Medal Group: GV Military Medal, BWM, VM, Private J. Simpson

Here’s one of my Military Medal groups. This one is a George V Military Medal awarded to Private J Simpson, R.A.S.C. DM2-075500. Of course along with this medal is his British War Medal and Inter-Allied Victory Medal.

1914-1918 Victory Medal

I have an orphan example of this medal as well as quite a number in groups. They are all the British Empire pattern. The orphan is 23937 Pte. G. Stevens R.W. Kent.

The Victory Medal (also called the Allied Victory Medal) is a campaign medal – of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA.
The medal was issued to all those who received the 1914 Star or the 1914-15 Star, and to most of those who were awarded the British War Medal – it was never awarded singly.

These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred. To qualify for the Victory medal one had to be mobilised in any service and have entered a theatre of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. Women qualified for this and the earlier two medals, for service in nursing homes and other auxiliary forces.
It was also awarded to members of the British Naval mission to Russia 1919 – 1920 and for mine clearance in the North Sea between 11 November 1918 and 30 November 1919.

The 1914-1920 War Medal

The British War Medal was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I. I have quite a number of these in groups, mostly family medals and four that are orphans. The orphans are as follows, 778839 Spr. J.W. Ayling C.R.T., 285005 L.Cpl. W.G. Darby, 12/3934 Pte. E.T. Allcock N.Z.E.F., 97361 Pte. A.R.Cooper L’Pool R.
The medal was approved in 1919, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who had rendered service between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. Officers and men of the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, and Dominion and Colonial naval forces (including reserves) were required to have completed 28 days mobilised service – the medal was automatically awarded in the event of death on active service before the completion of this period.
The medal was later extended to cover the period 1919-20 and service in mine-clearing at sea as well as participation in operations in North and South Russia, the eastern Baltic, Siberia, the Black Sea, and the Caspian.
Some 6,500,000 medals were awarded in total, of which 110,000 were bronze. These bronze medals were mostly issued to Chinese, Maltese, and Indians who served in labour battalions.

1914-15 Star

The 1914-15 Star was a campaign medal of the British Empire, for service in World War I.
The 1914-15 Star was approved in 1918, for issue to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the War[1] between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 (other than those who had already qualified for the 1914 Star).
Recipients of this medal also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal. Some 2,366,000 were issued, including: 283,500 to the Royal Navy & 71,150 to Canadians.

I have a few of these in groups but also one orphan, 9078 Spr. L.Edmunds R.E.

1914 Star

The 1914 Star (colloquially known as the Mons Star), was a British and Commonwealth campaign medal for service in World War I.

The 1914 Star was approved in 1917, for issue to officers and men of British forces who served in France or Belgium between 5 August and midnight 22/23 November 1914. The former date is the day after Britain’s declaration of war against the Central Powers, and the closing date marks the end of the First Battle of Ypres.
The majority of recipients were officers and men of the pre-war British army, specifically the British Expeditionary Force (the Old Contemptibles), who landed in France soon after the outbreak of the War and who took part in the Retreat from Mons (hence the nickname ‘Mons Star’). 365,622 were awarded in total. Recipients of this medal also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.
A very similar medal, the 1914-15 Star, was also issued, but no person could receive both awards.
Alfred Anderson was the last known living recipient of the medal.

My only example is an orphan named to 2351 Pte. U.Morris R.A.M.C.