A Rosette by Any Other Name

At first glance, the large silver rosette sometimes found mounted above the Mons clasp on a 1914 Star ribbon can look like an odd embellishment. In fact, it tells a very specific story about early wartime administration and how honours evolved in real time.

The Mons clasp itself was awarded to those whose service included the period between 5 August and 22 November 1914, covering the opening engagements of the war, including the fighting around Mons. Later, it was decided that a large silver rosette would be worn on the ribbon bar only, not on the full medal, to denote entitlement to the Mons clasp when the ribbon bar alone was worn on the tunic.

Originally, however, the silver rosette was intended to be a distinct award for 1914 Mons service in its own right. Service papers from the period even refer to men being “awarded the silver rosette”. This intention was later downgraded, and the rosette became purely a visual indicator of entitlement to the Mons clasp rather than a separate honour.

That administrative shift explains why some servicemen chose to wear the silver rosette directly on the medal ribbon itself, positioned above the clasp. They were, quite literally, wearing what they had been told they were awarded.

The accompanying official notice, sent out with medals, makes this transition clear, stating that the question of awarding a silver rosette was still under consideration. As with so many early First World War distinctions, the details were being finalised after the fact.

These small variations offer a fascinating glimpse into how honours were defined, revised and understood by the men who wore them.