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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2001-08 > 0997247921


From: Iain Kerr <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] Discharge Papers
Date: Wed, 08 Aug 2001 06:18:41 +0100
In-Reply-To: <010801c11f69$64999b20$a6e8fea9@pii400>


At 15:37 07/08/01 +0100, Ken Lees wrote:
>I have a discharge certificate (Army Form B.2079) dated 1919.
>
>Under the section entitled 'Wound Stripes' it says 'one' which is
>self-explanatory. But, beneath that it says 'Two Blue Chevrons Authorised
>prior to 11-11-18'. What does this mean?
>
>The soldier concerned was discharged under Para 392 XVI King's Regulations.
>He lost a leg following his participation in the Battle of the Somme in
>1916.
>
>Thank you in advance.
>
>Ken

Ken,

Wound Stripes

In Jul 1916 wounds stripes were introduced into the British Army. One
stripe was issued on each occasion an officer or soldier appeared on the
Casualty Lists as "wounded", retrospective to the beginning of the war.
Self-inflicted wounds naturally did not count, nor initially did the man's
appearance in lists marked "Wounded - gas" (initially considered to be
self-inflicted) or "Wounded - shellshock". The rules for the award of
wound stripes gradually became more complex and varied between services and
nations.

In 1919 the rules were expanded to allow wounds sustained in any campaign
prior to WWI to count, but this was rather short-lived, as the wound badge
was discontinued at the same times as the Overseas Service Chevrons, in Nov
1922.

The wound stripes were made of 2" long gold Russia braid, and were worn
vertically on the left sleeve of the jacket, below any applicable service
chevrons, with the lower end of the stripe about 3" from the bottom of the
sleeve. The stripes were provided in one stripe, two stripe, three stripe
and four stripe patches. If wounded five times, a man had a four stripe,
with a one stripe worn above it.




Yours aye,

Iain Kerr in Windsor, Berkshire, United Kingdom
Web Page at: http://home.clara.net/iainkerr/index.htm
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