THE 1914-15 STAR.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16797, 22 July 1920, Page 8

THE 1914-15 STAR.

SURVIVING SOLDIERS’. MEDALS COMPLETED. The work of engraving and issuing tho “1914-15 Star”, lias for some weeks past been in tlie .bands ot a small stall at tho Buckle Street Barracks, W ellington. Under the procedure decided upon by General Headquarters upon receipt of the medals from England the first cases dealt with were those of soldiers who had returned service, tbeso'boing taken in alphabetical order; the' stamping and dispatching to next-of-kin of the deceased soldiers’ niec.als ( were deferred till the had been -attended to. The preparation of the medals‘of tho surviving soldiers who are Entitled to tho “Star” is now completed, but some thousands of these are still awaiting dispatch; they arc being sent out by registered “post to the addresses supplied as fast as the limited stall can deal with them. The issuing of tho medals has been hampered to a great extent by the apparent indifference with which certain returned men ,arc treating tho “Star ; soniQ thousands of ex-soldiers have never applied for tho medal, which can only be forwarded to a recipient who notifies his exact address and establishes his claim. In other eases the recipients arc untraceablo. Consequently some thousands of unclaimed medals are still unissued. The staff is now turning its attrition to thei medals of deceased soldiers .—some 10,000 in number. Notices have been forwarded to the noxt-of-kin asking for full postal address to bo communicated. The medals are being engraved strictly in alphabetical order, and delivery will ba mada in order of' receipt of tho reply to the notices. In many cases the bona fides of tho noxt-of-kin are found to be doubtful, and establishment of identity has to be proved. No definite* information has yet been received from England as to the date of arrival of the General Service and Victory Medals.