Victory Medal (United Kingdom)

Victory Medal 1914-19
Obverse (left) and reverse (right) of the medal
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	6,334,522+
Precedence
Equivalent	Victory Medal (South Africa)
Related	1914 Star 1914-15 Star British War Medal Territorial Force War Medal
Ribbon bar without and with MID emblem

The Victory Medal (also called the Inter-Allied Victory Medal) is a First World War campaign medal of Britain and its then colonies and dominions (e.g. Canada, Australia, New Zealand). The basic design and ribbon was also adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA in accordance with the decision of the Inter-Allied Peace Conference at Versailles (a 'Winged Victory). A particular form of this historic Greek monument was chosen by each nation, except 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).

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.^[1]^[2]

Eligibility

To qualify for the Victory medal one had to be mobilised by Britain, 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.

Description

The Victory Medal issued within the British Empire as a result of an international agreement at the Inter-allied Peace Conference immediately preceding the Treaty of Versailles is a 36mm diameter circular copper medal, lacquered in bronze. The obverse in the British Empire medal shows the winged, full-length, full-front, figure of 'Victory' (or 'Victoria'), also figuring in all other medals by the nations as cited, but in this case (the British Empire) with her left arm extended and holding a palm branch in her right hand, this being in common with the previously (pre-war) created British Empire statue in the Victoria Memorial, London (which contains also a statue of the Queen and Empress with the title 'VICTORIA REGINA IMPERATRIX').
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 "Mentioned in Despatches" between 4 August 1914 and 10 August 1920 wear an oak leaf on the medal's ribbon.

International award

As well as the United Kingdom, a significant number of allied and associated countries involved in the conflict against the Austro-German alliance issued a Victory Medal.

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 except for Japan and Siam where the concept of a winged victory was not culturally relevant.

Source^[3]
Country	Designer	Manufacturer	Number issued
Belgium	Paul Du Bois (1859-1938)	-----	300,000 - 350,000
Brazil	Jorge Soubre (1890-1934)	Casa da Moeda - Rio de Janeiro	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^[4]	Charles Charles	Etablissements Chobillon	-----
France^[4]	M. Pautot Louis Octave Mattei	-----	-----
United Kingdom^[5]	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^[6]	Shoukichi Hata	Osaka Mint	approximately 700,000
Poland^[7]	.... Vlaitov	Mint Kremnica	-----
Portugal	João Da Silva (1880-1960)	Da Costa	approximately 100,000
Romania	.... Kristesko	-----	approximately 300,000
Siam (Thailand)	Itthithepsan Kritakara (1890-1935)	-----	approximately 1,500
South Africa^[8]	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

In popular culture

The 2005 book The Great War for Civilisation by Robert Fisk takes its title from the reverse legend of the medal, although it is not about the First World War.

References

↑ "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred". First World War.com. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
↑ "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred". The Long, Long Trail. Archived from the original on 2008-02-27. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
↑ The interallied victory medals of World War I by Alexander J. Laslo, Dorado Publishing, Albuquerque. 1986 Edition.
1 2 Unofficial type.
↑ 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.
↑ On the obverse the winged figure of Victory was replaced by a warrior holding a spear.
↑ 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 veterans’ group.
↑ The text on the reverse is in English and Dutch.

External links

"The King's Own Royal Regiment Museum, (Lancaster), Victory Medal". www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
Searchable database of medal cards at The National Archives

Inter-Allied Victory Medal of World War I by country

Belgium Brazil British Empire Cuba Czechoslovakia France Greece Italy Japan Poland Portugal Romania Siam (Thailand) South Africa United States

British campaign medals

19th Century	Naval General Service Medal (1793–1814) Naval Gold Medal (1793–1840) Military General Service Medal (1793–1814) Army of India Medal (1803–26) Army Gold Cross (1806–1814) Army Gold Medal (1806–1814) Waterloo Medal (1815) South Africa Medal of 1854 (1834–6, 1846–7, 1850–3) Ghuznee Medal (1839) First China War Medal (1839–42) Jellalabad Medals (1841–2) Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal (1842) Medal for the Defence of Kelat-I-Ghilzie (1842) Scinde Medal (1843) Gwalior Star (1843) Sutlej Medal (1845–6) New Zealand Medal (1845–7, 1860–6) Punjab Medal (1848–9) India General Service Medal of 1854 (1852–95) Crimean War Medal (1854–6) Baltic Medal (1854–5) Second China War Medal (1856–60) Indian Mutiny Medal (1857–8) Canada General Service Medal (1866–70) Abyssinian War Medal (1867–8) Ashantee Medal (1873–4) South Africa Medal of 1880 (1877–9) Afghanistan Medal (1878–80) Kabul to Kandahar Star (1880) Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal (1880-1, 1896–7) Egypt Medal (1882–9) North West Canada Medal (1885) East and West Africa Medal (1887–1900) British South Africa Company Medal (1890–7) Central Africa Medal (1891–8) India Medal (1895–1902) Ashanti Star (1895–6) Queen's Sudan Medal (1896–8) East and Central Africa Medal (1897–9) Queen's South Africa Medal (1899–1902) Queen's Mediterranean Medal (1899–1902) Transport Medal (1899–1902) (for South Africa or China) China War Medal (1900) Ashanti Medal (1900)

