Dedicated to the memory of all the men and women of the South Staffordshire area who died during the two World Wars.
I have included details of the medals awarded to each man as this gives a clue as to their service experience and helps to fill the gaps left by the destruction of their service records. The qualification for medals was roughly as follows:
The 14 Star (also known as the 1914 Star or the ‘Mons’ Star) was awarded to men and women who had served in France and Belgium between August 5th and November 22nd 1914. An additional clasp was given to those who had served under fire during the same period. The award of this medal indicates that the recipient was probably already serving in the forces or the reserves when war was declared.
The 15 Star (1914-15 Star) was awarded to personnel who had served in a theatre of war before 31 December 1915 but who didn’t qualify for the 14 Star. It suggests that the recipient ‘joined up’ in the opening months of the war or was a 'regular' who served in a theatre of war other than France and Belgium.
The Territorial Force War Medal was awarded to men who had served in the Territorials who didn’t qualify for the 14 or 15 Star. To qualify for this medal they must have served for four years prior to the start of the war. They must have still been serving on 4th August 1914 or must have rejoined by the end of September. They must have served overseas at some point but not necessarily in a theatre of war.
The Victory Medal was awarded to at all those who had entered a theatre of war.
The British War Medal was awarded to all those who went overseas during their service.
Most men received the Victory and British War Medals. On their own they suggest that the man volunteered towards the end of 1915 or was conscripted (from 1916 forward).
The British War Medal on its own indicates that a man travelled overseas - probably with a territorial battalion sent to take over routine imperial garrison duty from a Regular battalion - but had not seen active service.
A man who received no medals had only served at home. He may have been older, not fighting fit or just needed by a home based unit. Many men served for the entire duration of the war on the home front. It seems sad that their service was not recognised with a medal.
This memorial has mostly been compiled from official sources. It would be good to be able to expand it with more personal material - memories, stories, photos, etc. If you have any suitable material or any corrections please contact Greg.