His Majesty King Edward VII instituted the Conspicuous Service Cross
in 1901 to reward "distinguished service before the enemy" on the
part of warrant or acting warrant officers and subordinate officers
of His Majesty's Fleet who do not hold naval commissions. On October
14th, 1914, the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty--being "of
opinion that it would be desirable to enable the said Cross to be
granted also to commissioned officers" of the Navy below the rank
of Lieutenant-Commander "for meritorious or distinguished services
in cases where those services may not be considered sufficient to
warrant the appointment of such officers to the Distinguished Service
Order"--memorialised His Majesty King George V, who graciously
approved of the suggestion that the Cross be in future designated
the Distinguished Service Cross with the right to the recipient to
append the letters D.S.C. to his name. The Cross is identical with
the Conspicuous Service Cross, illustrated on page 208, except in the
change of the Royal Cypher, G.R.I. replacing E.R.I. on the obverse.
The ribbon, from which the decoration is suspended is dark blue with a
broad white stripe down the centre. The decoration, facing page 208, is
made by Messrs. Garrard & Co.
=Naval Distinguished Service Medal.=--In response to a memorial from
the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, His Majesty King George
V decided at the Court held at Buckingham Palace on October 14th,
1914, to institute a medal for courageous service in war by chief
petty officers, petty officers, and men of His Majesty's Navy, and
by non-commissioned officers and men of His Majesty's Corps of Royal
Marines, and all other persons holding corresponding positions in His
Majesty's Service afloat, in cases where the award of the Conspicuous
Service Medal would be inappropriate (Her Majesty Queen Victoria having
instituted it as an award for pre-eminent bravery in action with the
enemy), the Distinguished Service Medal will be awarded to such men
"as may at any time show themselves to the fore in action, and set
an example of bravery and resource under fire without performing acts
of such pre-eminent bravery as would render them eligible for the
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal."
The design of the Naval Distinguished Service Medal is the same as the
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, except that the suspender is straight and
the obverse bears the profile of His Majesty King George V and the
reverse FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE. The decoration is suspended by a
dark-blue ribbon, 1¼ in. wide, with two broad white stripes down the
centre divided by a thin dark-blue stripe. (See page 252 for squeezes,
the medal not being struck at time of going to press.)
=The Military Cross.=--Following the institution of the Cross and
medal above described, His Majesty King George V, by a Royal Warrant
published as a supplement to the _London Gazette_ on December 31st,
1914, announced that he had instituted a new decoration to be known
as The Military Cross for distinguished service in time of war. The
decoration consists of a silver cross, having on each arm the Imperial
Crown, and bearing in the centre the letters G.R.I. The Royal Warrant
states that "No person shall be eligible for this decoration unless he
is a captain, a commissioned officer of a lower grade, or a warrant
officer in Our army, or Our Indian or Colonial Military Forces, and
the Cross shall be awarded only to officers of the above ranks on
recommendation by the Principal Secretary of State for War," and that
"The Cross shall be worn immediately after all Orders and before all
decorations and medals (the Victoria Cross alone excepted), and shall
be worn on the left breast pendant from a riband 1⅜ in. in width which
shall be in colour white with a purple stripe." The Cross does not
carry with it any individual preference or entitle the recipient to
use any letters after his name. The list of first recipients of the
decoration was published the same day, included in the list being
Lieutenant Dimmer, K.R.R.C., a ranker, who has also the distinction of
winning the V.C. in the European War now waging.
