The original owner of this medal bar was an other ranks veteran (almost certainly an NCO judging from his length of service) who served in a colonial campaign though he has no clasp on his Colonial Service Medal to show which campaign. The certificate for the Colonial Service Medal always specified which campaign the medal was awarded for but the recipient had to purchase the clasp separately, not all of whom did. This veteran also served with distinction in the First World War, as can be seen by his Iron Cross. He was most likely from a non-Prussian state as is indicated by his Prussian Warriors Merit Medal, though the Centenary medal shows that he was in Prussian or Imperial service (such as the Schutztruppe or Navy). The bar has a white cloth backing which is frequently seen on naval bars, hinting that this veteran was probably a naval NCO.