• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

General Service Medals

Shortie

master brummie
Can anyone tell me what the GSM was made of please?

I came upon my father's RAF GSM yesterday, I wondered wher it had got to, it was in a box of old photos. He was demobbed in 1948 when I was 14 months old and I doubt if the medal has seen the light of day more than about three times since then. It is a bit black in parts and looks like it needs cleaning. Does anyone know the best way to do this? It is about to be given to my grandson who is learning about WW2 at school, and I would rather it be less black, but don't want to damage it.

Shortie
 
Thanks to both Kat and Colin for your replies. I did not think it was silver at all as it is not hallmarked, hence the cleaning query. We collect silver, so cleaning that is not a problem, but if it had been a poor alloy for instance instead of a pure metal, it could have easily been damaged. Brilliant. Now to find out what my father in law's medals are made of - he had quite a few including the Africa Star (I think) and half a dozen others.

Shortie
 
It's not like that to look at, but I do realise that the medal I have may not be silver. However, other things that I have read this morning seem to suggest it might be. It's the Palestine medal, 1948. Perhaps I had just better hand it over uncleaned - my grandson is not quite nine and I am sure not too fussy, after all, he is male!!

Shortie
 
The official issue General Service Medal (GSM) is always made of Sterling Silver, reproductions are made of Cupro-Nickel. Somewhere on the medal there will be a hallmark, but they are not always easy to see. Official medals have the recipients name rank and service number impressed around the rim of the medal.
 
Well it's definitely an original. It's in its correct box with my father's details on, in the proper little envelope and it has my father's service number and his name around the edge. I can find the maker's mark, but no matter how hard I try I cannot find the hallmark. We did have a jewellers' loupe but cannot find it now, that would reveal the hallmark, I am sure.

Shortie
 
Well Shortie, unless he flogged the original for beer money, and replaced it with a replica, its definately sterling silver. Treasure it, they can never be replaced.

Barrie.

edited to add; if its got a makers name, its genuine.
 
I do treasure it Barrie, it will go to my little grandsons whom I hope will do the same. The eldest is learning about WW2 at present, so it will be fairly appropriate to give it to him, but we shall read the Riot Act before it goes!
 
The official issue General Service Medal (GSM) is always made of Sterling Silver, reproductions are made of Cupro-Nickel. Somewhere on the medal there will be a hallmark, but they are not always easy to see. Official medals have the recipients name rank and service number impressed around the rim of the medal.

Barrie, are you sure, my original GSM is certainly not silver and when you consider the number that have been issued over the years it would have cost the authorities millions.
 
Barrie, are you sure, my original GSM is certainly not silver and when you consider the number that have been issued over the years it would have cost the authorities millions.

This says it all I believe. All GSM's are silver ( the metal not the colour)

General Service Medal 1918 - 1962
Instituted 19th January 1923 for Military operations otherwise than in East, Central and West Africa, India or on the Indian Frontier. This medal defines the (often inglorious) British retreat from Empire as well as various interventions deemed necessary due to the geopolitical imbalances generated in the aftermath of the two world wars. This medal was intended for the Army and Air Force - the Naval General Service Medal 1915 - 1962 ran parallel with this for the Navy and Royal Marines, with similar (but not identical) bars.
Description: 36mm in silver - ornate fixed suspender initially , changed to swivelling for the EIIR issues. The medal was not issued without a bar. Various obverses corresponding to the relevant issue period (see the first table below). Reverse: the standing, helmeted figure of Victory holding a trident in her left hand and placing a laurel wreath over the symbols of the Army and the Air Force with her right.
Bars: seventeen issued, see second table. The latest authorized bar "Canal Zone" was instituted in 2003 after a vigorous and long campaign by certain groups and MPs to gain medallic recognition for service in the "Suez canal zone" , 16th Oct '51 - 19th Oct '54.
Naming : no surprises, impressed in neat sans-serif capitals for the Army, or machine engraved for the Royal Air Force.
Ribbon: Purple, with a wide green central stripe.
 
I've just looked again at what I've written above, and it looks as though I was being rude. I wasn't, and apologise to anyone who I may have offended.

Barrie.
 
I spent 2 1/2 years in the Far East 1953 to 55 half in Hong Kong and half in Singapore whilst in RAF, at that time if you spent more than 24 hours in Singapore or Malaya you were issued with the GSM with clasp Malaya, I could understand those fighting terrorists in Malaya receiving it but why they gave it to people like me who were based in Singapore (RAF Seletar in my case) I do not know as there was no terrorist trouble there, I even had my Wife with me. I have just had a look at it and it is almost black and like Barrie said it has my service number rank and name round the rim but cannot see any hall mark on it, it also came with purple and green ribbon, suddenly realise it is 56 years old no wonder its turned black. Eric
 
Last edited:
As it so rightly states above, we Suez Vets had to fight a long and bitter, at times, campaign for almost
fifty years to get our GSM, it was Tony Blair who in the end put our case before the Committee.
I wore uniform all my working life and would have been able to wear the ribbon had we got it in 1951/55. Mine still looks brand new in its box, I have a catalogue from a firm called Awards, where you
buy copies of any medals if they are lost, BernardView attachment 64414
 
Barrie, are you sure, my original GSM is certainly not silver and when you consider the number that have been issued over the years it would have cost the authorities millions.

Barrie, My apologies, I have just phoned the MOD Medals Office who confirmed that they are indeed pure silver.
 
As I earlier stated my medal is now 56 years old and tarnished black, any hints on restoring it to its mint condition ???? Eric
 
As I earlier stated my medal is now 56 years old and tarnished black, any hints on restoring it to its mint condition ???? Eric

Immersion in any form of citric acid ( vinegar or lemon juice) or coca cola (yuk) will clean both non precious and silver medals. There are firms advertising on Ebay that offer a complete restoration of medals and replacement of ribbons at a very reasonable cost. I had my fathers medals restored and mounted and they look superb.
 
Back
Top