Question about displaying Grampa's WWII Medals.

Noel

Noel

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I have his basic five medals sewn to the broach as per the instruction booklet regs. I also have the 39-45 War medal to display. Do I hand this at the same hieght to the right of the main broach?

I also have his (?) Commerative medal for the Entrance of the Allies into Naples, 1st October, 1945. It is a smaller Bronze Medallion, round in shape with a royal blue ribbon. Where would this one go in relation to the others?

Also, where would his RCASC pendant go? It is basically the latters with a pin on the back meant to go through some cloth. Similar to the badge that goes on the front of the beret.

Lastly, there is a small General Service Badge. Where did this one go?

I have Grampa's Tunic and Beret that I would put these on. the coat is only waist length if that. Short and shrunk from someone who washed it.:(

I might just put them on a felt covered board to display but would like to ensure they are on in required order.

There is a Blue, gold and white braided rope in his stuff. this goes around the left arm and hooks in the pocket button correct?

Been searchign the government sight but other than the order they go in I don't know where or what order they go.
Very lastly, do the bars that match the ribbons go above the medals or where they meant to be worn when the medals were not fixed on the uniform.

Thanks for your help.
 
Not sure just what you have there,but it sounds like the following if your grandfather had served in the Cdn Army in both Italian and NW Europe theatres: 1939-45 Star,Italian Star,France and Germany Star,Defence Medal,Canadian Voluntary Service Medal,and the 1939-45 War medal. These medals are worn on the left breast with the medals in the sequence I listed from the wearer's right.All military medals are hung with the appropriate medal ribbon at the same length. Commemorative medals are not worn on the uniform,but veterans would normally wear them on the right breast along with Canadian Legion service medals,etc.
The RCASC pendant that you describe sounds like a metal shoulder title.These were/are worn on the epaulette at a point where it joins the uniform sleeve.The cloth GS badge was worn low on the left sleeve of the uniform tunic/Battledress blouse. The braided rope you describe is a lanyard.I was'nt in the RCASC,but I recall these same colored lanyards being worn by RCASC personnel. The lanyard was worn around the right shoulder of the uniform with the end tucked into the right breast pocket.Every regiment and corps had a distinctive colored lanyard which we wore with both Battledress and Service Dress until the current green CF uniform was taken into general wear in the 1969/70 timeframe.
The tunic that you describe sounds like a Battledress Blouse.These are wool with 2 breast pockets and are short waisted with a cloth closure flap and a metal keeper.The web belt (Pattern 37 khaki) was normally worn around the waist with Battledress.
Lastly,ribbon bars are worn on the tunic over the left breast pocket when medals themselves are not worn.When medals are worn they are mounted on the left breast so as to cover the ribbon bars.
It is a nice idea to make up a shadow box featuring a soldier's medals,cap badge,shoulder flash or title,regimental buttons,belt buckles,lanyard,photo, etc. I've done this for friends and have a couple of pending projects to do the same for my late uncle and my wife's late father. These are a very nice tribute to a family member who served and will become a valued family keepsake.
 
Thanks for all that info Purple. I will take a couple pics later today just to confirm I get it all right. The one benefit of being the only grandson is no one to have to share his momentos with. Having said that I consider it an honour to be custodian of them until my son gets them. I'd like to display them in an authentic manner. With your description here we should get it sorted out pretty quick.

He Served in France, Belgium, Holland, Italy and maybe Germany a bit. First by hauling munitions to the front and then towards the end he was helping the engineers rebuild bridges. He stayed an extra year to help the Hollanders recover before returning to Canadian soil.
 
From your description I think I nailed the medals correctly for you. I'm showing my age,but when I joined the Army in 1964 many of our officers and NCOs who had served in both Italy and France/Germany after an initial period of duty in the UK wore the same set of 6 medals.Those who were not in Italy,but who served in NW Europe after the Normandy invasion, only had 5 war service medals,the obvious difference being the Italy Star. From what you say,your Grandfather was a driver in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC). If you can find it, there is a book titled "Wait for the Wagon" published in the early 1960s, which is considered the unofficial history of the RCASC.
 
It was only by fluke I found the Lanyard in an old plastic bag with his ties. He refused to talk about the war. When he did he could not sleep for 5 nights after. The local paper did an interview with him and he told of pits full of bodies and such he had drive by. Things no one should have to see. Anyway, very glad I found it. A neat piece for the display I have not seen before. Keep in mind I have very limited knowledge of this.

Here are a few pics.
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Is this the way the RCASC goes on? There are no holes like the beret has.
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The back of the service badge warns of $500 fine or six months imprisonment if misused.
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If it helps he started as Private and ended up as Lt/Cpl. As far as I know all his papers and license etc are in the stash.
 
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the RCASC brass titles were intended to be worn on the prewar Service Dress jacket, the cloth of the epaulettes would be pierced for the purpose. They were not supposed to be worn on the battledress blouse, but such things did happen sometimes. The red chevrons indicate overseas service, as I recall. Canadian (and Australian) battledress was of a better quality than British stuff and sought out by the discerning.
 
