Skip to main content

Mercantile Marine War Medal, 1914-18: CM.1321-2009

An image of Mercantile Marine War Medal, 1914-18

Terms of use

These images are provided for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons License (BY-NC-ND). To license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who will discuss fees, terms and waivers.

Download this image

Creative commons explained - what it means, how you can use our's and other people's content.

Alternative views

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Issuer: Board of Trade
Artist: Stabler, Harold
Ruler: George V (1910-36)
Ruler: Georgivs V Britt: omn: rex et Ind: imp: (With the title of)

Entities

Categories

Description

In Britain as with many other countries (including Switzerland) merchant vessels sailing under the national flag are reckoned as part of the naval command in time of war. The dogged service of the British Merchant Navy of the Second World War in the face of submarine and air campaigns against it was presaged by a similar effort during the Great War of 1914-1918. In 1919 this was recognised by the award of this bronze medal to officers and men of the Mercantile Marine who had served on one or more voyages through a designated Danger Zone. The medal depicts a pair of merchant steamers circling a sinking German U-Boat.
This medal was awarded to Alexander Dikson of the Merchant Navy, although it is not known on which ship he served. Lester Watson acquired it at some point before 1928.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, acquired before 1928

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.3 mm
Weight: 29.21 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester

Dating

1918 - 1919

Materials used in production

Bronze

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Bust of George facing left

  • Text: GEORGIVS V BRITT. OMN. REX ET IND. IMP.
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Merchant ships at sea circling sinking submarine

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1321-2009
Primary reference Number: 141415
Watson Catalogue: 227
Ordering: M-0204
Previous object number: LW.0204
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 15 January 2024 Last processed: Monday 15 January 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Coins and Medals

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Mercantile Marine War Medal, 1914-18" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141415 Accessed: 2024-04-24 19:19:17

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141415 |title=Mercantile Marine War Medal, 1914-18 |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-04-24 19:19:17|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/api/v1/objects/object-141415

Bootstrap HTML code for reuse

To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:

<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0204_281_29.jpg"
        alt="Mercantile Marine War Medal, 1914-18"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Mercantile Marine War Medal, 1914-18</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>
    

More objects and works of art you might like

Mercantile Marine War Medal

Accession Number: CM.7117-2007

Mercantile Marine War Medal

Accession Number: CM.7169-2007

Transport Medal (1899-1902)

Accession Number: CM.1449-2009

British War Medal, 1914-20

Accession Number: CM.7221-2007

Suggested products from Curating Cambridge

You might be interested in this...

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...