both WW1 and WW2, however, all of his service post WW1 was on shore stations like HMS Defiance and HMS Vivid. He had postings on HMS Eagle both in 1918 as well as the next Eagle in the mid 30’s. His trade was listed as jeweller/watchmaker and since most of his berths were at torpedo training establishments, I think he most likely serviced the mechanisms in torpedoes. His rank on the medal was Leading Stoker, his final rank in 1942 was Leading Petty Officer.
A Reunited Orphan Birchall
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Gallipoli, United Kingdom, WW1 on September 19, 2017 by The DudeThis single is a WW1 Victory Medal belonging to William Birchall. It is impressed to 20177 Pte. W. Birchall Essex R. William deployed to the Balkans on the 19th of September 1915. He was discharged on the 30th of March 1917 under category 16, “No longer fit for war service”, in this case because of wounds. William was also entitled to the Silver Wound Badge 152379.
What is fantastic about this humble medal is that I already had his 1914-15 Star from back in 2013 so getting these back together is very satisfying. I am still missing the BWM but my search goes on.
A Birchall Driver in the ASC
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on August 4, 2017 by The DudeThis lonely little Victory medal was awarded to Thomas Birchall, 2529, a Driver in the Army Service Corps in WW1. I can’t find much on him but I can see by his entitlement card that he was awarded the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal in 1920. Both this and his British War medal are lost to time unfortunately.
Western Front Group to a Birchall
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on May 13, 2017 by The DudeA pretty common trio to a English soldier on the Western Front. The group is named variously to PTE. or L/CPL J.BURCHELL 3553 R.LANC.R. John Burchell entered France on the 6th of October 1915 and is therefore entitled to the 1914-15 Star. He doesn’t show up on the CWGC website so it appears he made it through alive.
A Birchall with Talent in WW1
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Durham Light Infantry, Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on October 16, 2016 by The DudeInteresting partial group here. These two medals are part of a group belonging to Arthur H. Birchall, 2596. He was enlisted in 1915 as a Lance Corporal in the Durham Light Infantry and ended the war as a Lieutenant Colonel in the same regiment. His BWM and MC are lost to time. Something that is also interesting here is that another partial group of his, sans MC, recently went through the DNW auction house before being snapped up and relisted on EBay at an exorbitant markup.
British WW1 Trench Whistle
Posted in Field Gear, Musical Instruments with tags The Battle of the Somme, United Kingdom, WW1 on July 20, 2016 by The DudeA simple, yet evocative item. This is a 1916 dated British officer’s trench whistle. I deliberately looked for a 1916 date because the centenary of the Battle of the Somme passed this month. The whistle was manufactured by D’Courcy & Co from Birmingham.
Lancashire Fusiliers go “over the top”, first day of the Somme, July 1st 1916.
A Birchall Valour Group from the Hundred Days Offensive
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, 1939-1945 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles, Rare Medals, Valour Medals with tags Family Groups and Singles, Liverpool Regiment, The Hundred Days Offensive, United Kingdom, Valour Medals, WW1 on December 9, 2015 by The DudeHere’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.
A Birchall Sapper in WW1
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Royal Engineers, United Kingdom, WW1 on September 5, 2015 by The DudeThis small group is impressed to 8518 SPR W.T. BIRCHALL RE. William Birchall served as a sapper in the Royal Engineers. This means he spent a lot of time on trench improvements and likely served close to or at the front. He doesn’t appear on the CWGC website so he survived. The group came with the owners miniatures which is a nice touch since I often find these things as lonely orphans.
A Birchall in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on August 24, 2015 by The DudeA modest medal, unfortunately an orphan. This medal is impressed to 8846 PVT A. BURCHELL R.W.FUS. Albert Burchell served in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers and later in The Welsh Regiment. I haven’t been able to find any more information about this man. No attestation papers. But since he doesn’t appear on the CWGC site, it appears he survived the Great War.
Update: From a friend on another site a little more about Albert
Albert Burchell
Rank: Private
Medal Awarded: British War Medal and Victory Medal
Regiment or Corps: Welsh Regiment Regimental Number: 267026 Sub Unit: 1/6th Battalion
Previous Units: 8846. R.W. Fus. Pte. Infantry Base Depot., Att. 6th Welch R., 15632. 6th Welch R., 267026. 6th Welch R., Welch R. Infantry Base Depot., 8th Welch R., Att. 37th Div Cyclists, 8th Welch R.
