Help Needed Researching Early Medal Group

[ailcol]

Hello everyone,

I was hoping some of my fellow collectors can help guide me in researching this medal group. The medals in the group are all to one man and are as follows:

 

A fascinating group of medals to Colonel J. H. Nankivell, U.S. Infantry

 

Philippine Campaign Medal 1905, Army (No.22409) on full-wrap brooch bar; Mexican Service Medal 1917, Army ((No.3472) on full-wrap brooch bar; Mexican Border Service Medal 1918 (8467), engraved on reverse, ‘Capt. J. H. Nankivell’, on full-wrap brooch bar; Victory Medal 1918, official type 2, 2 clasps, Defensive Sector, Meuse-Argonne, on full-wrap brooch bar; American Defense Medal; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal; Victory Medal 1945, these on slot brooch bars; State of Colorado National Guard, Active Service Medal, 1 clasp, 1913-14 (Capt. J. H. Nankivell); State of Colorado National Guard Medal 1917, 1 clasp, Mexican Border 1916-17 (Capt. J. H. Nankivell, 1st Colo. Inf.); State of Colorado National Guard Long and Faithful Service Medal (Major J. H. Nankivell, Inf (DOL)); State of Colorado National Guard Active Service Medal (2), unnamed; Arizona State Rifle Association Medal, with brooch bar inscribed, ‘1926 Team Championship’ (Capt. J. H. Nankivell, 25th U.S. Inf.); Veteran of Foreign Wars Medal, bronze, unnamed;

Great Britain-Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Transvaal, Rhodesia (No. 234 Cpl. H. Nankivell, 6th N.Z.M.R.) renamed; Natal 1906, 1 clasp, 1906 (L/Cpl. J. H. Nankivell, 2d L.N. Lancs.) renamed

The only research I have is that John Henry Nankivell was born on 11 May 1884. In 1941 shown as serving with the General Staff Corps. I believed he might have helped write the 25th Infantry WW1 history.. I find the two early British medals named to him strange for the group (they are renamed).

 

I'll have photos of the medals in a few days. Any help would be appreciated!

[Tom Nier]

From the 1936 Army Register, Nankivell was born in New Zealand 11 May 1884, US Army serial # O5061. Graduate Pharmacist, 1904, New Zealand College of Pharmacy.

Served in Colorado Nat. Guard, 2nd Lieut. up to Captain, Aug. 1912 to June 1916. Major, Inf, Feb. 1919, Hon. Disch. Oct. 1919.

Federal service as Pvt. up to QM Sgt, B/21 Inf, 1907 to 1910. Pvt up to Sgt., A/22 Inf, 1910 to 1912. Captain, Inf, 1920, Major 1931.

 

A fascinating combination of British-US medals. The Natal medal is relativley scarce.

[JBFloyd]

Nankivell wrote "History of the Military Organizations of the State of Colorado, 1860-1935", the standard source on the subject and a gold mine of data and rosters. He also wrote histories of the 24th and 25th Infantry Regiments.

[ailcol]

Hi Guys,

Thanks so much for the info. It seems there will be quite a bit of history to these. I had a feeling his British medals were his and a Boer War medal to him very unusual as he would have been 15 or 16 at the time. Anyone have any idea to find a history of the 25th Infantry?

[Teamski]

I am really concerned about the renaming of the British medals. Looking forward to the photos.

 

-Ski

[Bob Hudson]

Hi Guys,

Thanks so much for the info. It seems there will be quite a bit of history to these. I had a feeling his British medals were his and a Boer War medal to him very unusual as he would have been 15 or 16 at the time. Anyone have any idea to find a history of the 25th Infantry?

 

I suspect they were his father's. There were quite a few Nankivells in the NZ military.

[JBFloyd]

Anyone have any idea to find a history of the 25th Infantry?

 

Go to www.addall.com and search the Out of Print section by author's name. His regimental histories have been reprinted quite inexpensively.

[ailcol]

I am not overly concerned myself of the renamed medals. I had bought the group for the U.S. medals as I am a WW1 collector. They could be his fathers as suggested or possibly added in by a previous collector. He would have been pretty young to be in the Boer War. Anyone know the best way to research his Pre WW1 and WW1 service? Is there a list for the numbers on them? I'll def go to Addall.com and look for his books. Thanks for the great tip! Photos will be in a few days.

Thanks again for everyones input so far.

[ludwigh1980]

Nankivells's Medals, holy smokes. He was big in the Colorado National Guard, writings its best History to date. I am sucker for all things Colorado Guard. Can't wait to see the medals. Where on earth did these surface?

 

Terry

Colorado Military History Buff

Colorado Territorial Son

National Guard of Colorado Militaria Collector

[ailcol]

Hi Terry,

I actually picked these up in London. How they ended up there I am not sure but I found them really interesting and I had a feeling there would be some great history with them. Any information you can supply on his Colorado service?

[ludwigh1980]

Crazy!. I was over in the UK around the 1st of the year. If I would have come across them I would have flipped! Funny, all I found was some british uniforms to buy, go figure. Found a imperial frontiersman's uniform that was named and lots of campaign ribbons ww1,ww2, Belgium, in St. Andrews , Scotland. I will pull my books on him and get back to you.

 

Terry

[ailcol]

Hi Terry,

Great. Looking forward to hearing from you.

Adam

[ailcol]

Hi, Everyone. I now have the photos to put on. I was a bit slow due to having a new little family member taking up a bit of my time at the moment.

[edquayle]

This was posted three years ago but i just ran across it and may have some information for you. Col. Nankivell was my great-grandfather and i have a lot of his letters and photographs as well as some of his books. He authored at least three military history books and a book on stamp collecting. He was an avid collector of all things military himself and I'm certain he saved a copy of every report he ever wrote for the Army. I have no idea if the ribbons originated from the estate of my great aunt in Denver but I've seen the medals that correspond to the ribbons many years ago. I have not seen the orders for those medals and ribbons however. The oldest records that I have are for his service in the US Army starting in 1907 through the end of his career. If you would like to talk more, let me know and we can exchange contact info.

[Jimnz]

Hello

John Nankivell was the US Military attache to New Zealand from at least 1942 to his death in 1945...he also lost a son in the AC a West Point grad in a crash in 1942. I have seen pictures of him decorating NZ officers for service in the Pacific and he tagged along with various NZ groups visiting troops in the Pacific and Italy. My reference  for this is NZ Papers Past. He seems to have been highly regarded.

Btw my NZ QSA roll has no medal to any Nankivell.