Stolen medals recovered.

Gallantry awards and similar (including Air Efficiency medal, for example) from WW2 are engraved around the edges. The standard campaign stars, and the War Medal and Defence Medal, were never engraved with names upon issue.

All WW1 medals were engraved, including the standard campaign ones.

Campaign medals now are engraved, and my son’s Iraq and Afghan medals, for example, are engraved around the edges – but not so with WW2 ones unless done privately.

By the way, when medals are worn by widows or next of kin the convention is to wear them on the right breast as opposed to the left, but I am not aware that the order of hanging them is reversed?

Merkin the vc is named on the reverse.

I’m guessing you know Merkle or were distracted whilst typing because a Merkin is something entirely different, lol!:D

NAM has two BEMs in its collection that relate to a Polish Wellington crash in June 1941, they are both engraved on the edges with the names of the recipients.

I think you will find that only first world war medals had the name engraved on the edge.

Campaign medals that are issued today have the name, rank and Service No engraved on the edge. Examples of medals that do not include the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal.

Merkin the vc is named on the reverse.

very true, only ww1 medals are engraved, i lost a uncle in a japanese POW camp, he had the war medal, and the atlantic/ pacific star. in a little box, and his papers. my gran kept in a drawer for years, she never got over his loss, i dont think any medals were named, Unless for perhaps something like a VC MM, etc ?

I think you will find that only first world war medals had the name engraved on the edge.

Wouldn’t they have a name engraved around the edge ?

My Grandfathers weren’t, although he was killed in 1940, they must have been sent to my grandmother at some point, perhaps even postwar. Perhaps they didn’t bother with engraving in such circumstances?

Wouldn’t they have a name engraved around the edge ?

would the order be reversed if worn on the other side by a widow?

Unless the photo has been reversed, which it seems not to have been, then strangely the owner of these was wearing them in completely the wrong order!