TOPIC:

This is a family set of medals from my wife's side of the family.
I am very aware that 1 of the death plaques and the two scrolls are not original as i bought them. I felt, rightly or wrongly, they were required to complete the display. Also when I received the medals some of them were without ribbon so as I wanted to display them along with the other family medals I would get them all remounted court style. For me it is not about the value but the family and social history.
Anyway I digress, a little bit about the set.

My father in law gave me his WWII medals, which I also have framed, whilst I was courting his daughter along with a few WWI medals. They were thrown in the bottom of my wife's younger brothers wardrobe not being looked after at all. Whilst doing a little bit of digging around and talking with her elder brother I found out that he also had some of the medals, in the same poor state. Reading the inscriptions i noticed that they should really belong together..
I duly made notes of names, regiments and service numbers and realised through my family history research that they were all brothers. More to this story further on.
I paid for a professional Military Investigator to confirm my suspicions that the QSA did indeed belong to one of the WWI sets. Something that your website has allowed me to confirm myself due to the link to the QSA medal role listing.
After broaching the subject with my brother in law on what he was going to do with the medals on his demise, I stated that as I had the other half, I would love to put them together in a display.. He promptly got up and passed me the tobacco tin they were being kept in and passed it to me. Finally, after 40 years I had the full set of medals and was able to produce what you see in the photo.
The brothers are,

Frederick Smith, Hampshire Regiment, 5897, b. 1892 d. 19/12/1914.
Harry George Smith, Hampshire Regiment, 6114, b. 1884 d. 13/10/1914
Charles Smith, Hampshire Regiment, 22393 b. 1892 d..1964.

Both Frederick and Harry being old contemptible's. Sadly I have no photos of any of the three brothers

Frederick married Catherine Louisa Caynes in 1909 and had two sons. After his and Harry's death, Charles obviously struck up a relationship with Catherine as my father in law and his sister were born. Charles and Catherine were married in 1922.

Your Picture.....

Great set of family medals and yes they should be kept together...... But don't give up the plaques may turn up somewhere......

Again great job and good piece of research.....

M.

A fine display for your family medals.
Reunites are what we dream of as collectors (I've only ever managed it once with two brothers!). To do it with family medals is a really special moment!!
Cheers Steve