Noel,medals were never sewn directly on the uniform,but were mounted on a pin device instead. If you are going to have all 6 of the medals re-mounted,whoever does the job will fabricate this medal suspender/hanger for you. You could probably use the existing mounting bar by having the ribbons overlap slightly.I have my own personal service medals done this way in the court mount style which looks very attractive(in this style each medal is suspended on it's ribbon with a length of the same ribbon mounted behind the medal). Don't know where you live,but an inquiry at your local Legion should put you in touch with someone who re-mounts medals and who will have all the materials for this,incl new ribbons.BTW,the rectangular maroon color patch on the Battledress sleeve indicates that your grandfather served with the RCASC in the 5th Canadian Armoured Division,nicknamed "The Mighty Maroon Machine". The single chevron indicates his rank as a Lance-Corporal.The inverted red chevrons indicate overseas service-I believe 1 chevron per year of service outside of Canada.The small pin with the 3 maple leaves is a lapel pin given to all discharged veterans for civilian wear.
 
Call me sentimental but I have to keep the display all original so new ribbons won't be needed.
His record pocket book has the dates in it when he was given promotions and by whom I believe.
His big pictures say "2ND Canadian Armoured Brigade but that was when he was hauling munitions. That was 1941 in Camp Borden and in 42 in England.
On May 5th, they were in Holland and put their coat of arms (?) on tiles from a shelled house. I will check it to see if it says 2nd or 5th.
He could have been shifted to the 5th when he helped with bridge building.

There is also one more Bronze or Brass badge I forgot to mention. It has the RCASC across the bottom. Then a sort of leaf formation going up from the ends of the letters vertically and then arcing over to the other last letter. Almost like a coat of arms, it has a series of zigzags on one side that remind me of the German SS lightening bolts if you would even call them that.

It has a clip on the back for fixing to whatever garment much the way a paperclip works. I don't have it here or I'd share pics.

Thanks for passing that info along. I will be sure to add it to the info I got from the Veteran's office.

It seems like you have quite a source of information there. If you'd like any info from his pocketbooks etc let me know and I will see if I can find it.

Sure appreciate the help.
 
Noel,If you post a pic of this last badge I can ID it for you.
For your info Cdn troops were deployed to Italy in 1943 when the 1st Cdn Infantry Div and the 1st Cdn Armoured Brigade landed in Sicily and then moved to the Italian mainland. The 5th Cdn Armoured Div was sent to Italy from the UK in late 1944 to join the other two formations in the 1st Cdn Corps. The entire 1st Cdn Corps was sent to NW Europe from Italy via Marseilles,France in early 1945 where it joined the 2nd Cdn Corps in Holland as a component of the 1st Cdn Army until the defeat of Germany. If you can cross-reference your Grandfather's records to these general timelines it will help you to get a better idea of his wartime service.
 
If memory serves he was in Europe in '43 but I have to double check. I won't be able to get pics of the badge loaded until maybe this coming weekend if I have time.

Ended up just making a small display board usingthe maroon felt instead of punching holes in the already fragile battle dress.

I will check his paybook or pass book. Some more info may be in there.
 
Sounds like you are describing a cap badge in the last post.

I would mount the medals in a frame along with the other bits and only have the ribbons on the tunic.
 
Thanks pitdogboy. I will take some pics of the display this weekend. I won't be able to post them for a week but I think someof the goodies will be neat to see all together except for the money and small items.

Purple, John Sukey's mention of the cap badge got me to thinking. My Gramma's baby brother was in England as a Mechanic. I bet I got it all mixed up and that badge is actually his from the RCEME(sp). Gramma gave me his mesh hat he used there. It looks like a safari hat for Africa. There is a leather band going over the brim of the front where I have the badge clipped on.

Guess I should post some of his pics from the castles in England.

There is a fellow from up at home who served in the artillery at home I visit with quite often. Yet another is up at home who was in the RCAF. I need to get over to see him. Both were avid hunters so we have a great time visiting together.
 
It has become quite acceptible to display medals in 2" deep shadow boxes.

Imagine a shadow box the size of a picture frame. The tunic is the complete story of his service, and could be arranged with the sleeves and shoulders showing. Then a panel or fixed card with the medals, ribbons, service badges, berets, photos etc fit into the empty spaces.

Every framing shop has artists and creative people who are bored stiff day after day fitting bleached oak frames and off-white mats around low-quality art. Give them a challenge!
 
That bored to death person would also describe me. lol If I put all his stuff in one shadow box it would cover 36" high by 50-60" wide easily.
Pictures, flare parachutes, compass, Nazi stuff......
When the basement is done I want to dedicate one wall in my hobby room to this sort of display. More than likely it will comsume all the walls tho. There is a pile here. Too bad he had to hand in his Bren and Sten guns.:D

There is also a old sweater here, very wore, tattered and shrunk. It has his coat of arms with the RCASC across the bottom. It is a pale blue. Would he have worn this in training at Borden? It looks like a sweater you would buy today as far as material/fabric goes. No one knows where it came from. The whole emblem on the front is gold.

Could have been something he got long after the war but the damage to the sweater does not make sense. His disdain for the uniform after he got out would lead me to believe he would never wear such an item after the war.
He wore our the trousers working at lumber mills in the winter but they were warm and functional in a defferent way.

In Borden.
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Back in Calgary before deployment. His little brother and best friend Lyle Green.
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Lorries in England.
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Here are the pics from the display. All the items are either from My Grampa's stuff or my Gramma's brother. As suspected the hat badge was indeed an RCEME. The display was a great sucess.
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I will put most of the items on display eventually. As you can see there is quite a bit of stuff here and most of it I did not even take there. :redface:

Thanks again for all your help!
Noel
 
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