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The First Ever Military Medal: Who Created it and Why.

Today, we define medals and awards as designs that commemorate a particular event, person, or place. Medals can range from small medallions to large plaques and be made from a variety of materials such as silver, bronze, or gold. The first military and commemorative medals had to be cut by hand but in the 19th century machine cutters were able to simplify the process, facilitating the creation of large amounts of awards based on an original design.

The First Medal Ever Made

Most experts agree that the first medal ever created was made by Antonio Pisano (or “Pisanello“), an Italian painter that lived from 1395 to 1455.

The medal, made in 1438, portrays John VIII Palaeologus – the penultimate Byzantine emperor. Several painters have also famously depicted John VIII Palaiologos on the occasion of his visit to Italy. For example, Benozzo Gozzoli painted him portrait on the southern wall of the Magi Chapel, at the Medici-Riccardi Palace in Florence.

Pisanello’s medal was a portrait relief with a pictorial scene on the reverse. It was reproduced by casting in lead or bronze and given to the 16 sitters of the Courts of Milan, Ferrara, Naples, Mantua, and Rimini. The legend on the medal reads, in Greek, “John the Palaiologos, basileus and autokrator of the Romans“.

Pisanello is considered by many as the father of commemorative portrait medalists. During his life, he was best known for his medals and frequently copied time over time in later generations.

Before Pisanello, few medals were struck like minted coins. He was the first to melt his, a process closer to the creation of bronze low-relief. This is why his medals can show such exquisite detail.

Other Early Medals: France

France also produced very early commemorative medals in the 15th century. Around 1455, heraldic pieces were struck in gold and silver to commemorate the expulsion of the English.

The first medal portrait produced in France was that of Charles VIII and Anne of Brittany, who visited Lyon in 1494. Several goldsmiths like Jacques Gauvain and Jérôme Henry had been inspired by Italian medalists working in France. With the aid of German minting machinery, numerous propaganda medals were produced, in particular by the Huguenot goldsmith Étienne Delaune. Germain Pilon, a Mannerist sculptor, created a new tuype of medal that consisted of large cast portrait plaque. These were given to members of the Valois dynasty and Henry III. Guillaume Dupré followed Pilon, making portrait medals for Henry IV and, in 1604, he was appointed “conducteur et contrôleur général” of the Paris Mint. Dupré’s rival, Nicolas Briot, revived the English court’s interest in medals when he went to London in 1625.

Other Early Medals: The Netherlands

The most popular northern Renaissance medal is the Medal of Erasmus, made in 1519 in Antwerp by Quentin Massys. It’s worth noting, though, that professional medalists in the Netherlands also copied the Italian style (for example Steven van Herwyck and Jacob Jonghelinck). Medal production in the country was particularly stimulated by the need for propaganda medals during the war with Spain (1568–1648).

Sergeant Stubby and Sergeant Reckless, Decorated Dog and Horse

Animals have always been a crucial part of the war effort, as humans have enlisted them to help fight their wars since prehistoric times.

Animals have always been a crucial part of the war effort, as humans have enlisted them to help fight their wars since prehistoric times. Horses, elephants and camels have in the past hauled men and supplies; pigeons carried messages and done photographic espionage. Even rats and pigs have been used in warfare and other combat related activities. But did you know that some of them received medals?

Sergeant Stubby

Born in 1916, Sargent Stubby served for 18 months and participated in seventeen battles on the Western Front. During World War I, this dog was the official mascot of the 102nd Infantry Regiment and was assigned to the 26th (Yankee) Division. He was so popular that his actions were well-documented in contemporary American newspapers.

Stubby was a dog of “uncertain breed“, most likely a Bull Terrier or Boston Terrier. Ann Bausum wrote that “The brindle-patterned pup probably owed at least some of his parentage to the evolving family of Boston Terriers, a breed so new that even its name was in flux: Boston Round Heads, American Bull Terriers, and Boston Bull Terriers.”

Stubby’s story is unique. As members of the 102nd Infantry were training in the Yale University campus in New Haven, Connecticut in July 1917, Stubby was found wandering the grounds and one soldier, Corporal Robert Conroy, developed a fondness for him. Conroy got so attached that he hid Stubby on board the troop ship, who remained undetected under his overcoat until they got off the ship in France. Luckily for everyone who was to come into contact with him n the future, the commanding officer allowed the dog to stay on board.

Stubby entered combat on February 5, 1918, at Chemin des Dames, north of Soissons in France. Serving with the 102nd Infantry Regiment in the trenches, Stubby participated in four offensives and 17 battles. He was wounded in the foreleg by the retreating Germans throwing hand grenades during a raid to take Seicheprey in April 1918, and sent to the rear for convalescence.

He was also injured by mustard gas, but after he recovered he returned with a specially designed gas mask to protect him. He soon learned to warn his unit of poison gas attacks and became very adept at letting his unit know when to duck for cover, as he could hear the whine of incoming artillery shells before humans. Stubby also helped locate wounded soldiers in no man’s land and was solely responsible for capturing a German spy in the Argonne, reason he was nominated for the rank of sergeant.

After Château-Thierry was retaken by the US, the women of the town made Stubby a chamois coat on which were pinned his many medals.

At the end of the war, Robert Conroy smuggled Stubby home where he became a celebrity and marched in, and normally led, many parades across the country. He even met Presidents Woodrow Wilson, Calvin Coolidge, and Warren G. Harding, was presented a gold medal from the Humane Education Society, attended Georgetown University Law Center with Conroy and became the Georgetown Hoyas‘ team mascot.

Stubby died in his sleep in 1926. His skin was mounted on a plaster cast and presented to the Smithsonian in 1956. Stubby’s obituary in the New York Times was half a page, much longer than those of many notable people of the time. The descendants of Robert Conroy (Stubby’s inseparable companion) dedicated a life-size bronze statue of Stubby named “Stubby Salutes”, by Susan Bahary, in the Connecticut Trees of Honor Memorial at Veteran’s Memorial Park in Middletown, Connecticut in May 2018.

Sergeant Reckless

Reckless was a mare of Mongolian horse breeding, chestnut colored with a blaze and three white stockings, born in 1948 and purchased by members of the United States Marine Corps in October 1952 out of a race horse dam at the Seoul racetrack. She was originally named “Ah Chim Hai”, which translates to “Morning Flame“. She was small, standing only 56 inches (142 cm) and weighing 900 pounds (410 kg).

