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Medals 1: a Royal Victorian Order and a CBE, displayed on their collarettes; with the rest of the Court mounted medals and a full set of miniatures which includes the Orders. Also visible is an oak leaf (which denotes Mentioned in Despatches) on the 1939-45 War Medal and a clasp for a particular action on the Naval General Service Medal.

Medals 2: A Court mounted set of medals from a full service career in the Army. With two additional medals for his time as a Reservist serving as an adult volunteer with the Army Cadet Force.

Medals 3: WW2 medals stitched in place. First medal is the 1939-45 Star showing the non-symmetrical ribbon correctly. Dark blue for Navy (Senior Service), red for Army, light blue for Royal Air Force.

Medals 4: Court mounted sets – full size and miniature from a full service career. Plus fabric badge “Flashes” from the Royal Artillery and then the Royal Army Medical Corps. The mounted ones are removable for wearing. The NATO medal is separate as it’s not a UK or Commonwealth medal – and this is sewn in as it won’t be removed and there is no matching miniature. There is also space for more medals as the individual is still in service.

HOW TO FRAME MEDALS

QUESTION: A customer brought in their grandfather’s medals for framing and doesn’t know much about them. Some are still in their boxes from when they were issued. Is there a particular order they need to be displayed in, or can we just use an aesthetically pleasing layout? ANSWER: The Order of Wear from the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood specifies the correct order of precedence for the presentation of medals. Although it can be tempting to arrange them in a pleasing or symmetrical order within the frame, it could be frowned upon by those with military connections or knowledge. The only exception would be if the recipient of the medals insists on a different layout. Medals fall into various categories and in each category, they also need to be displayed in the right order. In order of precedence these are (left to right): •

Victoria Cross

George Cross

Orders of Knighthood (in order of precedence)

Decorations (in order of precedence)

Campaign Medals (in the order that the recipient served)

Valuable Service Medals (in order received)

Jubilee and Coronation Medals (in date order)

Efficiency and Long Service Decorations (in order received)

A full list is available on the National Archives website. Medals from foreign governments should be at the end or below all other UK and Commonwealth medals. But if it is from a country where the UK Monarch is also Head of State (or was at the time it was awarded) then they are still included in the normal Order of Wear. It is important to check that: 1.

2.

3.

4. The medal ribbon is the right way round as not all are symmetrical

The face of the medal showing is correct – remember if the face of the monarch is present then that side always faces outwards

If bars, clasps, oak leaves or rosettes are included that they are displayed in the right place

The lowest point on each of the medals displayed should be in line.

I would highly recommend reading the Fine Art Trade Guild CPD Short on Framing Medals – Order of Precedence for more information. Jo Palmer GCF (APF) Adv - Master of the Guild and co-owner of The Framing Lot www.theframinglot.co.uk

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