British World War One Campaign Medals
Gallantry and Service Medals
By Stephen Sherman, Dec. 2008. Updated July 20, 2011.
It is noteworthy that the small conflicts of the Victorian era, each involving hundreds or a few thousands, generated scores of medals, with clasps for each minor engagement. But the Great War, involving millions, and correspondingly higher casualties, resulted in a handful of "Stars," with no clasps for particular engagements. Maybe the authorities supposed that a "Somme 1916" clasp might not be well-received.
Six and half million War Service Medals were authorized. The "Victory Medal" was a common design shared by the victorious Allies of World War One.
1914 STAR
Description: (shown left)
Four pointed star with the top point being hidden by a crown. The obverse has a scroll in the centre with the year '1914' in the centre and the months 'AUG' above and 'NOV' below. Surrounding this is a laurel wreath with the GV monogram at the bottom and two crossed swords in the background. The ribbon is attached via a ring on top of the crown and the reverse is plain and flat.
Clasps:
'5TH AUG - 22ND NOV 1914' was authorised for those who came under enemy fire in France or Belgium between the 5th August and 22nd November 1914. The clasp is sewn directly to the ribbon and is often referred to as the 'MONS' bar.
Ribbon:
The ribbon is 1.25" wide with red, white and blue shaded stripes.
Naming:
Naming is done by stamping in block capital letters in 3 lines on the reverse in either small or square sans serif capitals. Those awarded to members of the Royal Naval Division (R.N., R.N.R., R.N.V.R., and R.M.) are impressed in large square serifed capitals.
Notes:
Some 378,000 1914 stars were issued to members of the BEF and Royal Navy however it is unknown how many Mons bars were awarded but is believed to be about five for every seven stars issued. When the ribbon was worn without the medal those entitled to the Mons bar wore a silver rosette in the centre of the ribbon. However this rosette was mistakenly worn by many recipients of the 1914 Star who were not entitled to the Mons bar believing it denoted the earlier of the two stars.
To qualify for the 1914 Star (as opposed to the 1914-15 Star) the recipient had to be on active service in France or Belgium while the 1914-15 Star included all theatres of war. Many naval personnel therefore only qualified for the 1914-15 Star unless they landed in France or Belgium before December 1914. This Star is always accompanied by the War Service Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19.
1914-15 STAR
Description:
Almost identical to the 1914 Star being a four pointed star with the top point being hidden by a crown. The obverse has a scroll in the centre with the year '1914-15' in the centre surrounded by a laurel wreath with the GV monogram at the bottom and two crossed swords in the background. The ribbon is attached via a ring on top of the crown and the reverse is plain and flat.
Clasps:
None authorised for this star.
Ribbon:
The ribbon is 1.25" wide with red, white and blue shaded stripes.
Naming:
Naming is done by stamping in block capital letters in 3 lines on the reverse in either small or square sans serif capitals.
Notes:
Some 2,366,000 of these stars were awarded including 283,500 to the Royal Navy and 71,500 to Canadian troops. Those who enlisted after the introduction of conscription (i.e. 1916) would not qualify for this medal hence the award was for those who had 'volunteered' for active service before conscription. This Star is always accompanied by the War Service Medal 1914-20 and Victory Medal 1914-19.
WAR SERVICE MEDAL 1914-20
Description:
The obverse bears the uncrowned head of George V and the legend 'GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:'. The reverse has St. George on horseback facing right below a rising sun with the horse trampling on a shield representing the Central Powers and a skull and crossbones representing death with the year '1914' on the left and '1918' on the right. The suspender is a straight economy non-swivelling type riveted to the medal.
Clasps:
None authorised for this medal.
Ribbon:
1.25" wide with a broad central orange stripe and working outwards are narrower white, black and blue stripes on each edge. It is said that the orange represents the mud of the Western Front, the white for peace, the black for death and the blue for the rain.
Naming:
Naming is in indented capital letters.
Notes:
Six and a half million were issued to British and empire troops with about 110,000 bronze to Chinese and Maltese Native Labour Corps personnel. Although the war ended in 1918 the medal was issued up to 1920 to those involved in mine clearance at sea and service in North and South Russia, the Baltic, Siberia and in the Caspian and Black Seas.
A large number of these medals were struck at the Calcutta Mint in India. These are very slightly larger (0.011 to 0.014 of an inch) and have wider impressed letters for the naming.
TERRITORIAL FORCE WAR MEDAL 1914-19
Description:
Issued in bronze the obverse of this medal bears the head of George V and the legend 'GEORGVIS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:.' The reverse has the words 'TERRITORIAL WAR MEDAL' around the upper edge and 'FOR VOLUNTARY SERVICES OVERSEAS 1914-19' in the centre surrounded by a laurel wreath. The suspender is straight economy non-swivelling type riveted to the medal.
Clasps:
None authorised for this medal.
Ribbon:
1.25" wide yellow with two green stripes.
Naming:
Naming is in impressed block capitals.
Notes:
This medal was issued to members of the Territorial Force who served outside the United Kingdom between the outbreak of war and the armistice and who were ineligible for either the 1914 or 1914-15 Stars. Some 33,944 medals were awarded.
VICTORY MEDAL 1914-19
A common design for medals issued by the victorious Allies: Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA.
Description:
The obverse of this bronze medal bears the winged figure of Victory holding a palm branch in her right hand with her left extended. The reverse has the inscription 'THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILISATION 1914-19' surrounded with a laurel wreath. The ribbon is attached via a ring which passes through a small loop sweated to the top of the medal.
Clasps:
None authorised for this medal but those mentioned in despatches were allowed to wear an oak leaf on the ribbon.
Ribbon:
The ribbon is rainbow coloured measuring 1.55" wide reading from the centre outwards red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet.
Naming:
Naming is in indented capitals.
Notes:
Some 5,725,000 issues were made and this medal was never awarded alone usually being found with at least the War Service Medal 1914-20. Although the medal is dated 1914-19 the qualifying period ended in November 1918 but several issues are known to be made for those serving between 13-14th January 1919 in Hedjaz or the Aden Field Force.
Several different finishes are seen with this medal. Some have a dull brown or dusty finish which is believed to be due to a batch made from a slightly different mixture of metals from the others.