In October 1952, Lieutenant Eric Pedersen had received permission to purchase a horse for his platoon, a pack animal capable of carrying up to nine of the heavy 24-pound shells needed to supply the recoilless rifles used by his unit. Pedersen had his wife ship a pack saddle from their home in California so Reckless could better fulfill her primary role as a pack animal.

She was trained to be a pack horse for the Recoilless Rifle Platoon, Anti-Tank Company, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division and was known for her willingness to eat nearly anything including scrambled eggs, beer, Coca-Cola and, once, about $30 worth of poker chips.

She quickly became part of the unit and was allowed to roam freely through camp. She served in numerous combat actions during the Korean War, carrying supplies and ammunition. She often traveled to deliver supplies to the troops on her own, without benefit of a handler as she could learn each supply route after only a couple of trips. In a single day in late March 1953, during the Battle for Outpost Vegas, she made 51 solo trips to resupply multiple front line units.

The Marines, especially Platoon Gunnery Sergeant Joseph Latham, taught Reckless battlefield survival skills such as how not to become entangled in barbed wire and to lie down when under fire. She also learned to run for a bunker upon hearing the cry, “incoming!”.

When not on the front lines, Reckless was particularly useful for stringing telephone wire. Carrying reels of wire on her pack that were played out as she walked, she could string as much wire as twelve men on foot. She became the first horse in the Marine Corps known to have participated in an amphibious landing when the 5th moved from Camp Casey to Inchon.

Reckless was wounded in combat twice, given the battlefield rank of corporal in 1953. Randolph M. Pate, then the commander of the 1st Marine Division, gave Reckless a battlefield promotion from corporal to sergeant in a formal ceremony, complete with reviewing stand, on April 10, 1954, several months after the war ended. Following the war was awarded two Purple Hearts, a Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal and a red and gold blanket with insignia as well as other military honors.

I was surprised at her beauty and intelligence, and believe it or not, her esprit de corps. Like any other Marine, she was enjoying a bottle of beer with her comrades. She was constantly the center of attraction and was fully aware of her importance. If she failed to receive the attention she felt her due, she would deliberately walk into a group of Marines and, in effect, enter the conversation. It was obvious the Marines loved her.

—Lieutenant General Randolph McC. Pate

Prior to her departure for America, a ceremony was held during half time of a football game between the Marine Corps and Army. Reckless left Korea for Japan aboard a 1st Marine Aircraft Wing transport plane and then sailed from Yokohama on October 22 aboard the SS Pacific Transport, due in San Francisco on November 5, 1954. Reckless was kept by Pedersen’s family for a brief time before moving to a more permanent home with the 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton. She was well cared for and treated as a VIP during her time at Camp Pendleton. The Marine Corps was also careful not to allow her to be exploited by commercial interests.

Reckless developed arthritis in her back as she aged and injured herself on May 13, 1968, by falling into a barbed wire fence. She died under sedation while her wounds were being treated. In 1997, Reckless was listed by LIFE magazine as one of America’s 100 all-time heroes.

An Overview of the Red Cross Medals, Badges & Awards

Since the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross in 1863, various Red Cross organizations and societies throughout the world have issued medals to award volunteers for meritorious service as well as to honor other individuals who have provided services of benefit to the Red Cross.

What is the Red Cross, and Why Does it Award Medals?

First conceived as a concept during the Battle of Solferino during the War of Italian Unification in 1859, the Red Cross became a reality thanks to the efforts of Swiss businessman Henry Dunant.

He had witnessed 40,000 dead and wounded men who had not received medical attention and wanted to establish an agency that would provide humanitarian aid during wartime protected by an international treaty that would recognize and uphold the neutrality of said agency.

Thus, in 1863, this agency became the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) with the emblem of a red cross on a white background, which was the inverse of the Swiss flag. In 1864, the first Geneva Convention codified acceptable treatment of sick and wounded soldiers and was initially adopted by twelve nations. Due to these accomplishments, Dunant received the first Nobel Peace Prize in 1901.

Even today, the highest award of the Red Cross Movement is the Henry Dunant Medal. Created 100 years after the establishment of the ICRC, the medal is named in honor of the founder of the International Red Cross. Thanks to the generosity of the Australian Red Cross, the medal was established by the International Red Cross Conference in Vienna in 1965, and the first medals were presented in 1969.

Awarded to

“recognize and reward outstanding services and acts of great devotion, mainly of international significance, to the cause of the Red Cross/Red Crescent by any of its members,”

only five Henry Dunant Medals are awarded every two years to maintain the prestige of the Red Cross’s highest honor.

Similarly, the Florence Nightingale Medal, named in honor of the famous 19th century nurse, is awarded by the International Committee of the Red Cross to nurses or nursing aides who distinguished times either in peace or war. In addition, it may be awarded posthumously if the recipient died working in a conflict zone. First established in 1912, the medal was initially restricted to females, which would not change until 1991 when it was opened to both men and women.

The Henry Dunant Medal and the Florence Nightingale Medal

The Henry Dunant Medal and the Florence Nightingale Medal are some of the most prestigious awards one can receive from the Red Cross, but there are a plethora of awards given from various local and national societies.

The Henry Dunant Medal

Florence Nightingale Medal - WW1 British Mdals & Awards - Red Cross

The Florence Nightingale Medal

After the establishment of the ICRC in 1863, it encouraged the creation of Red Cross societies which are now known as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. They are independent of the ICRC, as the ICRC acts as a liaison between the societies.

In 1881, Clara Barton, who is known for her efforts to improve nursing during the American Civil War, and a group of associates founded the American Red Cross in 1881 after becoming aware of the ICRC while visiting Europe. During World War I, the American Red Cross experienced substantial growth, going from 17,000 members in 1914 to over 20 million adult and 11 million junior members in 1918.

The Red Cross in WW1

World War I in particular would see the rise of many Red Cross medals, although medals did exist before then. The medals often had a double purpose especially during World War I—to honor and commemorate acts of great valor and to raise funds for the Red Cross during and after the war.

If you search Red Cross medals online, you will be overwhelmed by the number of medals out there. It seems like every country has a medal for every event or conflict that has ever occurred.

You’ll find rare medals like the Belgian Red Cross, Cross of Recognition 1st class, which was the earliest and highest award given by the Belgian Red Cross to volunteers during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871 as well as the Early Scottish Territorial Red Cross Brigade badge that was issued to registered members of the voluntary aid detachments and had to be purchased by the member.