WW1 Anti-German Toilet Paper
Posted in Paper, Propaganda Items with tags Homefront, United States, WW1 on July 30, 2015 by The Dude
The arrival of the US in the First World War was accompanied by a rash of the usual cheesy propaganda items. This one, a sheet of toilet paper with Kaiser Wilhelm’s face printed on it, was typical of the tone many of these items adopted. Bloody funny still and Bill’s been dead for 90 years.
Another WW1 Birchall in the Merchant Navy
Posted in Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, Merchant Marine, United Kingdom, WW1 on May 3, 2015 by The DudeThis is a pretty humble medal that has had a hard life. This is the WW1 British War Medal, impressed to Frederick W. Birchall. Because of the lack of a unit or service number I suspected this was a merchant seaman award. 10 minutes on the British Archives and here he is. Frederick was born in 1871 in Liverpool and would therefore have been 43 when war broke out. His medals were forwarded to the Merchant Marine Office in Canning Place, Liverpool. He was also awarded the Merchantile War Medal, since lost to time. The War Medal here has the neck of its suspender broken as well as bad edge knocking and bruising. It probably sat in someones junk drawer for a few decades.
1917 Austria-Hungary Military Post Stamp Set
Posted in Stamps with tags Austria-Hungary, Stamps, WW1 on December 23, 2013 by The Dude
The full set of three stamps in the memory of Archduke Ferdinand & Princess Sophie. These rare stamps issued 1917 during the period of Austro-Hungarian Empire (Austria-Hungary-Bosnia).On 28th of June 1914 (written in the stamps) Serb terrorists group assassinated Archduke Ferdinand (see his portrait in the stamps along with his Hungarian wife princess Sophie) while visiting the army in Sarajevo. First World War started directly after that assassination.
A Birchall from the East Lancashire Regiment
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on December 23, 2013 by The DudeHere’s another very ordinary Birchall. In this case it’s Albert Birchall, Private, 38249. He served originally in the East Lancashire Regiment and later in the North Lancashire Regiment. His medal card shows an entry for the Silver Wound Badge.
A WW1 Single to a Birchall from the South Lancashire Regiment
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags Family Groups and Singles, United Kingdom, WW1 on December 1, 2013 by The DudeHere’s a lonely single to Private Jonathan J. Birchall of the South Lancashire Regiment (No 39159). John Joseph Birchall was born in Salford in 1885 and appears in the 1911 census as single, living with his Mum Elizabeth and working as a general labourer. The census has their address as 16 Anderson St, Salford. This house and street no longer exist as they were flattened during the Blitz in WW2 and never rebuilt.
Death Penny for a Birchall killed in the 1st Battle of Ypres
Posted in Family Groups & Singles, Plaques, Table Medals & Awards with tags United Kingdom, WW1 on September 12, 2013 by The DudeThis memorial plaque (also called a Dead Man’s Penny) commemorates the death of Private Alfred William Burchell 8121. Alfred, born in Tottenham, London, was a member of 2nd Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry and was killed on the 17th of November 1914 during the last stages of the 1st Battle for Ypres in Belgium. His body was not recovered and he is commemorated on the 47th panel of the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. Also shown is the original wax cardboard sleeve these plaques were shipped in.
1st Canterbury Mounted Rifles Collar Dog
Posted in Cap Badges, Collar Dogs and Shoulder Titles with tags New Zealand, WW1 on July 30, 2013 by The Dude
This is a WW1 era collar dog for the Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry, or 1st Canterbury Mounted Rifles.
The 1st (Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry) Regiment was officially raised on 17 March 1911. It was one of 12 regionally based mounted rifles regiments formed as part of the new Territorial Force (TF) organisation that came into existence on that day. This part-time Territorial Force and a tiny regular force of professional soldiers formed the basis of New Zealand’s army at the outbreak of the First World War.
Instead of mobilising the TF, however, the government decided to raise a separate force to send overseas to fight – the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (NZEF). In 1914 the new mounted regiments of the NZEF were given provincial names corresponding to the military district in which they were raised – Auckland, Wellington, Canterbury or Otago. This gave them some sense of regional identity.
