Victory Medal (United Kingdom)

The Victory Medal (United Kingdom) 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 not awarded singly.{{cite web | url=https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/soldiers/how-to-research-a-soldier/campaign-medal-records/the-british-campaign-medals-for-the-great-war/ |title=The British campaign medals for the Great War| access-date=27 October 2020 | work=The Long, Long Trail |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080227010804/http://www.1914-1918.net/pipsqueak.htm |archive-date = 2008-02-27}}

To qualify, recipients need to have served in the armed forces of the United Kingdom or the British Empire, or with certain recognised voluntary organisations, and have entered any theatre of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. While home service did not count, United Kingdom based members of the RAF who were actively engaged in the air against the enemy did qualify, as did those who flew new planes to France. Women qualified for this and other First World War campaign medals while serving in nursing and auxiliary forces in a theatre of war.

It was also awarded for mine clearance in the North Sea between 11 November 1918 and 30 November 1919 and for participation in the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War up to 1 July 1920.{{cite web|url=http://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/ww1_victory_medal_award.htm|title=Victory Medal, award criteria|access-date=2018-06-07|work=North East Medals}}

File:Winged_Victory,_Victoria_Memorial,_London.jpg

• The medal is bronze, circular and {{convert|36|mm|in}} in diameter. While originally to be of dull bronze, the final award had a clear lacquer coating, giving it a bright finish."The Type I Victory Medal 1914–19". Richard Flory. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, September 2009, pages 144–152. It was designed by William McMillan.{{Cite book |last1=Hayward |last2=Birch |last3=Bishop |date=2006 |title=British Battles and Medals |edition=7th |location=London |publisher=Spink |pages=508–511 |isbn=1-902040-77-5 }}

File:Medal, campaign (AM 800720-1).jpg

• The obverse shows the winged, full-length, full-front, figure of 'Victory' (or 'Victoria') with her left arm extended and holding a palm branch in her right hand,{{Cite book|editor-first=John |editor-last=Mussell |title=Medal Yearbook 2015|page=179|publisher=Token Publishing |location=Honiton, Devon}} similar to the statue surmounting the Queen Victoria Memorial, in front of Buckingham Palace in London.
• The reverse has the words "THE GREAT / WAR FOR / CIVILISATION / 1914–1919" in four lines, all surrounded by a laurel wreath.
• The {{convert|39|mm|in}} wide watered ribbon has an iridescent colour scheme, with the violet moving through to a central red stripe where both schemes meet. It attaches to the medal through a ring suspender.
• The recipient's name, rank, service number and unit were impressed on the edge of the medal. The name of the regiment or corps was omitted on medals awarded to Army officers.[https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/first-world-war-service-medals "British First World War Service Medals"]. Imperial War Museum. Accessed 7 July 2018.
• Those mentioned in despatches between 4 August 1914 and 10 August 1920 wear a bronze oak leaf spray on the medal's ribbon, with a smaller version on the ribbon bar when medals were not worn.{{Cite book|first=Peter |last=Duckers|title=British Gallantry Awards 1855–2000|pages=54–55 |publisher=Shire Publications |location=Oxford |year=2010 |isbn=978-0-7478-0516-8}}

The three First World War medals, either one of the 1914 Star or the 1914–15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal, were collectively irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, after three comic strip characters, a dog, a penguin and a rabbit, which were popular in the immediate post-war era. Pip represented either of the two Stars, Squeak represented the British War Medal and Wilfred represented the Victory Medal.{{cite web|url=http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/pipsqueakwilfred.htm|title=Pip, Squeak and Wilfred|access-date=2018-06-07|work=First World War.com}}

When only the British War Medal and Victory Medal were worn together, they were referred to as Mutt and Jeff, after contemporary newspaper comic strip characters.[http://www.greatwar.co.uk/medals/ww1-campaign-medals.htm "A Guide to British Campaign Medals of WW1"]. The Great War 1914–1918.

The order of wear of medals awarded for service during the First World War is as follows:{{London Gazette|issue=38663|supp=y|page=3404|date=12 July 1949}}

• 1914 Star
• 1914–15 Star
• British War Medal
• Mercantile Marine War Medal
• Victory Medal
• Territorial Force War Medal

In March 1919 a committee in Paris comprising representatives from the various allied powers recommended the award of an inter-allied campaign medal of common design,"The Type I Victory Medal 1914–19". Richard Flory. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, September 2009, page 145 thereby avoiding the need for allied nations to exchange campaign medals.{{Cite book |last=Dorling |first=H. Taprell |author-link= H. Taprell Dorling |date=1956 |title=Ribbons and Medals |location=London |publisher=A. H. Baldwin & Sons |pages=90–91 |oclc=930416375}} Each allied country designed its own version, following certain common criteria. The medal was to be in bronze with a 36 mm diameter, having a winged figure of victory on the obverse, a common inscription on the reverse and suspension by a double rainbow design ribbon. Japan and Siam replaced the figure of victory, since a winged victory symbol was not culturally relevant.{{cite web|url=http://www.s234171324.websitehome.co.uk/saunders/links111.htm|title=Inter-allied Victory Medals|access-date=2018-07-09}}

The following versions were finally awarded:

{{Inter-Allied Victory Medal Table}}

• Australian campaign medals
• British campaign medals
• New Zealand campaign medals
• Silver War Badge (SWB)

{{reflist}}

• {{Cite book |last=Dorling |first=H. Taprell |author-link= H. Taprell Dorling |date=1956 |title=Ribbons and Medals |location=London |publisher=A.H.Baldwin & Sons |oclc=930416375}}
• {{Cite book |last1=Hayward |last2=Birch |last3=Bishop |date=2006 |title=British Battles and Medals |edition=7th |location=London |publisher=Spink |pages=508–511 |isbn=1-902040-77-5 }}
• {{Cite book |editor-last=Mussell |editor-first=John |title=Medal Yearbook 2015 |location=Honiton, Devon |publisher=Token Publishing Ltd |publication-date=20 September 2014 |page=177 |isbn=978-1-908828-17-0}}
• {{cite book|last=Williamson|first=Howard J.| title=The Great War Medal Collectors Companion Volume I| publisher= Privately published by Anne Williamson| year= 2011| isbn=978-0-9527544-4-2}}

{{Commons category}}

• [https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/cultural-collections/medals/collection/first-world-war-campaign-medals/victory-medal/ Victory Medal on the UK Parliament website]
• [https://www.defence.gov.au/sites/default/files/doc/files/WWI-criteria-Victory-Medal-1914-19-Australian-transcribed.pdf Transcription of Admiralty and Military orders for the VM hosted on the Australian DoD website]
• {{cite web|url=http://www.kingsownmuseum.com/medalsk.htm|title=The King's Own Royal Regiment Museum, Victory Medal|access-date=2018-07-09}}
• [http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documentsonline/medals.asp Searchable database of medal cards] at The National Archives

{{Inter-Allied Victory Medal}}

{{British campaign medals}}

{{Australian Campaign Medals}}

{{New Zealand campaign medals}}

Category:Decorations of the British Army

Category:British campaign medals

Category:Australian campaign medals

Category:New Zealand campaign medals

Category:Interallied Victory Medals of World War I

Category:Awards established in 1919