TOPIC:

Hi Cliff
Order should be 2 1 4 3 5

There is a compiled listing of numbers , but 1313 is not shown. ( not official roll, which may exist somewhere)

gmic.co.uk/topic/56700-order-of-the-clou...ial-number-database/

Kind regards
Adrian

Cliff (Junior),

Having “blown up” your medal photo I am 99% certain number 4 is the 1914 Star or 1914 British Star as it is often called. The other possibility is the 1914-15 Star which would have 1914-15 across the front rather than 1914.

I quote:

The British awarded two star medals during World War I, the 1914 Star and the 1914-15 Star:
• 1914 Star: Also known as the Mons Star, this bronze medal was awarded to British forces who served in France or Belgium from August 5 to November 22, 1914. It was primarily given to the "Old Contemptibles", the pre-war soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force. The medal was accompanied by the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
• 1914-15 Star: This medal was awarded to military personnel and some civilians who served between August 5, 1914 and December 31, 1915. It was not awarded to those who had received the 1914 Star.

Medal number 3 on your photo is the British War Medal and number 5 the Victory Medal (sometimes called the Allied Victory Medal). As you can see from the above, having qualified for the 1914 Star John would have automatically qualified for the other two.

Thus we can conclude John was in France/Belgium before 22nd November 1914 which was less than 4 months after WW1 started.

Regarding the Order of the Cloud and Banner medal this link takes you to a Wikipedia page and a list of some of the recipients of the medal:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_Cloud_and_Banner

As you can see a large number of those listed are USA WW2 Airmen, many high ranking but also some lower ranking. Now your Public Family Tree shows your father Clifford Francis Burk (191902009) wearing WW2 military uniform and his on-line obituary tells me he “served four years in U.S. Army Air Corps, in WWII”. Perhaps you have good reasons to refute what I am implying.

Regards, David.

David,
You are correct. Medal 4 says 1914.

I'll update my 2nd cousin who provided the medals with your findings. I'm sure her family will appreciate it (and the effort of Adrian to sort the medals).

Yes, Wikipedia has much info regarding the Chinese medal. I'm trying to connect with "Megan" in the UK to learn what she may know. Neither my cousin nor I know who number 1313 is yet. If it's not a family member, I'd like to pass it on to the correct family.

At the risk of straying further off-topic, I'm attaching a photo of what I've done to honor my father who went into the Army Air Corps (before the Air Force was created) as a young man and left 4 years later as an "old man" as part of the Army of Occupation in Japan.

Thank you very much for all of your prompt assistance,
Cliff Jr.