While I could have chosen any number of Red Cross Medals as examples, several in particular stood out to me, as they illustrate the wide variety of medals that individuals who volunteered with the Red Cross could receive.

On December 28, 1908, a 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck the southern Italian towns of Sicily and Messina, followed by a crippling tsunami. Navy and merchant ships from France, Great Britain, Italy, and Russia came to provide assistance to the devastated region.

President Theodore Roosevelt even detoured the Great White Fleet, which had been circumnavigating the globe since December 1907 and had included 14,000 Sailors and Marines, in order to assist in the relief efforts. The Italian Red Cross Society commemorated the service of the Great White Fleet and others with the relief ribbon for earthquake relief efforts in Italy in 1908.

Another example was the British Red Cross medal awarded in 1921 to men and women who had volunteered during the First World War, who did not receive a British War Medal, and who had worked for 1,000 hours or 83 individual 12-hour shifts.

Many of the individuals who received the award worked on the Home Front in Great Britain in hospitals or nursing homes. Individuals who worked on the Front Line during the war—often as ambulance drivers or stretcher bearers—only had to have worked 500 hours to receive the medal.

Meant to be worn with a Red Cross uniform, the British Red Cross medal was an unofficial medal since it was not given by the government. Even so, over 40,000 people who had volunteered in the Red Cross during August 4, 1914 to December 31, 1919 received the award. Other countries that had Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies also gave out similar medals for service during World War I.

By contrast, the Royal Red Cross is a military decoration awarded in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth for exceptional service in military nursing. Established on April 23, 1883 by Queen Victoria with a single class of Member, the Royal Red Cross was first awarded to Florence Nightingale. A second class of Associate would be added during World War I in November 1915.

Given to a fully trained military or civilian nurse of an officially recognized nursing service who shows exceptional devotion and competence in performing nursing duties over a substantial period of time or who has performed an exceptional act of bravery at his or her post of duty, the Royal Red Cross medal was exclusively conferred on women until 1967 when men became eligible. Similarly, in 1979, posthumous awards were permitted.

Both Members and Associates are entitled to use post-nominal letters, RRC and ARRC, respectively. While an initial award can be made in the first class, a second class holder—an Associate—will be promoted to the first class of Member if he or she receives a further award.

Kathleen Cambridge and the Royal Red Cross

The British Red Cross Badge of Honor

The Royal Red Cross

In addition to Florence Nightingale, another prominent recipient of the Royal Red Cross was Kathleen Cambridge, who was part of a group of nurses affectionately nicknamed, “The Angels of Mons.” One of the first nurses to enter the battlefields of World War I, Cambridge convinced a Belgian family to turn their home into a hospital when she brought a group of wounded soldiers from the Battle of Mons.

Because Cambridge was not a member of the military, she was not entitled to any campaign medals. In 1916, however, Cambridge did join the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Military Nursing Service, and King George V awarded Cambridge the Mons Star for her bravery. In 1919, she was awarded the Royal Red Cross.

All the Red Cross Medals

You can explore Red Cross medals here or go to the Red Cross Medals & Badges page.

The Austrian Decoration for Services to the Red Cross

The Italian Red Cross Medal of Merit

The 1940-1945 Belgian Red Cross Decoration

The Blood Donor’s Medal

The Order of the Belgian Red Cross

The Prussian Red Cross Medal

The German Red Cross Decoration

The Voluntary Medical Service Medal

The British Red Cross Medal for Proficiency

The Medal of the Hellenic Red Cross

The Scottish Territorial Red Cross Brigade Badge

The British Red Cross Badge of Honor

The Henry Dunant Medal

The Florence Nightingale Medal

The Royal Red Cross

Sources

Guest Contributor: Rachel Basinger is a former history teacher turned freelance writer and editor. She loves studying military history, especially the World Wars, and of course military medals. She has authored three history books for young adults and transcribed interviews of World War II veterans. In her free time, Rachel is a voracious reader and is a runner who completed her first half marathon in May 2019.

Colonial Military Involvement in World War I

More than half a million colonial soldiers fought in Europe. They came from all corners of Africa and were deployed in different battles.

It is still difficult to determine whether colonial military involvement in World War I helped strengthened or loosen colonial ties. More than half a million colonial soldiers fought in Europe, mainly in the French army. These soldiers came from all corners of Africa and were deployed in different parts of Europe.

Most of the European countries involved in colonizing Africa participated in World War I. They controlled large parts of the continent, thereby forcing the native Africans to participate in the war. Apart from the economic exploitation of Africa to support the war, colonial powers forced Africans to migrate to Europe where they either became workers or soldiers.

WW1 and the Colonies

Between 1914 and 1918 alone, more than 440,000 native soldiers and 268,000 workers were shipped to Europe, where they were forced to participate in the war. According to the British Library, more than four million men of African origin were mobilized across the continent to participate in the First World War alone.

The Origin of Colonial Troops

France was the most notable culprit as far as colonial troops were involved. It had already used African soldiers to fight its European wars like the Italian war in 1859, Crimean war (1854-1856) and the Franco-Prussian war in 1870-71.

After the first crisis in Morocco in 1905 Adolphe Messimy, a radical army general, petitioned for an extended period of compulsory military service to Muslim Algerians. A 1912 verdict allowed for the forceful recruitment if the required number wasn’t met by those who volunteered.

From 1914-1915, France deployed more than 450,000 soldiers from Africa. They came from West Africa, Algeria, Morocco, Tunisia, and Somalia. European settlers added another 110,000 from North Africa, while around 5,700 were extracted from Senegalese ports and towns. The then Prime Minister George Clemenceau (1841-1929) came up with a suggestion to hire 200,000 Ethiopian mercenaries, but it never happened.

The number of colonial troops increased in the second half of the First World War. After suffering heavy casualties in the first phase, a new doctrine emerged. Colonial troops were to fight alongside soldiers from European countries to minimize defections and casualties.

The massive recruitment of men from North and West Africa to participate in World War I came with numerous challenges. For instance, the French saw a drop in the number of volunteers and the military resorted to coerced recruitment. This approach faced opposition from many people.

In West Africa, rich and influential Africans would resort to handing over their servants and slaves to the recruiting officers to spare their family members from participating in the war. Resistance came in many forms; for instance, there were cases of self-mutilation, fleeing into Liberia, the Gold coast, Guinea or even into the dense forests. In some instances, armed rebellion cropped up to fight the colonial powers taking people to fight in the First World War.

In West Africa, rich and influential Africans would resort to handing over their servants and slaves to the recruiting officers to spare their family members from participating in the war.