LONG SERVICE MEDALS
MILITARY LONG SERVICE MEDALS
The institution of the Long Service and Good Conduct medal is due to
an order of King William IV., who notified his intention to establish
it in an Order to the Secretary of War on July 30th, 1830. In it His
Majesty states that "discharged soldiers receiving a gratuity for
meritorious conduct shall be entitled to wear a medal having on one
side the words FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT, and on the other in
relief the King's Arms, with the name and rank of the soldier, and the
year, inscribed on the medal." Those entitled to the medal "must have
completed twenty-one years of actual service in the Infantry, or twenty
years in the Cavalry, never have been convicted by Court Martial, and
must have borne an irreproachable character, or have particularly
distinguished themselves in the service." The medal, designed by
Pistrucci, was suspended from a dark-crimson ribbon by means of a steel
bar attached to a steel clip which gripped the medal as on the Waterloo
medal. This medal is sometimes found, however, with a ring through
which the ribbon is passed. The name, rank, and regiment and the year
of discharge were impressed in large capital Roman letters round the
edge of the medal. On the accession of Queen Victoria the Arms of
Hanover were omitted. About 1851 a silver scroll suspender replaced
the steel clip, and in the new die the lettering on the reverse was
cut smaller and the date was omitted. By a warrant dated January 16th,
1860, the grant of the medal was extended to non-commissioned officers
on the permanent staff of the Militia. Since 1874 the names and rank
of the recipients have been engraved on the edge of the medal. The
earlier medals realise from 10_s._ to £1, and the later ones from
5_s._ to 7_s._ 6_d._ each, according to rank and condition.
[Illustration: (Reverse.)
(Obverse.)
FRENCH MEDAL FOR MEXICO, 1862-3.]
[Illustration: (Obverse.)
(Reverse.)
FRENCH MEDAL FOR TONKIN, 1883-5.]
=King Edward Long Service Medal.=--On the accession of King Edward
VII., the obverse of the Military Long Service and Good Conduct medal
was altered, and the effigy of King Edward, with the legend EDWARDVS
VII REX IMPERATOR substituted for the trophy of arms with the shield of
Great Britain in the centre.
=King George's Long Service Medal.=--The same alteration has been made
in this latest issue; the bust of H.M. King George V., takes the place
of King Edward, and the legend being slightly altered so far as the
name is concerned.
NAVAL LONG SERVICE MEDALS
=William IV Naval Long Service.=--King William IV instituted by Order
in Council dated August 24th, 1831, a medal for Long Service and Good
Conduct to men of the navy. It was at first granted for not less than
twenty-one years' service; but this was subsequently reduced to twenty.
It bears on the obverse an anchor surmounted by a crown, encircled by a
wreath of oak leaves tied with a ribbon at the base. On the reverse is
a blank space within a beaded circle in the centre for the recipient's
name, rating, ship, and length of service, and running with the edge of
the medal FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT. The medal, 1⁷⁄₂₀ in. in
diameter, was issued with a silver ring passed through the medal, which
was suspended from a narrow blue ribbon; but many of the recipients
had a wire suspender made to take a broad ribbon for attachment to the
breast. Only about 450 of these medals were issued. (See facing page
308.) They realise from £1 5_s._ to £2 2_s._ according to condition.
=Victorian Naval Long Service.=--On the accession of Queen Victoria a
larger and thicker medal was instituted. It bears on the obverse the
bust of Queen Victoria, as on the military medals, and on the reverse a
line-of-battle ship at anchor, surrounded by a cable tied at the base
in a reef knot, encircled by FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT. In the
earlier medals the recipient's name, rank, etc., were engraved, and
the medal bore on the obverse 1848--very few were issued thus--and the
bar for suspension was nearly half as wide again, 1⅗ in. by 1⁷⁄₁₀ in.,
as those on the later medals. The later medals are mostly impressed
in capital letters, and are suspended from a clasp which takes a 1¼
in. ribbon of blue with white edges. The earlier medals realise about
10_s._, and the later ones about 5_s._ to 6_s._
=India, 1859.=--The H.E.I. Co. issued a medal in 1859 to men of the old
Indian Local European Service for "long service and good conduct"; but
none were issued to the H.E.I. Co.'s navy! About 100 were issued to men
in the three Presidencies before the mistake was discovered. The medal
bears on the obverse the diademed head of Queen Victoria as generally
used at this time on all war medals, and on the reverse FOR LONG
SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT. Above the wording is a crown, and below an
anchor surrounded by two oak branches. The medal, 1⅗ in. in diameter,
was suspended by a red ribbon 1³⁄₁₀ in. wide by a scroll suspender. The
names were impressed on the edges.
