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Category: Great Britain

The Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest United Kingdom honors system award. It is given for gallantry in the presence of the enemy.

The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest award of the United Kingdom honors system. It is awarded for gallantry “in the presence of the enemy” to members of the British armed forces, and it can be awarded posthumously.

Since the first awards were presented by Queen Victoria in 1857, two-thirds of all awards have been personally presented by the British monarch, usually at Buckingham Palace. Before the Crimean War (when it was introduced), there was no official standardized system for recognition of gallantry within the British armed forces.

A single company of jewelers, Hancocks of London, has been responsible for the production of every VC awarded since its inception. 

Since its establishment, the Victoria Cross has been awarded approximately 1,360 times to individuals or groups of recipients. The medal has been awarded for actions in various conflicts and wars, including World War I, World War II, and more recent conflicts. Recipients come from a diverse range of military backgrounds and countries within the Commonwealth. A total of 1,358 Victoria Crosses have been awarded since 1856 to 1,355 men.

The History of the Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross was established on January 29, 1856, during the reign of Queen Victoria.

It was introduced by a Royal Warrant to recognize acts of valor by members of the British military during the Crimean War (1854-1856). The VC was intended to honor acts of bravery and self-sacrifice in the face of the enemy.

Eligibility of the Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross is awarded for most conspicuous bravery or acts of valor in the presence of the enemy. It can be awarded to members of the British armed forces, including the Army, Navy, and Air Force, as well as to civilians serving with military forces.

The VC is a rare and prestigious award, with recipients demonstrating exceptional courage and selflessness in combat.

The Victoria Cross Design

The Victoria Cross is a bronze straight-armed cross pattee measuring 38 mm across, with raised edges.

On the obverse, it bears a lion guardant standing upon the Royal Crown, and below the Crown, a scroll bearing the inscription “PRO VALORE”. On the reverse is the date of the act for which the decoration is bestowed is engraved in a raised circle.

The Cross is suspended by means of a plain link from a V below a straight bar ornamented with laurel leaves.

The ribbon is crimson and measures 38 millimeters in width. 

Further Reading About the Victoria Cross

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The Inter Allied Victory Medal (Great Britain)

The Victory Medal (also known as Inter-Allied Victory Medal) is a United Kingdom and British Empire First World War campaign medal.

The Victory Medal (also known as Inter-Allied Victory Medal) is a United Kingdom and British Empire First World War campaign medal. The medal was not awarded single, but 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.

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.

Recipients had to be mobilized for war service in the United Kingdom or the British Empire, in any service, and to have entered a theatre of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918 to qualify for the Victory Medal. Women qualified 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.

The Victory Medal issued within the British Empire was a result of an international agreement at the Inter-allied Peace Conference preceding the Treaty of Versailles. Some 6,334,522+ medals were awarded in Great Britain.

The UK Inter-Allied Victory Medal Design

The Victory Medal measures 36 millimeters (1.4 in) in diameter and was designed by William McMillan. The 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. Each allied nation would design a ‘Victory Medal’ for award to their own nationals, all issues having certain common features, including a winged figure of victory on the obverse and the same ribbon.

The obverse of the medal 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 shows the words ‘THE GREAT / WAR FOR / CIVILISATION / 1914-1919‘  surrounded by a laurel wreath.

The 39 millimeters (1.5 in) wide watered ribbon has an iridescent color 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.

Related Medals

The ‘Pip’, ‘Squeak’, and ‘Wilfred’ medals were British military decorations established during World War I. The Pip Squeak was the 1914 Star, the Wilfred was the British War Medal, and the Pip was the Victory Medal. 

WW1 Medals and Awards: The 1914-15 Star

The 1914-15 Star

The 1914–15 Star is a British Empire campaign medal awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces during the First World War.

Read More »
WW1 Medals and Awards: The 1914 Star

The 1914 Star

The 1914 Star, ‘Mons’ Star or ‘Pip’ is a British Empire campaign medal instituted in 1917 and presented for service during World War I.

Read More »

All the Inter-Allied Victory Medal Variations

Although each country designed its own version of the Inter-Allied Victory Medal, all of them shared some common elements, such as a winged victory figure on the obverse and a similar ribbon with rainbow colors symbolizing unity among the Allies. Here are the versions for all countries:

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The 1914-1920 British War Medal

The 1914-1920 British War Medal (also known as ‘Squeak’) is a British Empire campaign medal presented for service during World War I.

The 1914-1920 British War Medal (also known as ‘Squeak’) is a British Empire campaign medal presented for service during World War I.

The British War Medal was instituted on 1919 for those who had rendered service between 5 August 1914, the day following the British declaration of war against the German Empire, and the armistice of 11 November 1918. The British War Medal could be awarded to all officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had served for the prescribed period or who had died on active service before its completion. 

The trio of First World War medals (the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal) were collectively referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, after comic strip characters that were popular in the immediate post-war era. Squeak represented the British War Medal.

Some 6,610,000 medals were awarded, 6,500,000 struck in silver and 110,000 struck in bronze. 427,993 medals were awarded to Canadians who served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

The History of the Distinguished Service Cross

The medal is a silver or bronze disk, with a diameter of 36 millimeters and a straight clasp suspender without swivel. The medal was designed by W. McMillan and struck by the Royal Mint.

The recipient’s name, rank, service number and unit are impressed on the bottom edge of the medal.

The obverse shows an effigy of King George V facing left and the legend “GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:”. The reverse shows Saint George naked on horseback and armed with a short sword.

Related Medals

The ‘Pip’, ‘Squeak’, and ‘Wilfred’ medals were British military decorations established during World War I. The Pip Squeak was the 1914 Star, the Wilfred was the British War Medal, and the Pip was the Victory Medal. 

WW1 Medals and Awards: The 1914-15 Star

The 1914-15 Star

The 1914–15 Star is a British Empire campaign medal awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces during the First World War.

Read More »
WW1 Medals and Awards: The 1914 Star

The 1914 Star

The 1914 Star, ‘Mons’ Star or ‘Pip’ is a British Empire campaign medal instituted in 1917 and presented for service during World War I.

Read More »

The 1914 Star

The 1914 Star, ‘Mons’ Star or ‘Pip’ is a British Empire campaign medal instituted in 1917 and presented for service during World War I.

The 1914 Star (also known as the ‘Mons’ Star) is a British Empire campaign medal presented for service during World War I.

The 1914 Star was instituted in 1917 and awarded to the officers and men of the British forces who served in France or Belgium between 5 August and midnight on the 22/23 November 1914 (the day after Britain’s declaration of war against the Central Powers, and the closing date marks the end of the First Battle of Ypres).

The majority of recipients were officers and men of the pre-war British army, specifically the British Expeditionary Force (the ‘Old Contemptibles’), who landed in France soon after the outbreak of the war and who took part in the retreat from Mons.

The 1914 Star Design

The medal is a four-pointed star of bright bronze, ensigned with a crown, with a height of 50 millimeters (2.0 in) and a width of 44 millimeters (1.7 in). The obverse has two crossed gladii (swords) with their blades upwards. The reverse is plain and is impressed with the recipient’s number, rank, name and regiment or unit.

About 365,622 medals were awarded. In most instances, recipients of this medal also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Related Medals

The ‘Pip’, ‘Squeak’, and ‘Wilfred’ medals were British military decorations established during World War I. The Pip Squeak was the 1914 Star, the Wilfred was the British War Medal, and the Pip was the Victory Medal. 

WW1 Medals and Awards: The 1914-15 Star

The 1914-15 Star

The 1914–15 Star is a British Empire campaign medal awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces during the First World War.

Read More »