Unlike the French who never hesitated to deploy colonial troops in the First World War, countries like Britain, Italy, and Belgium among others exhibited some reluctance in deploying their colonial soldiers.

The British soldiers comprised of colonial troops in the Middle East and Africa. Part of India’s colonial soldiers was partially used in Europe from as early as 1914. But in 1916 the famous ‘million black army’ was endorsed by many politicians like Winston Churchill (1874-1965) and senior military officers. However, racial prejudice, logistical challenges, and opposition from African countries made it difficult to use these troops in Europe.

Italy tried deploying its colonial troops in Europe but it was disastrous. For instance, in August 1915, around 2,700 troops from Libya were taken to Sicily. But they failed to get to the frontline because many died from pneumonia immediately after arriving. As a result, the remaining Libyans had to be shipped back home.

Belgium had planned to ship its colonial soldiers from Congo, but this never materialized. But a small number of Congolese fighters fought alongside metropolitan Belgian troops. The Portuguese didn’t bother deploying its colonial troops in Europe either. The Germans used a majority of its colonial forces in the African theatres of wars but never envisioned sending them to Europe to fight in the First World War. Furthermore, they wouldn’t have done so due to logistical challenges.

Race and Military Dogma

It is no secret the involvement of the colonial troops in the First World War is remarkable in the sense that people from different races met and fought against each other and alongside one another. This diversity is the reason why Britain and France resorted to using non-white soldiers against the Germans.

In 1914, The Times History of the World wrote, “the instinct which made us such sticklers for propriety in all our dealings made us more reluctant than other nations would feel to employ colored troops against a white enemy.”

Britain used colonial troops in its colonies for imperial defense and not in Europe to fight other white groups. The argument brought forward is if a white man is trained to use arms against another European, there’s no guarantee that they’ll not attack their own masters in the future. However, this changed after European countries realized their native soldiers were suffering heavy casualties, hence the decision to use colonial troops. The British had a racial categorization policy that informed their decision to deploy two Indian divisions in France.

Final Thoughts

While in common thought the perception of World War I is narrowly confined to the Western Front, the battle took place in the Middle East, Europe and Africa. But there were brief excursions in the Far East and Central Asia.

The litany of the labels of the different arenas of combat has become the identifier for the ‘world’ nature of World War I. The colonial Homefront -the lives of many, women and children across Africa and Asia who lost their fathers, brothers, and husbands and experienced a myriad of challenges remains one of the under-researched areas of World War I history.

Part of the problem lies in the sources. A majority of the colonial soldiers who served in the First World War were illiterate and did not leave memoirs and diaries like those found in Europe. But there is much to learn from the experiences of both men, women and children, both combatants and non-combatants who fought in the war and whose lives were changed forever.

Guest Contributor: Solomon Ochieng is an ex-soldier turned freelance writer. He’s interested in military history, its traditions and recent developments. He has a BsC in ICT Management from Maseno University and regularly writes for Ethiopia’s Ezega.com, and a regular contributor to Identify Medals focused on military medals and awards. In his free time, you’ll find him reading or working out.

Women Who Received Military Medals During World War I: Serbia

Over 600 British women contributed to the war effort in Serbia during World War I, including Flora Sandes, Dr. Elsie Inglis, and Dr. Isabel Hutton.

Over 600 British women contributed to the war effort in Serbia during World War I, including women like Captain Flora Sandes, Dr. Elsie Inglis, and Dr. Isabel Galloway Hutton who are featured on Serbian stamps commemorating the centennial of World War I.

Women and Military Medals During WW1

Many of the British women who served in Serbia were doctors, nurses, and ambulance drivers, but Flora Sandes was unique: she was the only British woman to officially serve during World War I. Due to their substantial contributions, many of these amazing women received military medals from not only Serbia but also Russia, France, and Great Britain for their service. Here are just a few of their stories.

Dr. Elsie Inglis

Dr. Elsie Inglis was one of the first female graduates of the University of Edinburgh, and she was a suffragist who would not take no for an answer. When she first asked the War Office if she, as a qualified doctor, could open up a hospital and serve on the frontlines, she was told to “go home and sit still.”

Undeterred, Dr. Inglis decided to found her own hospital, which became known as the Scottish Women’s Hospitals. Hundreds of British women served at these hospitals overseas, including 60 doctors, but the most prominent locations were in Serbia.

Those who served alongside Dr. Inglis faced incredible dangers like a typhus epidemic in early 1915 and the “Great Retreat” of the fall of 1915. Dr. Inglis and others chose to remain with the hospitals even though they became prisoners of war under the Germans. Later, after the Germans had sent home Dr. Inglis and her staff, she traveled with the Serbs to the Russian front near the end of 1916 to set up two field hospitals even though Inglis had learned that she had cancer.

Although Dr. Inglis would not live until the end of the war—she died on November 26, 1917 in England, she posthumously received the highest awards in Russia and Serbia: the Gold St. George Medal and the White Eagle with Swords. It was an especially high honor, as Dr. Inglis was the first female recipient of these awards although she did not live to accept them in person.

Bessie Dora Bowhill

Bessie Dora Bowhill was a woman who served alongside of Dr. Inglis. Although Bowhill is less well-known than Inglis, she nevertheless did much to improve the lives of the Serbians she served. Bowhill had served during the Boer War and joined one of the Scottish Women’s Hospitals in Serbia during the First World War. She retained her senior position as a matron of the unit until she left Serbia in 1916. Like Dr. Inglis, Bowhill experienced the German occupation and did much to assist the suffering Serbians. Bowhill received the Serbian Cross of Mercy as well as the British War Medal and the British Victory Medal due to her nursing work in Serbia.

Dr. Isabel Galloway Hutton

Dr. Isabel Galloway Hutton was another example of a woman who was turned away from the War Office like Dr. Inglis and instead chose to serve in the Scottish Women’s Hospitals to support the war effort. Dr. Hutton—then Dr. Emslie as she married Major Thomas Hutton in 1921—started her service in 1915 and would serve until 1920 in France, Greece, and Serbia. Dr. Hutton was a trained psychiatrist who specialized in mental disorders, so she took the position of Assistant Medical Officer and Pathologist with the Scottish Women’s Hospitals. She started in France and then later moved onto Serbia.

As Chief of the no. 2 Scottish Women’s Hospitals, Dr. Hutton is known for accompanying the Serbian army during its advance in 1918. She was awarded the Serbian orders of the White Eagle and St. Sava, the Russian Order of St. Anna, and the French Croix de Guerre (or Cross of War).