=Edward VII Naval Long Service.=--The obverse of this medal bears the
bust of the King in Admiral's uniform, and the legend EDWARDVS VII REX
IMPERATOR, and the recipient's name, rank, and ship are impressed upon
the edge. (See facing page 308.) The reverse is as that of the Victoria
variety. It realises, according to condition and rank, 5_s._ to 10_s._
=George V Naval Long Service.=--The medal issued during the reign of
our present Sovereign His Majesty King George V is in all respects the
same as the above mentioned, except that his bust in Admiral's uniform
adorns the obverse, and GEORGIVS takes the place of EDWARDVS. The
recipients' names are indented in block capitals.
=Volunteer, Militia, and Territorial Medals.=--I also illustrate
representative oval medals issued by King Edward and King George to
the Militia, Territorials, and Special Reserve, for Long Service,
Good Conduct and Efficiency. These are named in light skeleton block
capitals. The Victoria Volunteer Officer's Long Service and the
Edwardian Colonial and Auxiliary Forces Officer's Long Service Medals,
illustrated facing page 240, were issued unnamed.
=Naval Best Shot.=--The fine medal illustrated facing page 296 was
instituted by His late Majesty King Edward as a reward for excellence
in Naval Gunnery, and although, like Volunteer Long Service Medals, it
can hardly be classed among war medals, the importance of encouraging
good gunnery has been well demonstrated in the war now in progress,
where our gunners have made wonderful hits at a range of eight or more
miles. The obverse of this medal bears the bust of King Edward in
Admiral's uniform, as does also that of the Naval Reserve Medal facing
page 224.
* * * * *
I have not herein considered the large number of regimental medals, or
those awarded by officers to their men for prowess in war or excellence
of conduct in the ranks; these, together with the old Volunteer medals
of the eighteenth century, are too numerous for adequate treatment in a
volume such as this, and as I have restricted my pages to war medals of
an official nature, only including those private ones which have great
historical interest, I must leave the consideration of these to the
time when I may find leisure to treat of them as they deserve.
I have endeavoured, while making my book helpful, to make it also
interesting, for I am of opinion that those who do not generally
take more than a mere handling interest in the things they sell lose
more than half the interest which a business life affords, while
those who simply take a pleasure in the mere possession of the things
they collect fail to understand the true meaning and value of the
collector's spirit.
HOW MEDALS ARE NAMED
I append a few sketches and notes which may be helpful, together
with the facts I have given, to those who collect or sell the golden
medallions, the bright discs of silver, or the intrinsically valueless
but precious bronze crosses or stars which have adorned the breasts of
the brave.
First let me state that any re-engraved medal is comparatively
valueless, and that those who purchase high-priced medals should not
trust to their own judgment, but employ the services of those experts
and dealers who possess the necessary technical knowledge and have at
their command the means of identification.
The names on the Waterloo medals were impressed with Roman capitals
like ~ROBERTS~ or ~MURPHY~, so large that they left little margin
between the edge of the medal and the top and bottom of the letters.
The Peninsular, or Military General Service, medal had the names
indented in Roman capitals as follows: ~STEWARD~. The same type was
used on the Naval General Service and the Army of India medals, also
the Mutiny medal.
On the Afghan medal of 1842, for Candahar, Ghuznee, and Cabul, the
same kind of Roman capitals were used, but sometimes rather larger and
narrower, and the down-strokes somewhat lighter: these medals were
not always impressed, and many were engraved in this style ~John~ and
others in a light script.
The Punjab medals for 1849 were indented in the same style as the
M.G.S. medal; but on many of the Sutlej medals the rather taller type
of Roman capital was used.
The South Africa 1853 medals were named with the same letters as the
M.G.S. medals.
[Illustration: MEDAL TO PAPAL BRIGADE FOR 1860 CAMPAIGN.]
