medal Ribbons

[Compass Call]

I have recently acquired my late father's medals & minatures which I intend to get display mounted. The four war medal ribbons are readily available but I cannot locate this one. It is the Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal ribbon.
I have done a search but cannot find a stockist. Can somebody please suggest a supplier who might be able to help me.
There is an Oak Leaf(MiD) attached to the War Medal ribbon, also there is another Oak Leaf attached to the medal bar at the end of the medal strip on a dark blue background(no medal). Anybody know what the significance of this second Oak Leaf is?
CC
Mods: Please move this post if this is the wrong forum:ok:

[SirPercyWare-Armitag]

Try Worcestershire Medal Services:
http://www.worcmedals.com/

I am not sure but normally an oak leaf without an associated medal ribbon is a MiD awarded for bravery in a campaign for which there is no appropriate campaign medal

[buoy15]

Mentioned in despatches

[eagle 86]

Queen's Commendation?
GAGS
E86

[Daf Hucker]

CC,
Try asking the question on one of the forums in http://www.britishmedalforum.com/ someone will almost certainly know where to get some.

Daf

[Compass Call]

Thanks Daf, I'll give them a try. It's not a British medal - It's Sri Lankan, 1955 vintage.


CC

[Compass Call]

eagle 86
Looks like you are correct. I found a Queen's Commendation 1957 among his records. Is it normally signified as a lone Oak Leaf on the medal bar?
CC

[Vasco Sodcat]

Queens Comm for Valuable Service in the Air (QCVSA) is certainly denoted by oak leaf on plain blue background; maybe other QC's are as well?

[Wader2]

Try Worcestershire Medal Services:
http://www.worcmedals.com/

I am not sure but normally an oak leaf without an associated medal ribbon is a MiD awarded for bravery in a campaign for which there is no appropriate campaign medal

I concur, god service from them. They would probably be able to source the ribbon. They had no difficulty with my GFs which went back to 19thC.

[teeteringhead]

The oak leaf thing was confusing and has recently been changed. It used to be for M-i-Ds, and Queens' Comms of various sorts. If issued in association with a campaign medal it went on the ribbon, if not, then it went on a piece of material that matched the uniform - blue normally for air forces, but could be khaki with tropical kit.

I think there are now 2 sorts of oak leaf, separating the M-i-D for gallantry and that for distinguished service (ie, end of det thank you). QCVSA is now, IIRC, a silver eagle (or possibly albatross!). I'll try and find a link.

The Worcester medals place is good; there is also Spinks (which probably made the foreign medals!) who are superb but costly.

Found a link from the horses mouth here. (http://www.honours.gov.uk/honours/wear.aspx) You will need to scroll down a fair bit to find Mentions and Commendations. Essentially the M-i-D is now a silver oak leaf and the QCVSA is a silver eagle.

[R 21]

CC

The commendations you are on about are an MID and either a MID/QCB not awarded on operations. The bronze oak leaf is the MID and the other on a plain dark blue background means it was awarded on a non operational matter.

If it was a QCB(A) it looks like a small eagle and the QCVS is a different style of leaf.

Hope this helps:ok:

[South Bound]

QCs are silver, and either there was no campaign medal or he was not in theatre long enough to earn it. Strange that one can be in theatre long enough to be recognised as being good, but still not worthy of the medal that says you were there, but it does happen, there are a few kicking around here for the same reasons.

[Compass Call]

R21
Both oak leafs are the plain bronze variety.
All it says on my father's record (AM Form 1406) under 'Decorations Awards etc.' is:-
M in D 1.1.46
Queens Commendation 1/1/57
No further explanation on this form nor on any of the others. It looks like he was a QFI at the time of the Queens Commendation.
The other strange thing is that none of his medals are mentioned neither is his service in Ceylon (3 years). I will have to ask the PMA about it.
CC

[teeteringhead]

Both oak leaves (MiD and QC) were identical at the time of your father's awards - in bronze. The silver leaves and silver eagles only came in in about 1993 or 4.

For more details, have you tried searching (on-line) in the London Gazette, which may have something. Alternatively (asuming your father was RAF), Innsworth are likely to have his personal file which should ave the original write-up on it. Files are usually kept (at least) until the 100th birthday of the individual, or his death if later. As N-O-K you are entitled to access I believe.