Medals

The Cross of Charity or Mercy

The Order of St. Sava

The Order of the White Eagle (Serbia)

Captain Flora Sandes

While women like Dr. Inglis, Bowhill, and Dr. Hutton put themselves in harm’s way often serving alongside the military, one woman did even more: Captain Flora Sandes. A British woman who was not content to sit on the sidelines, Sandes wanted to be in the fray.

But Sandes wanted to keep serving and asked the regiment’s commander, Colonel Milić, if she could stay on as a private in the Serbian army. The colonel agreed, and Sandes became a beloved part of the regiment. The men called her “Nashi Engleskinja,” or “Our Englishwoman,” and sometimes even called her “brother.”

In late 1915, Sandes fought alongside the Serbians during the Great Retreat across Albania. Once they reached the coast of Albania, Sandes began relief efforts for the remaining Serbs, and she was promoted to sergeant. After making a brief trip to England, Sandes returned to Serbia near the end of World War I to join the Serbian advance that pushed the Austrians, Bulgarians, and Germans out of Serbia in 1918.

Sandes had always been inspired by the charge of the British cavalry against the Russians during the Battle of Balaklava, commemorated by Alfred, Lord Tennyson’s “The Charge of the Light Brigade.” When World War I broke out, Sandes was 38 years old, but she still wanted to serve. She applied to serve with the Voluntary Aid Detachment (VAD) but was turned down due to her connection to the suffrage movement. Sandes decided to try the Serbian Red Cross where she was more successful. She not only served as a nurse but also came back to England to raise money for the Serbian war effort in late 1914 and early 1915.

When the typhus epidemic broke out, Sandes was there just like Dr. Inglis. In the fall of 1915, Sandes joined a medical unit attached to the Serbian army in order to continue to work in Serbia. After the Bulgarians pushed the Serbian regiment to which Sandes and the medical unit was attached to an area without roads, the medical team could no longer follow in the ox wagons.

In June 1919, a special Serbian Act of Parliament honored Sandes and made her the first woman to be commissioned in the Serbian Army, promoting her to captain.

In addition, Sandes received seven medals during her service, including the Order of the Karađorđe’s Star, the highest decoration of the Serbian Military.

These four women are just a small sample of the over 600 women who served in Serbia during World War I, and each contributed in her own way, as the wide variety of medals that each woman received demonstrates. Whether on the battlefield or in a hospital tent, these British women made life significantly better for the Serbs during World War I and rightfully received some of the highest military medals for their service.

Notes:

Bessie’s medal record card can be downloaded, for a small fee, from the National Archives. It shows she was a Matron with Dr. Inglis’ Unit and the Scottish Women’s Hospital. See http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D6068814

Sources

Sources:

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/whall/?id=2017-11-28a.29.1
Allcock, John B., and Antonia Young. Black Lambs & Grey Falcons: Women Travellers in the Balkans. Berghahn Books, 2000.
Bourke, Joanna. “Women and the Military During World War One.” BBC News, 3 March 2011, www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/women_combatants_01.shtml. Accessed 30 December 2018.
Brocklehurst, Steven. “The female war medic who refused to ‘go home and sit still.’” BBC.
News, 26 November 2017, www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-42096350. Accessed 30 December 2018.
“Elsie Inglis to be commemorated for war achievements.” BBC News, 8 November 2017, www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-41915396. Accessed 30 December 2018.
Hartley, Cathy, editor. “Inglis, Elsie Maud.” A Historical Dictionary of British Women. Psychology Press, 2003, p. 237.
Sandes, Flora. The Autobiography of a Woman Soldier: A Brief Record of Adventure with the Serbian Army, 1916-1919. H. F. & G. Witherby, 1927, p. 220.

George Halas: Father of the NFL Who Also Served in Both World Wars

George Halas was a player, coach, and owner of the Chicago Bears. He also served in the Armed Forces and received the Bronze Star during WW2.

If you’re an NFL fan like I am, you know all the greats of the league. George Halas, player, coach, and owner of the Chicago Bears, definitely fits into that category. But what you might not know is that he served in the U.S. Armed Forces and even received the Bronze Star for his actions in the Pacific during World War II.

Let’s take a few moments to look at this incredible man who loved the sport of football so much but did not shirk from his duty to serve his country. Maybe this article will inspire you to read about all the other incredible NFL players who are also veterans!

Who Was George Halas?

Born in Chicago on February 2, 1895, George Halas grew up in a very disciplined and frugal family. It’s no surprise then that he carefully saved money in order to attend the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign. He had been a sports nut since he was growing up, and he played football, baseball, and basketball in college.

Right before his final semester at Illinois, Halas enlisted in the United States Navy because the United States had World War I. Even though he did not complete all of the required coursework, Halas still later received his college degree. Assigned to Great Lakes Naval Base outside of Chicago, Halas was responsible for organizing the service football and basketball teams.

Halas’s first foray into the professional sports world was abysmal. Although he had gained a spot on the roster of the New York Yankees in 1919, a hip injury keep him relatively sidelined for a good portion of the season and he struggled when he hit the starting lineup.

George Halas After Baseball

His baseball career was over, so he returned to the Chicago area and worked for the railroad by day and played football on the weekends. In early 1920, Halas received a call from the Staley Starch Works, located in Decatur, Illinois. A.E. Staley, the owner of the company, wanted Halas to oversee the day-to-day operations of the manufacturing plant as well as organize and coach the company’s football and baseball teams. Halas was delighted.

Shortly after Halas arrived in Decatur, several club football teams of companies got together on September 17, 1920 in Canton, Ohio and formed the basic structure of the American Professional Football Association, which would later be renamed the National Football League (NFL) in 1924.

Even though the Decatur team had had a successful season, A.E. Staley encouraged Halas to take the team to Chicago because the former didn’t think a professional football team could survive in Decatur. He offered Halas $5,000 to get started as long as Halas kept the team name of the Staleys for at least one season.

In 1922, Halas chose to rename the team the Bears to acknowledge the goodwill of William Veeck, Sr., the owner of the Chicago Clubs who allowed the Staleys to share Wrigley Field in exchange for a portion of the concessions, gate, and program sales.

In addition to coaching the Staleys and later Bears throughout the 1920s, Halas also played various positions on the team until he retired as a player after the 1929 season. In 1930, he hired another head coach for several years, who took the Bears to the 1932 championship. Perhaps because Halas wanted a championship himself, he returned to coaching. His 1933, 1940, and 1941 teams won the NFL championships with Halas as their head coach.

