Territorial Efficiency Medal?

Hi,
Maybe one for any of the medal/decoration/awards experts on here. I am trying to find out a missing medal from my Fathers decorations that he used to refer to that was lost by a relative that borrowed it. I remember him telling me it was a 'lovely looking medal'. I have the following medals in my possesion= 1939/45 Star, Italy Star, Africa Star, Defence Medal, War Medal and the later awarded Dunkirk Medal. The only medal I think it may be is the Territorial Efficiency Medal. He joined the Territorial Northumberland Hussars in 1934 and transferred to the regular army in 1935. He was discharged to the Army reserve in 1946 till 1949 after the war. Would that service entitle him to the Territorial Efficiency Medal? or is there any other it might be?. I want to complete his medal collection if only with a replica.

Thank
Gary

 

Efficiency Medal - Wikipedia

The Efficiency Medal was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men after twelve years of efficient service on the active list of the Militia or the Territorial Army of the United Kingdom, or of the other Auxiliary Military Forces throughout the British Empire

The Territorial Efficiency Medal (TEM) was a United Kingdom award for long service in the Territorial Army. It superseded the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal when the Territorial Force became the Territorial Army in 1921. It was superseded by the Efficiency Medal in 1930.

TD

 

The TEM would only apply if he completed 12 years by 1930.
The Efficiency Medal is therefore the most likely, for 12 years (peacetime) service awarded after 1930 onwards.
(I think that's what you meant, but just clarifying the difference between the TEM and the EM (don't blame me, I didn't choose confusing names!! )

 

Picking up from TD’s post - as he didn’t have 12 years TA service he wouldn’t be eligible for EM. Although he had lengthy service most of it was in the Regular Army.

Could he have been awarded the 1935 George V Silver Jubilee Medal or the 1937 George VI Coronation Medal?

Or did he see pre war active service in Regular Army and qualify for 1918/62 GSM or the equivalent Indian GSM?

AMO should confirm as per Owens post..... or you could apply for his Army service papers? Unless of course it is another unauthorised Medal like the Dunkirk Medal as that won’t be recorded on his papers.

Steve

 

Hi Gary,

As Owen says, it would make sense to check with the MOD. If he was part of the Regular Army in 1935, he may be entitled to a General Service Medal, perhaps for Palestine if he was posted there before the war.

 

If we had a name, number and regiment I could check the Ancestry database's for pre war Palestine etc

TD

 

My dad was awarded the "Efficiency Medal (Territorial)" which I assume was due to him signing up in 1938 at the age of 17.

The covering letter is included on this page Sergeant ACK-ACK: Stripes, medals & dog collar but does not describe the reason for the award.

 

My Grandfather was in the TA before the war broke out. Now when it did the regiment he ended up in
was a TA one, during the war each year counted as two towards the medal.

 

At the moment can only find a J R Weir with that number

Name: J. R. Weir
Rank: Cpl.
Military Date: 1939-1945
Regiment: R.A.C.
Service Number: 554359
Source Description: 21: Imperial Prisoners of War Held in Italy, Italian-Occupied Territory: British & Commonwealth Army

TD

Is there a copy of his service records anywhere?

 

It should be noted that in calculating eligibility for the Efficiency Medal war time service counted double - so that 12 years can be misleading.

 

Is there a copy of his service records anywhere?

TD

 

Definately not the TEM as stated by the good folk here . He was only TA for 1 year . I notice from a different thread you have the service records the medals issued are ink stamped on the records I have seen ?
I know a GSM has been mentioned but theres the IGS 1936 medal but these would have appeared on the medal rolls (which they do not unless a late applicant) or the service records?


TD Casualty lists have same number but J E Weir
Kyle

 

Thanks for the numerous replies, the JR Weir is my Father, it is misspelled from original documents and is actually Corporal John Edward Weir 554359. I have his service records but there is no mention of any medals or awards or service in Palestine pre-war amongst the paperwork I received unless i have missed something. I will have another read through. I will also look into contacting the MOD for further information, and the other awards mentioned by Tullybrone. The x2 for war years lokks interesting as well. Looks like I have a bit of digging to do.

 

Another thought - could it have been a foreign medal? More common in WW1 than WW2 but still not unknown in the latter for foreign governments in alliance with Britain to issue batches of medals for the British military authorities to issue as they deemed fit. Very often there was no logical relationship between the recipient and the issuing country. If it wasn't a British award he might have been more relaxed about lending it to a relative.

 

Hi,

He has no entitlement to EM from the information you’ve posted. The x2 multiplier for war years service doesn’t apply to him as, from what you say, he was in the TA for a year or so and then joined the Regular Army at which point his TA service terminated and he commenced Regular Army terms of service.


Your father didn’t “transfer” from TA to Regular Army as per your first post but was discharged from TA - “termination of service on enlistment into Regular Army” is the usual form of words in TA service papers.

My father followed a similar route via TA into Regular Army in the mid 1930’s.

Had your father been in TA pre war service up to 31st August 1939 and was mobilized (embodied) 1st Sept 1939 and then served through to post war demobilization (disembodied) then double service counting rules would’ve applied (as it would have counted double until his wartime discharge date had he been discharged unfit for further service or died for any reason in service) - even if he was transferred out of his pre war TA unit/regiment during the war.

Steve