TOPIC:

IL,

I would agree. It is all a little odd. They only rationale I can think of is that the Museum wanted to show how much medals meant to those who earned them?

I came across another picture of the medals to Lord Roberts which confirms that the group in the National Army Museum display is his.

Source: vconline.org.uk/frederick-s-roberts-vc/4588053846



I now see there is a medal below the Indian Mutiny. Surely this is not how he wore his medals?

Hello David,
Me neither, to see them actually come straight out of the drawer, absolutely untouched since they were the property of the recipient is both unusual and very nice to see.
I would be of the opinion that the diehard "bun wallahs" certainly earned their medals, some perhaps surprisingly frequently, but, they were only very seldom actually named to an individual soldier and as can be expected, over the passage of time, they have indeed become separated from any other campaign medals that the particular recipient had earned.
The Army Temperance Society was very strong prior to 1914, simply because for the three decades beforehand, alcohol had become a very real problem throughout the Army as a whole, but, within the infantry in particular, I dare say that those serving within the various corps, which tended to be mounted, had rather less time on their hands.
There was certainly a very strong thread of temperance as well as a degree of religious nonconformity within the infantry, non commissioned officers were particularly attracted, but, again they only represented a tiny minority, despite all the work that had been done by the reformers, both, in side and out of the establishment.
You had the Church of England Soldiers Institute, Sandys Soldiers Homes and the various Garrison Institute Shops that all offered the alternatives to the usual and much loved wet canteen and if you went through the door of any of them you could expect to get some comforts such as newspapers, tea, inexpensive sandwiches as well as light and heat, which I am sure were much appreciated in the winter months.
Again, whilst they had many customers, they only catered for a minority, it was a very hard drinking Army, alcohol was certainly a preoccupation for most soldiers, Ireland was badly "infected" which is why the group to the Munster Fusilier is very pleasing.
Regards Frank

djb wrote: I don't think I have seen a group with as many awards as this. It is unusual to see any temperance medals with military medals. Either they were not earned very frequently or they were split off from from their military equivalents?

The NAM have a new display in the galleries showing the size and composition of the British Army from 1645 onwards.