George Halas Enlists in the Navy

Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Halas took a break from coaching for a while and re-enlisted in the Navy. He would spend the majority of his three years of service in the South Pacific, predominantly organizing R&R and entertainment for the troops there.

When he returned to the Bears at the end of the 1945 season, Halas led the Bears to yet another championship in 1946. Luke Johnsos and Hunk Anderson had won another title for the Bears in 1943.

The 1950s were a dry season for the Bears, as they won no championships, and Halas, who had come to be known as “Papa Bear” retired from coaching the Bears in 1955. Even though he continued to meddle on the sidelines for two years, Halas couldn’t stay away and returned to the head coach position.

He finally got his elusive one more championship in 1963. He would remain as Head Coach for several more years before finally giving up the reins, retiring after the 1967 season with 318 career wins and six NFL championships.

In 1982, Halas hired Mike Ditka, who had previously played with the Bears, as head coach, and a year later, Halas was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, dying on October 31, 1983 at the age of 88.

Before he died, he gave Ditka a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne with the instructions that he wasn’t supposed to open it until Ditka won a Super Bowl. That happened on January 26, 1986 against the New England Patriots with a score of 46-10, and Ditka celebrated with that bottle of champagne!

Halas never forgot his service during the World Wars, though, as he hung a picture of Admiral Nimitz who Halas served under during World War II in his office. In addition, he helped start a Bears preseason tradition of the Armed Forces benefit game.

In a 1946 advertisement featuring a photo of Halas flanked by Nimitz and Dwight D. Eisenhower with Eisenhower handing Halas a football, the caption read: “We Must Carry the Ball for Them,” encouraging the general public to come to a game between the Bears and the Giants to support official relief agencies for the Army, Navy, and Army Air Forces.

Although Halas may be remembered more for his time in the NFL, we certainly can’t forget his service during both of the World Wars.

Sources

The Battle of Verdun, the Frenco-German Bloodbath and its Medal

1915 could have been the turning point of the First World War. What if the German leadership decided to attack further in Russia or choose a different spot on the Western front? Did they really had a chance of choosing which way was the best for 1916?

Which way to go?

he German leadership had multiple options. They could continue to attack and desorganize the Russians or try and break through the French front. The first solution was nearly impossible to achieve; Russia was far too wide and backward for the fight to continue in the country. The war would have been lost, not just because the Russians were fierce fighters, but mostly because of attrition and lack of communications on the front.

Erich Von Falkenhayn, the chief of the German General Staff, had to take the decision to move west. He had to choose the perfect location for the troops to attack and pierce the french lines. Even though most successes by the German Imperial Army were happening on the East, the Western Front was the perfect spot to do something big. It had to happened in France.

Verdun, the ideal location?

The German General Staff had to thing fast about what to do. The main idea that was shared by most officers was that Verdun was the ideal location to attack. It was a bulge in the frontlines and could be a location where a major French attack could take place, as it would endanger the German communication and supply lines and break the front for good.

The plan was very simple. Falkenhayn decided to put all the avaiable artillery guns he could find and to stack them in the area. Artillery fire would take place for several hours and then infantry would attack and seize Verdun.

On the French side, the General Staff knew that something was hapening in this area: the German preparations couldn’t go unnoticed but would it be a lure or a real attack?

Monday, 21st February: Hell on Earth

In one day, 2 million shells were fired on the French positions. As the fire was raging on and behind the French lines, 60,000 Germans attacked. The Germans expected to find demoralized and desorganized units but they encountered fierce and brave resistance from the French. As the French were trying anything they could do to slow down the German forces, it was looking more and more like Falkenhayn’s plan was starting to fail. Even worse, as the artillery fired more than 2,000,000 shells as previously stated, the ground was destroyed and it was very hard for the infantry to advance into this mayhem. Time was the key in this operation and every minute was important. It would later explain why the attack was a failure in the first days: the Germans were too slow to do capture anything strategic. The French could start firing back with their own artillery fire and reinforce the destroyed divisions.

The first few days of the battle were showing that the Germans advanced. But the main objective was to capture Verdun or at least a large portion of enemy land. The operation was a failure but the battle wasn’t over just yet…

“Ils ne passeront pas!”

For several months, the battle of Verdun would looked as if the fires of hell would burn anything to the ground. Thousands upon thousands of men would die under artillery fire. The French General Staff under Philippe Pétain and Robert Nivelle would prove to be far more effective than the German leadership. The “Voie Sacrée”, a road made to reinforce the French positions, was one of the key factor of why the Frenchs managed to hold for so long. 90,000 men were transported across this road to reinforce the frontlines each week, and you can only imagine how many tons of supplies were shipped across this road.

Unfortunately for the Germans, the general situation of the war was not in their favor. The Russians started the Brussilov Offensive, the Somme Battle started during mid-1916 and the Italians were winning against the Austrians on the Isonzo.

The end of the Battle

The Germans couldn’t hold for long and as the Frenchs attacked to regain the territories they lost in February, they couldn’t do a lot to stop them. Thus retreat was the only solution for the German Army. They virtually gained no land for enormous casualties. The consequences of this battle were not that big for the war in the general but the world would remember the courage and the bravery of the French during this battle.

On the 21^st of December 1916, all lost territory was recaptured by the French. The battle of Verdun was finished.

The Verdun medal

The Battle of Verdun Medal

Created in late 1916 even before the end of the battle, the medal of Verdun was made for who we call in France, the “Poilus”. These soldiers, holding for several months under intense pressure from infantry attacks and heavy artillery pounding, held their ground. Around 70% of all the French soldiers that were engaged in World War I participated to the battle of Verdun.

The medal is very simple: A red ribbon with a French flag is supporting a bronze badge. On this badge, you can find the head of the Republic (a symbol of the IIIrd French Republic) and the famous sentence pronounced by Robert Nivelle: “Ils ne passeront pas”, translated as: they will not break through. It is relatively common medal to find but it was an immense measure of respect in the civil life. It was carried with pride to show that these soldiers participated in the biggest attack France had to suffer in its history.

You can still claim the medal today. If you have any relatives that do so for the last 100 years, and if you can show a certificate or anything that shows that a family member particpated in the battle of Verdun, you can officialy claim and get the medal as a show of respect for your relatives. So if you know anybody that has made through the hell of Verdun and that this person never claimed or was decorated, give it a chance!

