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 imageCreative commons explained - what it means, how you can use our's and other people's content.
Mint:
London
Ruler:
George V (1910-36)
(Struck in the rule of)
Artist:
McMillan, William
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.
History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Baldwin 1928
Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009
Diameter: 36.2 mm
Weight: 29.81 g
Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester
Production date: AD 1919
Inscription present: Victory looking to sky and holding aloft wreath and palm
Inscription present: Inscription in border
Accession number: CM.1498-2009
Primary reference Number: 141595
Watson Catalogue: 373A
Ordering: M-0384
Previous object number: LW.0365d
Stable URI
Owner or interested party:
The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department:
Coins and Medals
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: 2024-11-22 07:29:25
To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:
{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141595
|title=Allied Victory Medal, 1914-18
|author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-22 07:29:25|publisher=The
University of Cambridge}}
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-141595
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_0365d_281_29.jpg" alt="Allied Victory Medal, 1914-18" class="img-fluid" /> <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Allied Victory Medal, 1914-18</figcaption> </figure> </div>
Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...