[Illustration: PRUSSIAN BRONZE CROSS FOR KÖNIG GRÄTZ (SADO WA), 1866.]
[Illustration: GENEVA CROSS FOR FRANCO-GERMAN WAR, 1870-1.]
On those of the Crimean medals which were returned for naming the same
type was used, but the letters were rather more openly spaced. Some
were also impressed in large and others in small skeleton Roman, so,
~MURRAY~, many were engraved in square Roman capitals, and others in
upper and lower case upright block.
The India General Service medal, 1854, had the names mostly impressed
with the same type as the M.G.S. medals up to Bhootan 1864-6; some,
particularly naval medals, were named in a smaller kind of Roman
capitals stamped closer together. The same type of Roman capital was
likewise used on the New Zealand medals, while the China medals for
1857 and 1860, which were only named for the army, had the names
indented in the same type. But the naming on the China medal for 1842
was very characteristic, and heavy Roman impressed capitals of a square
nature, like ~DUNCAN~, were employed in the stamping, with three long
stars to fill the gap on either side between the name and the lug of
the suspender.
The Abyssinian medal is distinctive in its naming, the recipient's name
and regiment being impressed in relief on the centre of the reverse,
or, in the case of the Indian troops, in the same manner or struck
incuse, while some are engraved.
The Canada General Service medal has the names indented in square block
capitals, as ~BROCK~, or in caps and lower case, as ~Boston~. Some were
engraved in square upright Roman capitals.
The home troops who received it had the regimental numbers impressed
and not the territorial designations, as on the South African medals.
The Naval medals were generally engraved in dwarfed Roman capitals.
The Ashantee medal for 1873-4 was engraved in this style, ~BUCHANAN,
42ND.~ with the date 1873-74, after the regiment, but on the 1892
medals, while the same style was used, it was engraved with thinner
down-strokes and was smaller.
When the I.G.S. medals, 1854 type, were first issued the names were
impressed similar to the M.G.S. medal; but those medals awarded to the
navy and the army for Pegu have very small tall Roman capitals on the
edge; for Perak the names are engraved in sloping Roman capitals like
the Afghan medals described below; or like the medals for the rest of
the campaigns with the exception of Jowaki, 1877-8, which by the way
was the first campaign medal to have the date indicated on the bar, the
names were generally engraved as ~P. Murphy~, and the same style of
script, but very lightly engraved, as ~Edward~, was used to name the
I.G.S. 1895 medal. This light and somewhat scratchy form of script was
also employed in a very characteristic manner, to name the Punniar and
Maharajpoor stars, and also some of the first Cabul medals, 1842.
The Burma 1885-7 medal is generally engraved in a light running hand;
but I have seen several engraved in slightly sloping squat Roman
letters, ~2/SCOTS FUS~: The script kind of naming was used on the
1887-9 and 1889-92 Burma medals, but some of the latter medals were
engraved in a neat round hand.
The Naval medals awarded for Burma 1885-7 are mostly named with rather
tall thin Roman capitals.
The medals for Jowaki 1877-8 are impressed with Roman capitals after
the character of M.G.S. lettering, and the regiments are generally
described so, 2/9th Foot.
The Afghan medals for 1878-9-80 were engraved thus, ~RENDELL~, or in
the same style of letter but upright, as were also the Egyptian medals
of 1882 onward; but most of those issued to the Royal Marine Light
Infantry and seamen who took part in the Suakin Expedition of 1885
were indented like this, ~HENRY~. This kind of type was also used for
naming the King Edward Naval Long Service medals. Some, however, were
impressed in tall Roman capitals having thick down-strokes.
The engraving on the Egyptian medals awarded to some of the Indian
troops, dooley bearers, and Indian transport department is in a very
finely cut, neat script.
Some of the Zulu War medals of 1878-9-80 were engraved in this way,
~SHEA~, the letters being rather badly shaped and spaced, but most were
engraved in the same style as the Afghan and Egyptian medals.