Conclusion

The battle of Verdun wasn’t decisive in any way for the western front. Status quo was the outcome of the Battle, not much changed. Well, something did actually change: the morale of the French population. Enhanced by this defensive victory which was in the end costly for both sides, the Frenchs were now absolutely sure that the Germans would never break through ever again. In the end, the Germans broke through but the war was already on its way to the victory for France. The French morale couldn’t get down anymore after Verdun. Verdun was the starting point of victory, it was showing that it was possible for France to win. And they did.

Guest Contributor: Kjetil Vion is a writer and a history enthusiast. A passionate of France and modern military history, he has a special interest into the Prussian state, specially since the Sadowa battle against Austria. Always wanting to learn more, he now looks to spread his knowledge in history.

The Cyclist Corps of the First World War (Great Britain, New Zealand and Australia)

Bicycles had been around for a while when thr First World War began. They are lighter, quieter and logistically easier to manage than horses, which need much by way of logistical support for its feeding and care. To the British, it soon became clear that the most mechanised army in the world could use this popular form of transport in the war effort.

The Cyclist Corps could move relatively quickly across poor ground and had long range, making them the perfect group for reconnaissance and communications. In this article, we’ll go through how these battallions were formed and used during WW1.

The Creation of the Cyclist Corps

In Great Britain, volunteer cyclist units had been formed as early as the 1880s. In 1888, for example, the first complete bicycle unit was raised, the 26th Middlesex Rifle Volunteers. These cyclists, while not deployed as organised combat formations, were still employed intermittently during the South African War.

When the Haldane reforms took place (a series of changes in the British Army named after the Secreatry of War Richard Burdon Haldane) the Volunteers, Yeomanry and the Militia Regiments were reorganised into the Territorial Force, forming nince battalions of cycists.

The members of the Territorial Forces could not be compelled to serve outside the country, as they had been created as a home defence force for service during wartime. However, in 1914 many members volunteered for Imperial Service, and the the units had to be split. One was liable for overseas service, and the other for home service for those unable or unwilling to serve overseas. A third line was later created to serve as a reserve.

Recruitment efforts in 1914-1915 aimed at attracting men who were already cyclists, or who were at least interested in things mechanical. On the eve of the First World War, the Territorial Force had a strength of fourteen cyclist battalions, the majority Territorial battalions as part of the regular infantry Regiments except for four: the Huntingdonshire, Highland, Northern and Kent Cyclists, who were independent.

Among the regulations from 1907 for the use of bikes in the field of battle and in drilling and ceremonial occasions, we can find:

‘A cyclist standing with his cycle, with rifle attached to it, will salute with the right hand, as laid down in Section 19, returning the hand to the point of the saddle on the completion of the salute. When at ease, a cyclist, whether mounted or leading his bicycle, will salute by coming to attention, and turning his head to the officer he salutes. A party of cyclists on the march will salute on the command Eyes Right, which will be followed by Eyes Front, from the officer or NCO in charge.’

‘The rate of marching, excluding halts, will generally vary from 8 to 10 miles per hour, according to the weather, the nature of the country, and the state of the roads. A column of battalion size should not be expected to cover more than 50 miles in a day under favourable conditions.’

The Cyclist Corps in WW1

The cyclist battalions were first employed on Coastal Defences and to supply drafts of men to the regular forces in the United Kingdom. This task was crucial, so none of them were sent overseas then, and very few later, in small groups of men with the divisions possessing individual cyclist companies.

Cyclists were usually held back in preparation for the resumption of “normal” mobile warfare between action. They were employed in combat, but in conditions of trench warfare they were generally found to be ineffective, although they proved essential around 1918 for reconnaissance. The terrain on the Western Front was unsuitable for bikes and they were discarded early on with the unit. Still, the cyclist corps were armed as infantry and could provide mobile firepower, if required. Some battalions such as the Kent Cyclists were also converted to infantry and used for foreign service in India, usually working in the rear areas behind the front lines and in traffic control duties.

The 1st Kent Cyclist Battalion was the sole battalion to be awarded battle honours – The North West Frontier in 1917, Baluchistan in 1918 and later Afghanistan.

The Corps was disbanded in 1920 because cyclists were perceived as having little future value and the Corps. By 1922 all remaining Territorial cyclist battalions had been converted back to conventional units.

The Australian and New Zealand Cyclist Corps

The Australian Cycling Corps were used mainly as despatch riders, to conduct reconnaissance and do patrolling. They were formed in Egypt in 1916 as part of the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) following its evacuation from Gallipoli, and fought on the Western Front in France and Belgium during World War I. Each of its five infantry divisions was allocated a company of cyclists – every company with a headquarter and six cycle platoons with a total strength of 204 men.

Following their arrival in France, they were reorganised as corps troops, with the 1st and 2nd Cyclist Battalions being formed and attached to the I and II Anzac Corps. The 2nd Battalion included two companies of New Zealanders, and was commanded mostly by New Zealand officers. The unit arrived on the Western Front in July 1916 and participated in the Messines and Passchendaele offensives in 1917 and the Spring Offensive and Advance to Victory in 1918.

These cyclist battalions were first organised like the infantry (as despatch riders) and later operated in a manner similar to cavalry (doing reconnaissance and patrolling). The II Anzac Corps were particularly involved with burying telegraph cables, and at times served in the trenches as infantrymen.

In early 1918, the New Zealand Cyclist Corps was called upon to fight as infantry, taking part in important defensive actions in the Battle of the Lys (April) and offensive actions in the Second Battle of the Marne (July-August).

Remembering the Cyclist Corps

It’s not easy to determine how many men served in the various cyclist units during WW1. Some 20,000 names can be traced from the campaign medal rolls, but this does not include the many who served in units at home.

No regimental memorial has been built to commemorate the Cyclist Corps efforts. These men, working in the trenches, were in the most acute danger and carried out many acts of great bravery. Below are a few stories to honor them.

Pte William Liddell DCM

Pte William Liddell was a 33-year-old married man from Leith, Scotland. He served in the 9th Divisional Cyclist Company, after having been with the Seaforth Highlanders. His citation in the London Gazzette for the Distinguished Conduct Medal (junior only to the Victoria Cross) he received speaks of his action during the Battle of Loos in September 1915 at Madagascar. Sadly, Liddell would later die of wounds near Ypres on 25 February 1916.

