Where have all the Medals gone?
Have you ever wondered what happened to your relatives' service medals?
Possibly they are with another member of the family, or maybe lost or
stolen, or it could be that they have never been claimed by your family.
The Medals Section of each of the Defence Forces Navy, Army and Air-Force Departments, have
literally thousands of unclaimed medals dating
back to the First World War. It was not uncommon for folk to not bother
applying for their entitlement. For some, it only served as a reminder of the horrors they
witnessed, and for others it just didn't seem important.
Whatever the reasons, and no matter how long they remain unclaimed, the
entitlement of the ex-serviceman or woman, or indeed, their next of kin, still stands.
For directions on how and where to inquire about these medals, you may
contact "Medals of Service" on (02) 9652 2022 PO Box 215 Glenorie 2157.
In the event that the original issue is not available to you, fully authorised Replicas can be obtained
from the above company. They can even assist with researching your family's contribution in times of
military conflict. The Australian War Memorial Research Section, Australian Archives and each of the
respective Defence Forces
also have staff dedicated to the task of assisting with research into your family's military contribution.
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Swing Mounted or Court Mounted?
Before a Decoration or Medal can be worn, it must be provided with a broach pin attached to a uniform jacket or coat. This is called mounting and there are two recognised forms. A medal is said to be "Swing Mounted" when it is suspended by its ribbon from a brooch pin. Several medals can be attached to a long brooch pin bar however damage can occur from contact between these 'free swinging' medals. The alternative method, generally used where the owner wants to protect the medals from contact damage, is called "Court Mounting". Medal ribbons are stretched over a stiff mounting board with a medal bar brooch attachment at the top. Where many awards are to be worn, the medals are slightly overlapped so that they take up less space.
Medals must be mounted in the correct order of precedence. The medal in the group with the highest precedence is mounted at the right hand end (nearest the lapel) of the medal bar descending to the lowest precedence medal at the left hand end. The medal with the highest precedence is the Victoria Cross and the lowest would be some awards made by foreign Governments. Miniature medals and medal ribbon bars are mounted in the same sequence. When ribbons alone are worn, only four ribbons can be mounted in one row on a ribbon bar before a second row centered above the first is started. The senior medal ribbon is displayed on the top row closest to the lapel and the last medal on the bottom row further from the lapel. Both examples Swing Mount & Court Mount are displayed on our home page.
Note: The above applies to Original Medals, cast or die struck Replica Medal.
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Ribbon Colours and What They Represent
While it may come as a surprise to some, the colours of each Campaign and
Service Medal ribbon are very relevant to the nature of each award. With
many of the ribbons, particularly the Second World War series, it should be
noted that often the three Forces are represented by their respective colours
of dark blue for Navy, red for Army and light blue for Air-Force. The Navy
being the senior force dictates that their colour is represented first on the left
of the ribbon.
With some basic knowledge of the ribbon colours it is possible to recognise
what campaigns were endured by an Ex-Serviceman. The overwhelming
majority of Australian soldiers performed their duties in New Guinea and the
Pacific region in defence of the aggression of the Japanese invasion. The
standard medal entitlement for these servicemen was a) 1939-1945 Star,
b) Pacific Star, c) War Medal 1939-1945, d) Australia Service Medal 1939-
1945.
The 1939-1945 Star is recognisable by the three colours of the defence
forces. The Pacific Star is recognisable by the yellow sands of the shoreline
and the greenery of the jungle. The War Medal is recognisable by the
colours of the British flag. The Australia Service Medal by the colour of our
soil.
Other medals common to Australians were the Africa Star with the sands of
the desert and the Defence Medal with the greenery of the countryside
against the blackouts and fires of London.
Other Campaign Stars issued were the Air-Crew Europe Star, with the
daytime and night-time skies and searchlights, the Atlantic Star with the
colours of the ocean, the Burma Star, the Italy Star, and the France and
Germany Star, with the respective colours of their flags. These five stars
were issued to only a limited number of personnel attached to the RAF and
to members of the RAN and Merchant Navy.
Campaign Medals for Korea, Vietnam and the recently issued Australian
Service Medal and Australian Active Service Medal all have ribbon colours
identifiable with the particular campaign and participating forces.
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An Anzac Day Perspective
We see them each Anzac Day in diminishing numbers, proudly
parading with their medals pinned to their jackets. It does not
matter to some of them nor to the casual bystander that strict
protocol may not always be observed, nor does it matter that some
of these medals are not officially sanctioned.
These eminent Australians are wearing tokens that mark their
service and their deeds. They do not glory in themselves nor
romanticise war, but to examine each specific medal worn by them
is to begin to understand them for their experiences. Whatever
their circumstances, whatever their stated reasonings, there was a
common binding loyalty and undying belief in Australia and the
life Australia represents to all o f us. A whole generation of people
striving for the right to exist the way we choose. This is what
ANZAC DAY should represent to all of us too young, and to
priveleged to have known these times.
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What is Remembrance Day?
Remembrance Day - 11th November - is set aside as a day to remember the sacrifice of those who have died for Australia in wars and conflicts. It was originally known as Armistice Day.
Why is this day special to Australians?
The 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, attained a special significance in the post-war years.The moment when hostilities ceased on the Western Front became universally associated with the rememberance of those who had died in war. This first modern world conflicted had brought about the mobilisation of over 70 million people and left between 9 and 13 million dead, perhaps as many as one-third of them with no known grave. The allied nations chose this day and time for the commemoration of their war dead.
The Rememberance Day ceremony
Commemorative ceremonies, such as ANZAC Day and Rememberance Day, share many customs and traditions. The central element of Rememberance Day ceremonies is the one minute's silence.
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