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There are probably more like this one out there but I've flagged it as an unusual combination in my collection.

It has just arrived from Canada and, although highly miffed at having to pay Customs charges, I am very happy with the group. Let me fill you in - quite sometime ago I spotted a framed group of medals on sale in Canada - I negotiated a price and got them to revise (downwards) the postal costs (there was no mention of Customs at this point). They were initially reluctant to remove the medals from the frame but common sense and a "bit of pressure" proved decisive and the deal was done.

Almost immediately I had buyers remorse. I could find no mention of a 1914-15 Star to the recipient although there was one with the group.

The QSA - to 6015 Pte. H. Betteridge of the 39th Coy, 10th I.Y checked out; as did the BWM/MMM/VM to the rank of Bosun in the Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary, but I couldn't confirm the Star and thus expected the worst i.e. a renamed or blank medal.

Lo and behold, after I had removed some of the paper stuck to the reverse of the Star I received a very pleasant surprise - it was named, correctly (but note the spelling) to H. Betheridge, B.R.C. & St.J.J. - a hop, skip and jump over to the WWI Medal Index Cards revealed that Betteridge was aboard a Hospital Ship wef from 30.9.1914 before transferring to the M.F.A. - research has shown that he was the Bosun/2nd Mate aboard Lord Dunraven's yacht Grianaig, which he kindly placed at the disposal of the military authorities as a hospital yacht serving in the Dardanelles.

I count myself a lucky man - sometimes nothing ventured is indeed nothing gained! Images are courtesy of Ancestry.co.uk