Description
General Service Medal, GV, Bar Southern Desert Iraq, Warrant Officer J.E. Talley, 370179, Royal Air Force.
Officially engraved: “W/O J.E. Talley (370179). R.A.F.”
Officially engraved naming instead of impressed, an original later issue.
This style and format of engraving employed on the RAF LSGC GVI circa 1945-50.
Provenance, Spink Sale 20002 2020, lot 189, Hammer Price 750+24% = £930.
Probably one of the only Southern Desert Iraq awards named to the rank of Warrant Officer, the highest ranking of non commissioned ranks, an RAF WO is the equivalent of a WO1 in the Army, they must be addressed as “Sir” by other ranks and “Mr Talley” by Officers.
As the clasp was earned circa 1928-29, at the time the RAF still employed the Sergeant Major rank inherited from the R.F.C., only adopting the Warrant Officer rank during the 1930s.
Warrant Officer J.E. Talley is shown as active on the Air Force Lists through WW2 from 1942-45 as Warrant Officer.
