MEDAL INFORMATION
British War Medal 1914 - 20
Face
The uncrowned head of
King George V surrounded by the inscription ‘GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX
ET IND: IMP:’
Reverse
St. George on
horseback facing right, the horse trampling on the shield of the Central
European Powers. At the foot the skull and crossbones, at the top the
rising sun. Within the rim to left and right the dates ‘1914’ and
‘1918’.
Size
Approx. 36 mm
diameter.
Composition
Silver
Ribbon
Approx. 32 mm wide. A
broad (approx. 16 mm) orange watered stripe in the centre, bordered by
white (3.5 mm), black (1 mm) and royal blue (3.5 mm) stripes at each side.
Suspension
A plain, straight
non-swivelling suspender through which the ribbon passes.
Naming
In varying styles of
indented block capitals on the edge of the medal. Medals to officers
normally do not give the name of their regiment. Other ranks’ medals give
number, rank, name and regiment or corps.
Bars
None. Although
recipients who were also Mentioned in Dispatches, but did not qualify for
the Allied Victory Medal, wore a bronze oak leaf on the ribbon.
Awarded
The qualifications for
the Royal Navy, Army and the Royal Air Force differed. For the Army
service overseas in one of the Theatres of War between 5th August 1914 and
11 Nov. 1918 inclusive qualified for this medal and the Allied Victory
Medal. The medal was also awarded to those who served in Russia in
1919-20, and to certain regular, mobilised personnel who did not serve in
a Theatre of War between the dates.
Women who served in any of
the Theatres of War in the various organisations such as the Women’s Army
Auxiliary Corps or the Nursing Services and supporting Charitable bodies
etc. were eligible for the medal.
The King’s Own
All men of the
Regiment who entered one of the designated Theatres of War (e.g. France &
Flanders, Gallipoli, Salonika, Mesopotamia, etc.) qualified for the
medal. A few qualified as regular, mobilised personnel serving in India
and other parts of the world who saw no fighting. Some serving in England
probably also qualified. British War Medals to men of The King’s Own can
be recognised by the naming on the edge, e.g. “2430 PTE. C. WALKER. R.
LANC. R.”
Probably
around 44,000 British War Medals were issued to men and officers of the
Regiment.
British
War Medals in the museum's collection
British War Medal
Medals noted in records with the reference as
King's Regulations for the Army (1912) Paragraph 1743 - are those medals
which at the end of ten years still remain unclaimed and sent to the
Deputy Director of Ordnance Stores, Royal Dockyard (Medal Branch)
Woolwich to be broken up.