‘Hearing a wounded man of another battalion, who was lying out in the open, calling for assistance, he, accompanied by Captain Campbell, jumped over the parapet and together they carried the wounded man to safety. Private Liddell’s clothing was hit in several places by enemy bullets.’

Jack Hales

Jack Hales was part of the Huntingdonshire Cyclist Batallion. He was involved in the Gallipoli landings and also served in Turkey and France. He left England shortly after the end of the war, moving to Canada then Australia before finally settling in New Zealand.

John Edward ‘Ned’ Shewry

John Edward “Ned” Shewry (1889-1962) was a world champion woodchopper from New Zealand. HIs good skills and technique with an axe caught the eye of the elder Eastern Taranaki bushman Hughie McLeod, who entered Shewry in his first chopping event. In 1911 he won in Eltham, the “Mecca of axemen”, and carried on his winning streak at a number of other chopping events around Taranaki and the King Country.

In 1915, Ned and his brother David joined the New Zealand Cycling Corps. He served in Egypt, France and Belgium and his service was recognised with the Military Medal for bravery, which he received for saving an officer’s life while under fire at Marfaux, France in 1918. Ned was wounded twice and was even buried alive – only the quick actions of his friends saved him from suffocation. He didn’t totally abandon his axe. He joked that he only received the Military Medal ‘because I kept the cookhouse supplied with kindling wood!’

Tragically, his brother David died from injuries received in France in 1917. Ned was twice wounded in battle, but when he returned home he was a fit man keen to return to the woodchopping arena.

The Poetry of The Great War

During the First World War, numerous poems, novels, diaries, letters, and memoirs were written by men and women, frequently observing the effects of the war on soldiers, spaces, and the homefront. This need to record the experiences of those involved in WW1 produced a boom in publication of war literature, for example in Britain, in the late 1920s and early 1930s.

WW1 Poets and Poems

Published poets wrote over two thousand poems about and during the war. Among the most popularly anthologized are lyrics by Siegfried Sassoon and Wilfred Owen, as well as poems by Ivor Gurney, Edward Thomas, Charles Sorley, David Jones and Isaac Rosenberg. However, only a small fraction of the total poems written during the Great War is still known today, with several poets that were popular with contemporary readers becoming obscure as time past.

We have compiled here some of the poems available through wikipedia and other websites. Below, you can also find a list of published work.

The Great War - WW1 Poetry

How to Die

by Siegfried Sassoon

Dark clouds are smouldering into red
While down the craters morning burns.
The dying soldier shifts his head
To watch the glory that returns:
He lifts his fingers toward the skies
Where holy brightness breaks in flame;
Radiance reflected in his eyes,
And on his lips a whispered name.

You’d think, to hear some people talk,
That lads go West with sobs and curses,
And sullen faces white as chalk,
Hankering for wreaths and tombs and hearses.
But they’ve been taught the way to do it
Like Christian soldiers; not with haste
And shuddering groans; but passing through it
With due regard for decent taste.

Kitchener

by George Orwell

NO STONE is set to mark his nation’s loss,
No stately tomb enshrines his noble breast;
Not e’en the tribute of a wooden cross
Can mark this hero’s rest.

He needs them not, his name untarnished stands,
Remindful of the mighty deeds he worked,
Footprints of one, upon time’s changeful sands,
Who ne’er his duty shirked.

Who follows in his steps no danger shuns,
Nor stoops to conquer by a shameful deed,
An honest and unselfish race he runs,
From fear and malice freed.

A Letter from the Front

by Henry Newbolt

I WAS out early to-day, spying about
From the top of a haystack—such a lovely morning—
And when I mounted again to canter back
I saw across a field in the broad sunlight
A young Gunner Subaltern, stalking along
With a rook-rifle held at the ready, and—would you believe it?—
A domestic cat, soberly marching beside him.

So I laughed, and felt quite well disposed to the youngster,
And shouted out “the top of the morning” to him,
And wished him “Good sport!”—and then I remembered
My rank, and his, and what I ought to be doing:
And I rode nearer, and added, “I can only suppose
You have not seen the Commander-in-Chief’s order
Forbidding English officers to annoy their Allies
By hunting and shooting.”
⁠⁠But he stood and saluted
And said earnestly, “I beg your pardon, Sir,
I was only going out to shoot a sparrow
To feed my cat with.”
⁠⁠So there was the whole picture,
The lovely early morning, the occasional shell
Screeching and scattering past us, the empty landscape,—
Empty, except for the young Gunner saluting,
And the cat, anxiously watching his every movement.

Thomas of the Light Heart

by Owen Seaman

FACING the guns, he jokes as well
⁠As any judge upon the Bench;
Between the crash of shell and shell
⁠His laughter rings along the trench;
He seems immensely tickled by a
Projectile which he calls a “Black Maria.”

He whistles down the day-long road,
⁠And, when the chilly shadows fall
And heavier hangs the weary load,
⁠Is he down-hearted? Not at all.
‘Tis then he takes a light and airy
View of the tedious route to Tipperary.

His songs are not exactly hymns;
⁠He never learned them in the choir;
And yet they brace his dragging limbs
⁠Although they miss the sacred fire;
Although his choice and cherished gems
Do not include “The Watch upon the Thames.”

He takes to fighting as a game;
⁠He does no talking, through his hat,
Of holy missions; all the same
⁠He has his faith—be sure of that;
He’ll not disgrace his sporting breed,
Nor play what isn’t cricket. There’s his creed.

World War I Poetry Available Online

Wikipedia has an extensive list of poems written about World War I by servicemembers or civilians from various countries. At the moment of writing this article, 234 poems had been added to the list.

See all WW1 poems on Wikipedia >

All the WW1 Inter-Allied Victory Medals

The Victory Medal (or Inter-Allied Victory Medal) was awarded to anyone who had been mobilized in any of the fighting services and having served in any of the theatres of operations, or at sea, between midnight 4th/5th August 1914, and midnight, 11th/12th November 1918.

The medal was originally designed by William McMillan and adopted by Great Britain first, then 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 had certain common features, such as the ribbon, and showed a similar design (a winged figure of Victory on the obverse). Two countries, however, had very distinct designs: Siam and Japan.

The Different Designs of the WW1 Inter-Allied Victory

In terms of collecting, the Inter-Allied Victory medals make for a great group, but a few of them (like the Brazil and Siam issues) are extremely difficult to find, and there are a lot of counterfeit ones around. Still, if you want to take a look at what’s available keep scrolling and you’ll see some auctions (you’ll need to have your adBlock disabled).