Original British and Commonwealth Nations Pre-WWI to WWII Name Engraved General Service Medal Lot – 4 Medals Original Items

Original Items: Only One Group of 4 Available. Now this is a rare opportunity! There are 4 genuine British medals,all of which are name engraved, making for a wonderful research opportunity.

During the 17th and 18th centuries the service of the ordinary British soldier was simply rewarded with a state pension. During this time, due to the suffering and actions of the soldiers on both sides during the English civil war, public opinion of soldiers was quite low. Usually, only the most desperate volunteered for military service and in some cases it was the only alternative to a prison sentence. Public opinion of the British Army slowly began to change after the Napoleonic Wars (1799 to 1815) due to the heroic actions of soldiers and their officers. However, during this time, medals were only given to highly promoted officers and members of the aristocracy for their services.

The first British Army medal awarded to ordinary soldiers was the Waterloo Medal, issued around 1816-17. This was given to every individual British soldier who could prove that they were present during the campaign against Napoleon in which the British Army, alongside their Dutch and German allies, suffered horrific loss and suffering whilst performing feats of heroism. The medal was unique as not only was it the first of its kind but each soldier or officer who received it had their name stamped into the medal, recognising them individually. Around 39,000 of these medals were issued to the men who applied for them. The material chosen for the medal was Silver, which alongside Bronze, would be used widely for many medals in the coming century.

The Medals Included In This Lot:
– 1914–15 Star: The 1914–15 Star is a campaign medal of the British Empire which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theater of the First World War against the Central European Powers during 1914 and 1915. The medal was never awarded by itself and recipients also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Awarded To: Gunner W.D. Phillips (51832) Royal Garrison Artillery

– WWI Victory Medal (United Kingdom): The Victory Medal (also called the Inter-Allied Victory Medal) is a United Kingdom and British Empire First World War campaign medal.

The award of a common allied campaign medal was recommended by an inter-allied committee in March 1919. 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. Fourteen countries finally awarded the medal.

Awarded To: SAPPER A.V. PLOMMER (429639) Canadian Engineers

– WWII Africa Service Medal: The Africa Service Medal is a South African campaign medal for service during the Second World War, awarded to members of the Union Defence Forces, the South African Police and the South African Railways Police. The medal was originally intended for service in Africa, but it was later extended to cover service anywhere in the world.

Awarded To: J.A. Fenn (279711)

– India General Service Medal (1854) With Burma 1887-89 Clasp: The India General Service Medal (1854 IGSM) was a campaign medal approved on 1 March 1854, for issue to officers and men of the British and Indian armies. It was awarded for various minor military campaigns in India and nearby countries, between 1852 and 1895.

In 1852 Lord Dalhousie had suggested a general service medal for smaller Indian campaigns, in order to limit the number of individual medals awarded.

Indian Army units made up the majority of forces present for nearly all campaigns. While the expeditions covered by the medal included few formal battles, most were undertaken in difficult terrain against determined resistance from local tribesmen.

In 1895, the India Medal was authorized to reflect service in further Indian expeditions, replacing the 1854 General Service Medal.

Awarded To: JEMADAR MANGAL SINGH (1322) SHWEBO BATTALION MILITARY POLICE

A wonderful assortment of medals that make for a perfect research project! Comes more than ready for display.