Civilian Service Medals - Resolved :)

[Electric_Andy]

My Gran who's just turned 97, was trained as an auxillary nurse in WWII. We had heard that those who joined the land army were able to get a medal of recognition for their service, so we asked Gran for all her detials, where she was posted etc (Royal Haslar and then London).

We've now heard that auxillary nurses were classed as civvies, so basically there's no records and as such we can't get her medal.

So, we've decided to make our own medal and a posh letter which we can frame (she's blind now so won't be able to tell the difference).

Just wondered if anyone else has had an official one so that we can try to replicate it? We'll tell the family the truth, as we don't want other people thinking we're producing fakes! So it will be kept between us, but it will mean the world to my Gran who probably hasn't got much time left

 

[Moon bunny]

(Hover fly using bunny's account coz I'm to lazy to log in.) The medal for aux. nurses was the defence medal, issued widely, no posh letter as far as I know (father had the medal). You often see the Defence Medal for sale in second hand and even charity shops, green and orange ribbon.

 

[Electric_Andy]

The medal for aux. nurses was the defence medal

That's great thank you. Maybe we can purchase one off e-bay. It seems that the office we corresponded to doesn't talk or know about the civil defense medal, as they said we had to have proof of service and and official letter.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

+1 to Hoverfly. As an auxiliary Nurse she would have got the Defence Medal (NOT the Civil Defence Medal), if it never arrived or if she didn't receive it for whatever reason, it's widely available in "antique" / tat and memorablia shops, usually about 10 pounds for one on its own. They were issued unnamed (i.e. the recipient's name was not engraved on it). It wouldn't have had a posh letter; Even named, military campaign medals didn't come with a letter. So you can feel free to make up a little citation of your own although I wouldn't go too overboard, it could make it sound too embellished.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defence_Medal_(United_Kingdom)

 

[Mo1959]

There's one with the little certificate. Might be worth watching.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mint-Con...924574?hash=item1ce51c591e:g:57cAAOSwT9NeWlrs

 

[Hover Fly]

Something fishy... There was no Secretary of state for Defence in 1945+ when the medals were first issued, it was separate Admiralty, War Office, Air Ministry etc as far as medals were concerned.

 

[Electric_Andy]

Thanks everyone, I have now purchased a re-issue copy (silver colour instead of bronze colour). I won't go overboard with the letter, it needs to sound as is they were dished out to loads of people (which they were I suppose). Gran has always been so humble about it, and doesn't think she did anything special, it was just "something we had to do". She said she was nervous stood on the platorm at 17 years old, her mother told her to respect herself and respect other people, and to "keep your hand on your ha'penny".

She has never received any medals, awards or trophies in her life so I hope this will be a real treat for her.

 

[tom73]

Have you contacted the British Red Cross they will know what she can have much of the civilian nursing side was managed in one way of another by them. As been posted she can have the defence medal. Mrs 73 gran was a aux nurse she's got medals though I think she's was in ATS at some pt. I need to know more Mrs 73 is not 100% though it's not clear if she signed up or was VAD role with in ATS.

 

[CanucksTraveller]

Something fishy... There was no Secretary of state for Defence in 1945+ when the medals were first issued, it was separate Admiralty, War Office, Air Ministry etc as far as medals were concerned.

Agreed, it's a made up letter in the vein that Electric Andy is looking to make... just "aged" to look old. You're absolutely right that there was no letter with the Defence medal.

I won't go overboard with the letter, it needs to sound as is they were dished out to loads of people (which they were I suppose).

Yes, upwards of a couple of million of them, it's why there's a few in every antique shop, so a grand citation might make a humble Gran smell a rat!

 

[Hover Fly]

Talked to my pet "medals expert" yesterday. It seems that following the war, a lot of potential recipients didn't claim their medals for one reason or another, but the MOD medals office is doing a brisk trade in issuing them to the descendants. These recent issues come with the letter shown in the ebay link.