Victory Medal 1914-19

Product Description: This Miniature Victory Medal 1914-19 is made from lead-free pewter that is 22ct gold plated. It is supplied with approximately 9cm of ribbon. The medal is mounted on a fold-over information card that has an image of British troops surrounded by motor bombs on the front and has historical information about the medal and World War I on the reverse.

Information: This medal was awarded to all services of the British armed forces that had already received the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star and, with certain exceptions, to those who received the British War Medal. It was often known as the Allied War Medal because the same basic design and double rainbow ribbon were adopted by thirteen other allied nations.

World War I (1914-18) was fought between the Allied Powers – Britain, France, Russia, Japan and Serbia – who were joined in the course of the war by Italy (1915), Portugal and Romania (1916), the USA and Greece (1917) – against the Central Powers: Germany, and the Austro-Hungarian empire, Ottoman Turkey, and Bulgaria (from 1915). On the western front fighting was characterised by trench warfare where during an attack a few metres of ground were gained for an enormous cost in lives. Aerial warfare developed from reconnaissance into bombing and the use of fighter aircraft in air-to-air combat. On November 11th an armistice was signed between Germany and the allies bringing the fighting in World War I to an end. Estimated casualties of the war are 10 million killed and 20 million wounded.

The cover image shows allied troops surrounded by trench mortar bombs.