The NZEF mounted regiments were instructed to affiliate each of the three squadrons under their command with a TF mounted rifles regiment from their military district, and to issue the regiment’s badge to the squadron. The idea was to foster linkages with the established TF regiments that were not being sent overseas. So the badge of the 1st (Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry), TF, was worn by the 1st (Canterbury Yeomanry Cavalry) Squadron of the Canterbury Mounted Rifles Regiment, NZEF, throughout its service in the Gallipoli, Sinai and Palestine campaigns.
A Birchall Killed In The 1918 German Spring Offensive
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags United Kingdom, WW1 on July 27, 2013 by The DudeThis is a late Great War pair to 202339, Frederick C. Birchall of 6th Battalion, The Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment. Frederick was killed on the 30th of March 1918, during Germany’s last throw Spring Offensive. He is buried at Doullens Communal Cemetery, Extension #1.
A Birchall Casualty from the Gloucestershire Regiment
Posted in 1914-1918 Service Medals, Family Groups & Singles with tags United Kingdom, WW1 on June 29, 2013 by The DudeWilliam Birchall, the son of William and Jessie Birchall and the husband of Alice was from Bradley Green, Whitchurch, Salop. he enlisted in Chester. He was a private, 34582, in C Company, 13th Bn, The Gloucesters when he died of wounds (gun shot wound to the abdomen) on the 31st of March, 1918, aged 32. The cemetery he is buried in, Namps-Au-Val was used by the 41st, 50th and 55th Casualty Clearing Stations when they operated here during the German Picardy Offensive of March 1918.
North Auckland Mounted Rifles Left Collar Badge
Posted in Cap Badges, Collar Dogs and Shoulder Titles with tags New Zealand, WW1 on June 29, 2013 by The DudeThis badge, for the 11th North Auckland Mounted Rifles, is the left facing collar badge. This badge is twice as rare as the right facing example since the right hand one served as both the cap badge and a collar dog. You can see these examples here.
4th Waikato Mounted Rifles Cap Badge
Posted in Cap Badges, Collar Dogs and Shoulder Titles with tags New Zealand, WW1 on June 9, 2013 by The DudeThis is a cap badge for the 4th Waikato Mounted Rifles.
The 4th (Waikato) Mounted Rifles was formed on March 17, 1911. They were mobilised during World War I and formed part of the Auckland Mounted Rifle Regiment, and served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I and first saw action during the Battle of Gallipoli. As a part of the larger New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade (of the Anzac Mounted Division) they went on to serve in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
6th Manawatu Mounted Rifles Cap Badge
Posted in Cap Badges, Collar Dogs and Shoulder Titles with tags New Zealand, WW1 on June 9, 2013 by The DudeThis is a cap badge for the 6th Manawatu Mounted Rifles.
The 6th (Manawatu) Mounted Rifles was formed on March 17, 1911. They were mobilised during World War I as a squadron of the Wellington Mounted Rifle Regiment. They served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I and first saw action during the Battle of Gallipoli. As a part of the larger New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade (of the Anzac Mounted Division) they went on to serve in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
New Zealand WW1 Patriotic Tokens
Posted in Medallions & Badges, Propaganda Items with tags New Zealand, WW1 on June 9, 2013 by The DudeThese are three identical patriotic tokens manufactured in New Zealand immediately after the outbreak of war in 1914. On the obverse is stamped “Patriotic New Zealand“. On the reverse is stamped “European War August 1914” and a quote from Nelson “England expects every man to do his duty“.
3rd Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment Collar Dog
Posted in Cap Badges, Collar Dogs and Shoulder Titles with tags New Zealand, WW1 on June 6, 2013 by The Dude
This is a WW1 issue collar dog for the 3rd Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment. The 3rd (Auckland) Mounted Rifles was formed on March 17, 1911. They were mobilised during World War I as a squadron of the Auckland Mounted Rilfe Regiment. They served in the Middle Eastern theatre of World War I and first saw action during the Battle of Gallipoli. As a part of the larger New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade (of the Anzac Mounted Division) they went on to serve in the Sinai and Palestine Campaign.
Kiwi Medals 