Victory Medal (United Kingdom)

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Victory Medal 1914-19



Obverse (top left) and reverse (top right) of the medal. Ribbon of medal (Bottom Center)
Awarded by
Type Campaign medal
Eligibility British and Imperial forces.
Awarded for Campaign service.
Campaign First World War 1914-20.
Description Bronze disk, 36mm diameter.
Clasps None
Statistics
Established 1 September 1919
Total awarded Approximately 5,725,000
Related 1914 Star
1914-15 Star
British War Medal

The Victory Medal (also called the Allied Victory Medal) is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA.

The medal was issued to all those who received the 1914 and the 1914-15 Stars, and to most of those who were awarded the British War Medal - it was never awarded singly.

Contents

[edit] Eligibility

To qualify for the Victory medal one had to be mobilised in any service and have entered a theatre of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. Women qualified for this and the earlier two medals, for service in nursing homes and other auxiliary forces.

It was also awarded to members of the British Naval mission to Russia 1919 - 1920 and for mine clearance in the North Sea between 11 November 1918 and 30 November 1919.

[edit] Description

  • The Victory Medal is a 36mm diameter circular copper medal, lacquered in bronze. The obverse shows the winged, full-length, full-front, figure of Victory, with her left arm extended and holding a palm branch in her right hand.
  • The reverse has the words ‘THE GREAT / WAR FOR / CIVILISATION / 1914-1919' in four lines, all surrounded by a laurel wreath.
  • The 39mm wide ribbon has a ‘two rainbow' design, with the violet from each rainbow on the outside edges moving through to a central red stripe where both rainbows meet.
  • Those personnel who gained a MID between 4 August 1914 and 10 August 1920 worn an oak leaf on the medal's ribbon.

[edit] An International Award

Not only did the United Kingdom issue a Victory Medal, but a significant number of allied and associated countries involved in the conflict against the Austro-German alliance. The proposition of such common award was first made by French marshal Ferdinand Foch who was supreme commander of the allied force during first world war. Each medal in bronze has the same diameter (36 mm) and ribbon (double rainbow) but with a national design representing a winged victory[1].

Country Designer Manufacturer Number issued
Belgium Paul DuBois (1859-1938) ----- 300 000 - 350 000
Brazil Jorge Soubre (1891-1934)
  • Casa Da Moeda RIO
 approximately 2 500
Cuba Charles Charles
  • Etablissements Chobillon
 6 000 - 7 000
Czechoslovakia Otakar Španiel (1881-1955)
  • Kremnice Mint
 approximately 89 500
France Pierre Alexandre Morlon (1878 - 1951)
  • Monnaie de Paris
 approximately 2 000 000
France [2] Charles Charles
  • Etablissements Chobillon
 -----
France [3]
  • M. Pautot
  • Louis Octave Mattei
 ----- -----
Great Britain[4] William McMillan

(1887–1977)
  • Woolwich Arsenal
  • Wright & Son
 6 334 522 plus
Greece Henry-Eugène Nocq (1868-1944)
  • V. Canale
 approximately 200 000
Italy Gaetano Orsolini (1884-1954)
  • Sacchini-Milano
  • S.Johnson-Milano
  • F.M.Lorioli & Castelli-Milano
 approximately 2 000 000
Japan[5] Masakishi Hata
  • Osaka Mint
 approximately 700 000
Poland[6] .... Vlaitov
  • Mint Kremnica
 -----
Portugal João Da Silva (1880-1960)
  • Da Costa
 approximately 100 000
Rumania .... Kristesko ----- approximately 300 000
Siam (Thailand) Itthithepsan Kritakara ----- approximately 1 500
South Africa[7] William McMillan (1887–1977)
  • Woolwich Arsenal
 approximately 75 000
United States James Earle Fraser (1876-1953)
  • Arts Metal Works Inc.
  • S.G.Adams Stamp & Stationary Co.
  • Jos. Mayer Inc.
 approximately 2 500 000

(Main source : ‘’The interallied victory medals of world war I’’ by Alexander J. Laslo, Dorado Publishing, Albuquerque. 1986 Edition )


[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Except Japan and Siam where the concept of a winged victory was not culturally relevant.
  2. ^ Unofficial type.
  3. ^ Unofficial type.
  4. ^ Awarded not only to British combatants but as well to those from the dominions of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and those from the Empire of India.
  5. ^ On the obverse the winged figure of Victory was replaced by a warrior holding a spear.
  6. ^ For reasons still not known Poland did not proceed with the manufacture of the medal at their mint. The medal shows a clearly visible “MK” ( Mint Kremnica). The medal may possibly be an unofficial strike by a veteran’s group.
  7. ^ The text on the reverse is in English and Dutch.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links