20th Century Pre-First World War	King's South Africa Medal (1902) Africa General Service Medal (1902–56) Tibet Medal (1905) Natal Native Rebellion Medal (1906) India General Service Medal (1909)

First World War	1914 Star 1914–15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal (United Kingdom) Victory Medal (South Africa) Territorial War Medal Mercantile Marine War Medal

Inter World War	Naval General Service Medal (1915) General Service Medal (1918) India General Service Medal (1936)

Second World War	1939–1945 Star Atlantic Star Arctic Star Air Crew Europe Star Africa Star Pacific Star Burma Star Italy Star France and Germany Star Defence Medal War Medal 1939–1945 India Service Medal - 1939-1945

Post War	Korea Medal (1951) General Service Medal (1962) Rhodesia Medal (1980) South Atlantic Medal (1982) Gulf Medal (1992)

21st Century	OSM for Sierra Leone (2000) OSM for Afghanistan (2002) OSM for Democratic Republic of Congo (2003) Iraq Medal (2004) Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal (2004) Civilian Service Medal (Afghanistan) (2011) Ebola Medal (2015)

Australian Campaign Medals

Mahdist War	Egypt Medal (1882–89)

Second Boer War	Queen's South Africa Medal (1899–1902) • King's South Africa Medal (1902)

Boxer Rebellion	China War Medal (1900)

World War One	1914–15 Star • British War Medal • Victory Medal Mercantile Marine War Medal •

General Service	Naval General Service Medal (1915–62) • General Service Medal (1918–62)

World War Two	1939–1945 Star • Atlantic Star • Arctic Star • Air Crew Europe Star • Africa Star • Pacific Star • Burma Star • Italy Star • France and Germany Star • Defence Medal • War Medal • Australia Service Medal (1939–45)

1945–1975	Australian Active Service Medal (1945–75) • Korea Medal (1950–53) • United Nations Korea Medal (1950–53) • Australian General Service Medal Korea (1953–56) • General Service Medal (1962–1975) • Vietnam Medal (1964–73) • Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal (1968–73) • Australian Service Medal (1945–75)

1975–2012	Australian Active Service Medal (1975–2012) • International Force East Timor Medal (1999–2000) • Afghanistan Medal (2001–14) • Iraq Medal (2003–13) • Australian Service Medal (1975–2012) • Rhodesia Medal (1979–80)

2012–	Australian Operational Service Medal – Border Protection (2012–) • Australian Operational Service Medal – Civilian (2012–) • Australian Operational Service Medal – GMEO (2014–)

New Zealand campaign medals

19th century	New Zealand Medal

Second Boer War	Queen's South Africa Medal • King's South Africa Medal

World War One	1914–15 Star • British War Medal • Victory Medal Mercantile Marine War Medal •

World War Two	1939–1945 Star • Atlantic Star • Arctic Star • Air Crew Europe Star • Africa Star • Pacific Star • Burma Star • Italy Star • France and Germany Star • Defence Medal • War Medal • New Zealand War Service Medal (1939–45)

General Service	Naval General Service Medal (1915–62) • General Service Medal (1918–62) • General Service Medal (1962–2003) • New Zealand Operational Service Medal (1945–present)

Post-World War II	New Zealand Service Medal 1946–1949 (1946–49) • Korea Medal (1950–53) • Vietnam Medal (1964–73) • Rhodesia Medal (1979-1980) • New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Warlike) (1956–1991) • New Zealand General Service Medal 1992 (Non-Warlike) (1954–present) • East Timor Medal (1999–2006)

21st century	NZGSM 2002 (Solomon Islands)(2000–2013) • NZGSM 2002 (Afghanistan) – Primary Operations Area (2001–present) • NZGSM 2002 (Afghanistan) – Secondary Operations Area (2001–present) • NZGSM 2002 (Iraq 2003) (2003–present) • NZGSM 2002 (Timor-Leste) (2006–2012) • NZGSM 2002 (Korea) (2001–present) NZGSM 2002 (Counter-Piracy) (2009–present)

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