Officer's medal stripes

Returned effects

This officer’s medal stripes is from the uniform of Captain Thomas Wyville Leonard Rutherfurd (Service Number 6/718), who was known to family and friends as Wyville. It was amongst a group of personal effects returned following his death from pneumonia in Tehran, October 1918. The items were given to Wyville’s fiancée, Dorothy Broad, for whom they held great significance as personalised memorials for private consolation.

Stripes but no medals

The piece of woollen khaki cloth features an unidentified light sage green ribbon, and a purple and white ribbon for Wyville’s Military Cross. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1917 for 'conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty' at Messines and his command of the party digging a communication trench from St Ypres to the Au Chasseur Cabaret. He also received the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

As a soldier's fiancée, Dorothy was not allowed to receive Wyville's medals, but was given his medal stripes instead.