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Victory Medal (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
The Victory Medal is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA in accordance with decisions as taken at the Inter-Allied Peace Conference at Versailles as illustrated (a 'Winged Victory
) but in a particular form of this historic Greek monument as determined by each nation, with the exception of the nations in the Far East who issued the medal but with a different design.
The dates of the war were in every case 1914 to 1918, except that of the British Empire, which gave the dates as illustrated (1914 to 1919 with 1921 being the year in which the war ended in point of Parliamentary law but in 1919 under common law relating to the status and functions of the monarchy).
The medal was issued to all those who received the 1914 Star
or the 1914-15 Star
, and to most of those who were awarded the British War Medal
- it was never awarded singly. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred
.
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.
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.
(Main source : ‘’The interallied victory medals of world war I’’ by Alexander J. Laslo, Dorado Publishing, Albuquerque. 1986 Edition )
Médaille Interalliée 1914–1918
The Médaille Interalliée 1914–1918, is a French commemorative medal established 20 July 1922. It was awarded to all soldiers who served three months, consecutive or not, between 2 August 1914 and 11 November 1918 in the war zone...
) but in a particular form of this historic Greek monument as determined by each nation, with the exception of the nations in the Far East who issued the medal but with a different design.
The dates of the war were in every case 1914 to 1918, except that of the British Empire, which gave the dates as illustrated (1914 to 1919 with 1921 being the year in which the war ended in point of Parliamentary law but in 1919 under common law relating to the status and functions of the monarchy).
The medal was issued to all those who received the 1914 Star
1914 Star
The 1914 Star was a British Empire campaign medal for service in World War I.The 1914 Star was approved in 1917, for issue to officers and men of British forces who served in France or Belgium between 5 August and midnight 22/23 November 1914...
or the 1914-15 Star
1914-15 Star
The 1914-15 Star was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The 1914-15 Star was approved in 1918, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the War between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 .Recipients of this medal also...
, and to most of those who were awarded the British War Medal
British War Medal
The British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918...
- it was never awarded singly. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred
Pip, Squeak and Wilfred
Pip, Squeak and Wilfred was a long-running British newspaper strip cartoon published in the Daily Mirror from 1919 to 1956, as well as the Sunday Pictorial in the early years. It was conceived by Bertram Lamb, who took the role of Uncle Dick, signing himself in an early book, and was drawn until...
.
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
North Russia Campaign
The North Russia Intervention, also known as the Northern Russian Expedition, was part of the Allied Intervention in Russia after the October Revolution. The intervention brought about the involvement of foreign troops in the Russian Civil War on the side of the White movement...
1919 - 1920 and for mine clearance in the North Sea between 11 November 1918 and 30 November 1919.
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 wreathLaurel wreathA laurel wreath is a circular wreath made of interlocking branches and leaves of the bay laurel , an aromatic broadleaf evergreen. In Greek mythology, Apollo is represented wearing a laurel wreath on his head...
. - The 39mm wide ribbon has a ‘two rainbowRainbowA rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines on to droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. It takes the form of a multicoloured arc...
' design, with the violet from each rainbow on the outside edges moving through to a central red stripe where both rainbows meet. - Those personnel "Mentioned in Despatches" between 4 August 1914 and 10 August 1920 wear an oak leaf on the medal's ribbon.
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
Ferdinand Foch
Ferdinand Foch , GCB, OM, DSO was a French soldier, war hero, military theorist, and writer credited with possessing "the most original and subtle mind in the French army" in the early 20th century. He served as general in the French army during World War I and was made Marshal of France in its...
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.
| Country | Designer | Manufacturer | Number issued |
| Belgium Belgium Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many... |
Paul Du Bois Paul Du Bois Paul Du Bois was a Belgian sculptor and medalist, born in Aywaille, and died in Uccle.Du Bois was a student of Eugène Simonis and Charles van der Stappen... (1859-1938) |
----- | 300 000 - 350 000 |
| Brazil Brazil Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people... |
Jorge Soubre (1890-1934) |
|
approximately 2 500 |
| Cuba Cuba The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city... |
Charles Charles |
|
6 000 - 7 000 |
| Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia or Czecho-Slovakia was a sovereign state in Central Europe which existed from October 1918, when it declared its independence from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, until 1992... |
Otakar Španiel (1881-1955) |
|
approximately 89 500 |
| France Médaille Interalliée 1914–1918 The Médaille Interalliée 1914–1918, is a French commemorative medal established 20 July 1922. It was awarded to all soldiers who served three months, consecutive or not, between 2 August 1914 and 11 November 1918 in the war zone... |
Pierre-Alexandre Morlon (1878 - 1951) |
Monnaie de Paris The Monnaie de Paris or, more administratively speaking, the "Direction of Coins and Medals", is an administration of the French government charged with issuing coins as well as producing medals and other similar items. Many ancient coins are housed there... |
approximately 2 000 000 |
| France | Charles Charles |
|
----- |
| France |
|
----- | ----- |
| United Kingdom United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages... |
William McMillan (1887–1977) |
Royal Arsenal The Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, originally known as the Woolwich Warren, carried out armaments manufacture, ammunition proofing and explosives research for the British armed forces. It was sited on the south bank of the River Thames in Woolwich in south-east London, England.-Early history:The Warren... |
6 334 522 plus |
| Greece Greece Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe.... |
Henry-Eugène Nocq (1868-1944) |
|
approximately 200 000 |
| Italy Allied Victory Medal (Italy) The Allied Victory Medal was the Italian variant of the Victory Medal... |
Gaetano Orsolini (1884-1954) |
|
approximately 2 000 000 |
| Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
Masakishi Hata |
Japan Mint The is an Incorporated Administrative Agency of the Japanese government. This agency has its Head office in Osaka with branches in Tokyo and Hiroshima.-History:... |
approximately 700 000 |
| Poland Poland Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north... |
.... Vlaitov |
|
----- |
| Portugal Portugal Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the... |
João Da Silva (1880-1960) |
|
approximately 100 000 |
| Romania Romania Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea... |
.... Kristesko | ----- | approximately 300 000 |
| Siam (Thailand Thailand Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the... ) |
Itthithepsan Kritakara (1890-1935) | ----- | approximately 1 500 |
| South Africa South Africa The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans... |
William McMillan (1887–1977) |
|
approximately 75 000 |
| United States | James Earle Fraser (1876-1953) |
|
approximately 2 500 000 |
(Main source : ‘’The interallied victory medals of world war I’’ by Alexander J. Laslo, Dorado Publishing, Albuquerque. 1986 Edition )
See also
- Victory MedalVictory MedalVictory Medal, also referred to as the "Inter-Allied Victory Medal", can refer to one of the following World War I medals:-World War I Victory medals:*Victory Medal *World War I Victory Medal...
- World War One - Medal AbbreviationsWorld 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....
- Silver War Badge (SWB)Silver War Badge (SWB)The Silver War Badge was issued in the United Kingdom to service personnel who had been honourably discharged due to wounds or sickness during World War I...
- British campaign medalsBritish campaign medalsBritish campaign medals are awarded to members of the British Armed Forces, Allied forces and civilians participating in specified military campaigns...
- Australian campaign medalsAustralian campaign medalsAustralian campaign medals in order of precedence as defined in references below. Those campaign medals which have been independently issued by Australia to its armed forces are in bold.-South African War:* Queen's South Africa Medal...
- New Zealand campaign medalsNew Zealand campaign medalsPrior to 1946 the New Zealand armed forces received honours of the United Kingdom, including military decorations and campaign medals. Since the end of World War 2 there have been constant moves towards an independent New Zealand honours system...