Those Extra Awards That Help Tell a Story
by
Richard Taylor
WARTIME naval rating Herbert Robinson was a man of humble
origins but one who cared about others. I never met him - but his medals
say something about the sort of person he was.
Groups are often found with other medallions awarded to
the recipient. They can range from school awards to shooting medals, from
first aid medallions to Buffs jewels. Rarely do they have any significant
value in themselves but they invariably tell you more about the person to
whom they were awarded - the man whose service awards you are researching.
One such case is that of Able Seaman Robinson, born in
Burnley, Lancashire, in March 1889, and awarded the British War Medal and
Victory Medal for his service in the First World War. A painter in Civvy
Street and not yet 17 years old, he was first called up in January 1916
from the RNVR 'Y' Section which consisted of men enrolled under the
deferred scheme for the RN. When called, they signed active service
engagement forms and were allotted active service numbers under which
their services were recorded.
Herbert Robinson was signed on as a painter 2nd class with
the number M21495, but on the following day, for reasons not recorded on
his service papers, he was sent home 'until services required.' This came
about on 19 December 1916 when he was mobilised as an 'hostilities only'
rating. He joined HMS Vivid, the naval base at Devonport, as an
ordinary seaman under a different service number, J63510.
He had to wait until October 1917 for his only posting
afloat - the 5,600-ton Eclipse class cruiser HMS Diana which was
then on her way from the China station to the East Indies where she served
until 1919. Herbert himself was demobbed in May 1919.
With his WWI pair are two unexceptional medallions each of
which nevertheless has its own story. They show that Herbert was a man who
cared about other people.
In 1916 he earned the Silver Award of Merit issued by the
Royal Life Saving Society after undertaking a series of six proficiency
tests. Candidates had to present themselves at the pool in 'swimming
costume or drawers, shirt, tie, collar, waistcoat, serge or flannel
trousers and socks. One of the tests consisted of undressing on the
surface of the water, another required candidates to dive to a depth of at
least 5ft and raise an object weighing about 5lb.
Herbert's RLSS medal has a Birmingham hall mark for
1915-16. The award was instituted in 1908 and recipients can still buy the
appropriate ribbon in blue-grey with two narrow stripes of dark blue and a
central stripe in white. The ribbon, which is authorised for both the
silver and the more commonly seen bronze award, is even available for a
miniature.
There is now no documentary evidence of the award to
Herbert. RLSS records are kept for just three years following the
examination for the award.
In the 1940s Herbert earned the St John Ambulance
Association's re-examination medallion, awarded by the association to
those who had passed three of its examinations.
At least two had to be first aid to the injured, but the
third could be in either home nursing or home hygiene. The purpose of the
medallion, a familiar object with its cruciform shape, was to prove, when
necessary, the competency of the holder to give first aid to the injured.
It was not presented but was bought be the recipient who, for a somewhat
greater investment, could obtain the medallion in silver or, more rarely,
in gold. From 1914 each type was also available in miniature.
The awards are named and numbered on the reverse. The
system changed in about 1942 when the number was prefixed with an 'A', as
in the bronze example earned by Herbert.
The medallion was first issued in 1879 and has been
through various design changes over the years. It has an interesting story
of its own, told fully in a four-page leaflet available from the Museum
and Library of the Order of St John, St John's Gate, St John's Lane,
Clerkenwell, London EC1M 4DA.
The Royal Life Saving Society's address is River House,
High Street, Broom, Warwickshire B50 4HN.
This article was first published in
Dixon's Gazette. No 24 Winter 2000/2001 |
