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Allied Victory Medal, 1914-18: CM.1498-2009

An image of Allied Victory Medal, 1914-18

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Ruler: George V (1910-36) (Struck in the rule of)
Artist: McMillan, William

Entities

Categories

Description

When the Great War of 1914-1918 had ended, there was a genuine feeling among the victorious Allies that their military efforts had been instrumental in preserving modern civilization, and this and the united spirit of the Alliance were commemorated in a combined issue of medals to those who had seen active service during the conflict. 13 nations in all issued a variety of this medal; all shared the rainbow ribbon and suspension, and all but the Japanese, who lacked a comparable symbolic figure, used a form of Victory on the obverse and a legend on the reverse.
Those who had fought in the British Armed Forces were already entitled to the British War Medal, of course, and if they had served since early on, the 1914 or 1914-15 Stars. The Victory Medal thus became an additional award in Britain, but for many other countries it was the sole badge of participation in the War.
This example was awarded to 2nd Lieutenant John Mitchell, of the Royal Air Force. It is one of a group of eight of his medals that are in the Lester Watson Collection.
Although the catalogue of the Watson Collection considers Mitchell's awards as its Group 7, the medals of that group are not physically attached and so have been treated separately here. Nonetheless it was as a group that Lester Watson purchased them, from the London dealers Baldwin in 1928.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Baldwin 1928

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.2 mm
Weight: 29.81 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

Production date: AD 1919

Materials used in production

Bronze

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Victory looking to sky and holding aloft wreath and palm

  • Text: THE GREAT / WAR FOR / CIVILISATION / 1914-1919
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Inscription in border

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1498-2009
Primary reference Number: 141595
Watson Catalogue: 373A
Ordering: M-0384
Previous object number: LW.0365d
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Saturday 22 January 2022 Last processed: Tuesday 13 June 2023

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) "Allied Victory Medal, 1914-18" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141595 Accessed: 2024-11-05 03:55:35

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141595 |title=Allied Victory Medal, 1914-18 |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-05 03:55:35|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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