Group of medals (miniatures): British War Medal 1914-1919 and Victory Medal
Production date
1919
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Description
These are miniature versions of the full-size medals. They are approximately half the size of the full-size awards but are otherwise exact replicas. Miniature medals are not awarded and instead have to be purchased from suppliers who either hold a royal warrant or have a license to sell and supply The Armed Forces. Normally these miniatures are worn on mess dress uniforms, at social functions, and mainly for convenience’ sake, whereas the full-size medals are normally worn at ceremonial occasions.
The British War Medal 1914-1919 was awarded to those who served in World War One in all branches of the armed forces and also to non-combatants such as medical personnel - those who served with the Order of Saint John and the British Red Cross. Soldiers in the Canadian Expeditionary Force were also eligible.
The British War Medal was one of six awarded to those who served in World War One. The others were the 1914 Star, 1914–15 Star, the Victory Medal, the Territorial Force War Medal, and the Mercantile Marine War medal 1914-1918. The British War Medal was a silver or bronze disk, 1.4 inches (3.6 cm) in diameter, with a fixed clasp suspender. The front or obverse shows King George V in profile, and the reverse depicts Saint George on horseback and armed with a short sword, trampling on a Prussian eagle shield that has fallen on the battlefield. The silk ribbon that was awarded with the medal features a royal blue band which predominates, along with smaller black, white and orange bands. The recipient's service number, rank, name and unit were inscribed on the rim of the medal.
Approximately 6,500,000 medals were struck in silver and an additional 110,000 in bronze to recognise the service of native personnel who were mobilised. Of these, around 6,610,000 medals were awarded, with a further 428,000 claimed by those who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
The Victory Medal (United Kingdom) was established in September 1919. A committee representing allied nations at Versailles decided that each of the allies would issue their own bronze victory medal with a similar design and wording, with an identical ribbon. Eligibility was restricted to those who received the 1914 Star or the 1914–15 Star, and, with certain exceptions, to those who were awarded the British War Medal. It was never awarded alone. (Together, these three medals were sometimes referred to affectionately as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, after a Daily Mirror comic strip. Similarly, when only the British War Medal and Victory Medal are on display together they are sometimes referred to irreverently as “Mutt and Jeff”.)
The colours of the ribbon issued with the medal represent the combined colours of the Allied nations, and they are presented as a rainbow design to represent the calm after the storm. Approximately 5.7 million victory medals were issued.
I was drawn to this particular image as it represents two aspects of history; the official, very public commemoration of those who served in the Great War, and the private memory of individuals who served – fathers, sons, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles. These are service rather than gallantry medals, so they are abundant in number, and would likely be passed down through the generations as family heirlooms. As such, they provide a tangible reminder for the current generation of the sacrifices of their relatives a century ago. I also see some importance in the nicknames given to the medals. The understated and irreverent sense of humour seems to represent an aspect of the national character of the British medal recipients, who were willing to comply with the pomp and ceremony of the medal awards but at the same time undercut their inflated nationalism.
Audio recording by Brian Ireland/Sean Patterson (Volunteer), Cardiff.
The British War Medal 1914-1919 was awarded to those who served in World War One in all branches of the armed forces and also to non-combatants such as medical personnel - those who served with the Order of Saint John and the British Red Cross. Soldiers in the Canadian Expeditionary Force were also eligible.
The British War Medal was one of six awarded to those who served in World War One. The others were the 1914 Star, 1914–15 Star, the Victory Medal, the Territorial Force War Medal, and the Mercantile Marine War medal 1914-1918. The British War Medal was a silver or bronze disk, 1.4 inches (3.6 cm) in diameter, with a fixed clasp suspender. The front or obverse shows King George V in profile, and the reverse depicts Saint George on horseback and armed with a short sword, trampling on a Prussian eagle shield that has fallen on the battlefield. The silk ribbon that was awarded with the medal features a royal blue band which predominates, along with smaller black, white and orange bands. The recipient's service number, rank, name and unit were inscribed on the rim of the medal.
Approximately 6,500,000 medals were struck in silver and an additional 110,000 in bronze to recognise the service of native personnel who were mobilised. Of these, around 6,610,000 medals were awarded, with a further 428,000 claimed by those who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force.
The Victory Medal (United Kingdom) was established in September 1919. A committee representing allied nations at Versailles decided that each of the allies would issue their own bronze victory medal with a similar design and wording, with an identical ribbon. Eligibility was restricted to those who received the 1914 Star or the 1914–15 Star, and, with certain exceptions, to those who were awarded the British War Medal. It was never awarded alone. (Together, these three medals were sometimes referred to affectionately as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, after a Daily Mirror comic strip. Similarly, when only the British War Medal and Victory Medal are on display together they are sometimes referred to irreverently as “Mutt and Jeff”.)
The colours of the ribbon issued with the medal represent the combined colours of the Allied nations, and they are presented as a rainbow design to represent the calm after the storm. Approximately 5.7 million victory medals were issued.
I was drawn to this particular image as it represents two aspects of history; the official, very public commemoration of those who served in the Great War, and the private memory of individuals who served – fathers, sons, brothers, sisters, aunts and uncles. These are service rather than gallantry medals, so they are abundant in number, and would likely be passed down through the generations as family heirlooms. As such, they provide a tangible reminder for the current generation of the sacrifices of their relatives a century ago. I also see some importance in the nicknames given to the medals. The understated and irreverent sense of humour seems to represent an aspect of the national character of the British medal recipients, who were willing to comply with the pomp and ceremony of the medal awards but at the same time undercut their inflated nationalism.
Audio recording by Brian Ireland/Sean Patterson (Volunteer), Cardiff.
Collection Type
Objects
Inscription
English
Catalogue Number
1241/2
Subject auto tags
Object Types
Part of 1 highlight set
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