{"product_id":"miniature-ww2-post-war-group-of-11-to-professional-soldier","title":"Miniature WW2 \u0026 post war group of 11 to professional soldier.","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eObviously this is only a guess as these are un-named miniatures but this is what I suspect.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhat's on the bar (left to right)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1939-45 Star\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAfrica Star\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eItaly Star\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eFrance and Germany Star\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eDefence Medal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWar Medal 1939-45\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eGeneral Service Medal 1918-62 (George VI), clasps Palestine and Malaya\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eAfrica General Service Medal (Elizabeth II), clasp Kenya\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1935 Silver Jubilee Medal (George V and Queen Mary)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003e1953 Coronation Medal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cspan\u003eSpecial Constabulary Long Service Medal (Elizabeth II)\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThey're mounted in the correct order of wear.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhy not the Navy\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThe GSM ribbon is the key. It's purple and green, which is the Army and RAF General Service Medal. A sailor serving in Palestine or Malaya would have the Naval General Service Medal, which has a crimson and white ribbon. There's also no Atlantic Star, which most sailors of that era earned.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eWhy Army over RAF\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eNorth Africa, then Italy, then North West Europe is the classic 8th Army route. It was followed by Palestine (1945-48), Malaya (1948-60) and Kenya (1952-56, the Mau Mau emergency). RAF ground staff did serve in all of those places. But the full sequence, especially Kenya, reads much more like an Army career.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eClues to rank and length of service\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eThe 1935 Jubilee Medal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e means he was already serving in 1935, so he was a pre-war regular. It was issued on a quota and often went to senior NCOs and officers.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eThere's no Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e A regular soldier in the ranks with 20+ years would almost certainly have one. Officers aren't eligible. So he was probably commissioned, possibly from the ranks.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eThe 1953 Coronation Medal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e was also issued on a quota, which suggests some seniority.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cspan\u003eThe Special Constabulary medal\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cspan\u003e needs nine years' service. He was policing as a volunteer well into the 1960s.\u003c\/span\u003e\n\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan\u003eThat's roughly 30 years of service across five decades.\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Gradia Militaria","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":54298859667784,"sku":null,"price":70.0,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0924\/1103\/5976\/files\/IMG-2854.heic?v=1791913281","url":"https:\/\/www.gradiamilitaria.com\/products\/miniature-ww2-post-war-group-of-11-to-professional-soldier","provider":"Gradia Militaria","version":"1.0","type":"link"}