W - Wars

W - WARS

The First World War was the largest conflict that Britain and her Imperial forces had ever faced with operations on land, at sea and in the air.

The issue of campaign medals.

It was clear that those who were involved should be rewarded with service medals as well as an award for gallantry or distinguished service. Given the number of operations and participants a campaign medal was produced which had a clasp for service in WW1 The War office proposed 79 clasps and the Admiralty 68. War clasps included the ones for major operations ie. Somme1916 and Gallipoli 1915 and also France 1914 to 1915.

The Bronze Star 1914 was the first medal issued. 378,000 were awarded included were Territorial infantry, Yeomanry, Red Cross Nurses,Chauffeurs, also earned the medal. The watered ribbon attached to each medal is 12mm wide in three equal stripes of red, white and blue. On the reverse of the medal was impressed with the recipient’s number, rank, initials, surname and service number and unit. Officer’s medals do not carry a service number. This medal formed part of the 1914 trio. Sarcastically nick-named  Pip ( the dog), Squeak ( the Penguin ) and Wilfred ( the rabbit ) by the soldiers after three newspaper cartoon characters in the Daily Mail.Some thought the medals unworthy of the service they represented.

The other two Medals in the Trio were the British War Medal in silver and the Victory Medal, a bronze disk with a winged figure of Victory on the reverse, this medal had a thin gold wash to make it shine. The Name and Service No. of the recipient was embossed on the edge of the medal.

Conflict Dates :

WW1 ….. 28th July 1914 – 11thNovember  1918.

WW2 …..  1ST Sept. 1939 - 2ND Sept 1945

WW1 Casualty Figures for important engagements.

July 1916 battle of the Somme. 57,470 casualties, 18th Nov fatalities 108,700.

21st Feb 1916 Verdun 4th July 19,240 British soldiers were killed out of 57.470 casualties. By the end of the battle Britain suffered 420,000 causalities. The longest battle of the war, it lasted for over 9 months and was one of the bloodiest battles in history.

April 1917 Vimy Ridge

19th Feb. 1915 Gallipoli. 9th Jan 1916. 7,825 31, 389 British killed, 9,708 missing and pow, 48,749 wounded 78,494 evacuated sick.

Our District Casualties Figures

 WW1      WW2

Dunlop           26       7

Fenwick         30       9

Kilmaurs       45      11

Stewarton      69      23