May I please ask for guidance on the medal ribbon shown in the attached image? The gentleman shown is known only as Bob and served in the Queens Own Canadian Rifles. He appears to be a signalman and the beret was in use by the Rifles from mid-1943. I've been going around in circles using Monsewer Google and cannot match the design nor colours of the ribbon. In addition it looks like the ribbon bears a rosette. I'll be very grateful for any guidance.
Possibly Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Maple leaf for overseas service. Tim Edit: Owen beat me!
I agree with Owen and Tim: this could be the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with the Maple Leaf emblem denoting minimum of 60 days of service overseas. I know the central stripe looks very light but understand that film stock and processing can give rise to contrast shifts.
I would agree but the centre band looks lighter in the soldier photo. The Maple Leaf rosette denotes overseas service.
Gentlemen, I am very much obliged for your kind assistance. Wonderful. Certainly a case then of the problem of trying to ascertain colours from black and white film. Thank you again.
If he had more than one medal ribbon that would be correct, the one on which it was worn would be the War Medal but id he only had the one it would be different.
It was impossible to receive a WW2 Campaign Star without being entitled to the War Medal. The above quote only applies to Campaign Medals awarded outwith WW2. If one was Mentioned in Despatches for an action in which no Medal was issued then the oak leaf emblem is worn directly on the uniform to the right of other medals/ribbons. Tim
Robert makes an interesting point, the CVSM was awarded during the war, but I think campaign stars and the War Medal were post-war? So I was correct for later wear, but there could have been a period where only the CVSM was up. I'd guess in that case the maple leaf device remained on the CVSM, the oak leaf remained on the uniform?
Thank you folks for subsequent comments. I've little awards knowledge, but I'm thinking now that the photo dates from the period when the CVSM was awarded and before campaign and War Medals were issued post war.
Is there a web site or veterans assoc for the Queens Own Canadian Rifles that might be able to identify him, and so obtain more details perhaps?? TD
There is a museum: The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archives which gives the unit's war diary and a nominal list for B company prior to D-Day. Haven't yet found a [nation-wide] association.
In addition to the museum at Casa Loma, there is also a QOR historical display/records held at the Moss Park Armoury.
I presume the Canadian regulations were the same as the British in which case even if a ribbon had been issued for a Campaign Star the MiD oak leaf still went on the uniform next to the ribbon. The oak leaf was never (for WW2) worn, or should never have been worn, on any ribbon or medal other than the War Medal. Tim
I think that is a fair bet but note that while most recipients of the CVSM would have qualified for the War Medal (and many, campaign stars also), late awards could be made without it (them) because of the different cut-off provisions. The War Medal for instance has a simple guillotine on the 2nd September 1945; the CVSM provides those already in service on 1st September 1945 an opportunity to complete the qualifying requirements up to 1st March 1947. The first campaign stars were instituted in 1943: the 1939-1943 Star and the Africa Star. I understand that ribbons and any relevant emblems were distributed during the war, with the actual stars coming later. I’m not sure when the remaining six original stars were instituted but they had been by mid-1945 - obviously the relevant warrants were subsequently amended as necessary. The CVSM was also instituted in 1943, albeit by a different mechanism*, and the Canadians similarly distributed the ribbons during the war e.g. Paul Triquet’s V.C. investiture. * Order in Council P.C. 8160, approved 22nd October, 1943, and Order in Council P.C. 6686, approved 26th October, 1945.
Atlantic, Aircrew Europe, Pacific, Burma, Italy and France & Germany Stars along with the Defence Medal were instituted May 1945. War Medal was instituted August 1945. Tim