The Territorial Force War Medal was a campaign medal awarded to members of the British Territorial Force and Territorial Force Nursing Services who served overseas in World War I; it is the rarest of the five British Great War medals.

The medal was established in April 1920 for award to members of the Territorial Force and Territorial Force Nursing Services who volunteered for service overseas on or before 30 September 1914, and served overseas. They had to:

• have been serving with the force on 4 August 1914 or
• have completed four years service with the force before 4 August 1914 and rejoined the force on or before 30 September 1914

In addition provided they:

• Undertook, either verbally or by written agreement on or before 30 September 1914 to serve outside the United Kingdom, such agreement being operative after 4 August 1914, and
• Have served outside the United Kingdom between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918 (both dates inclusive; note that the last date was in 1918 though the years on the reverse said 1914-19) and
• Did not qualify for the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star

Description

• The medal is a circular bronze
  Bronze
  Bronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
  
   design of 36mm (1.42 in) diameter, with a straight bar suspender. The obverse shows a King George V
  George V of the United Kingdom
  George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
  
   bareheaded effigy, facing left, with the legend: GEORGIVS V BRITT : OMN : REX ET IND : IMP :
• The reverse has a wreath with in centre FOR / VOLUNTARY / SERVICE / OVERSEAS / 1914-19, and around the upper outer edge TERRITORIAL WAR MEDAL
• The ribbon is yellow with two green stripes, 32 mm (1.25 in) wide.

See also

• Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge
  Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge
  The Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge was a short lived decoration of the United Kingdom awarded to those members of the Territorial Force who were prepared to serve outside the United Kingdom in defence of the Empire....
  
  
• World War One - Medal Abbreviations
  World War One - Medal Abbreviations
  -World War I - Medal and Medal Card Abbreviations:When a World War I medal was issued, it was issued with a Service Number, Rank, Name and Regiment. This information should be on every medal that was issued during the First World War....
  
  
• British campaign medals
  British campaign medals
  British campaign medals are awarded to members of the British Armed Forces, Allied forces and civilians participating in specified military campaigns...
  
  

External links

• Northeast Medals website (with image)
• Worcestershire medal Serice Ltd website (with image)
• Medals UK website (with image)
• Search over 5 million campaign medal cards on The UK National Archives' website.