The Soudan medals were engraved in this style ~CURTIS~, and some
~GORE.R.A.~: some of the Queen's and Khedive's medals were impressed
in very small Roman letters, thus MACPHERSON. In a few instances the
Queen's medals, like the Khedive's, were issued unnamed, and the
recipients had to have them engraved.
The medals granted for the Punjab Frontier are named with a rather
coarse script.
The engraving on the Hazara medal for 1888 has rather finer-cut
strokes, and the naming on the Sikkim medal, 1888, is the same.
King Edward's medal for Waziristan, 1901-2, is engraved in the same
style; but the medal for Chin-Lushai 1889-90 is named in a neat round
hand.
The Maharajah of Kashmir's bronze medal for Chitral, 1895, is impressed
in badly aligned and carelessly spaced block letters.
The Cape of Good Hope medal is engraved in neat, squat, upright Roman
capitals, and that for Natal is generally named in very lightly
impressed upright skeleton block.
The East and Central Africa medal with swivel ring is named in a light
script; but the same medal with bar for Uganda, 1897-8, is engraved
rather roughly in light Roman capitals.
But these medals are named in several ways. For Sierra Leone in square
block capitals. With bar for 1891-2 the medal is named in slightly
sloping Roman capitals, that for 1892 the same. That with bar for
1897-8 named like the tall thin block letters used on some of the Boer
War medals.
The Boer War medals were generally indented with block capitals, either
square, like ~HILL~, or tall like this, HILL, or engraved in this
style, ~F. HILL, 2/Linc Rqt~:
King Edward's medal for Ashanti, 1900, is generally impressed in rather
small skeleton block lettering.
The China medal, 1900, is named--for the navy--with a bold but light
kind of Roman capital, similar to that described on page 354 as used on
the Suakin, 1885, medals.
The Tibet medal is generally named in a combination of large and small
Roman and script, as ~G.Hand, 1ˢᵗ·13Bⁿ·ᵣ.~
The Indian medal for 1908 is engraved in script, but so badly that one
could not conceive an engraver's apprentice of one year's standing
doing so badly.
King George's medal for Abor, 1911-12, is engraved in a rather crude
script.
_The illustrations of the namings are mostly considerably
enlarged to render comparison easier._
[Illustration: GERMAN MEDAL FOR FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR, 1870-1.]
[Illustration: FRENCH MEDAL GIVEN TO VETERANS OF THE WAR OF 1870-1.]
[Illustration: FIRST CHILIAN WAR MEDAL, 1880.]
[Illustration: SECOND CHILIAN WAR MEDAL, 1881.]
SOME CONTINENTAL AND FOREIGN WAR MEDALS
A century ago the Prussians were our allies. Today the position is
reversed, and we have hastened to assist the descendants of the brave
men who routed the Prussians at Jena and the Austrians at Marengo,
and so strenuously fought against our forefathers at Waterloo. I have
already described most of the medals awarded for that famous battle,
but there are others of an interesting character which were awarded for
the campaigns of 1813, 1814, and 1815, when the various continental
nations strove against the genius and power of Napoleon.
=Prussian Oval Iron Medal for 1815.=--This reminds us of the fact that
the exchange made by modern German women of their gold wedding rings
for those of iron is simply a repetition of a sacrifice which the women
of Germany made during the Napoleonic Wars, when they gave their gold
jewellery and replaced it by delicately made ornaments of iron, as
visitors to the Victoria and Albert Museum may see. The medals awarded
to the survivors of the wars were invariably of metal, some, like our
Victoria Cross, having been made from captured cannon. This oval medal,
however, is of iron and bears on the obverse King Frederick William's
initials in German text capitals, surmounted by the Prussian crown
and underneath ~Fur Pflichirtreue im Kreige~ (For faithful service in
war); encircling the whole is the legend ~Gott war mit uns, Ihm sey die
Ehre!~ (God was with us, to Him the honour). On the reverse is a cross
patée with rays issuant between the arms and in the centre 1815. The
medal is suspended from a white watered-silk ribbon with black and
yellow stripes close to the edges. It was awarded to non-combatants.
=Prussian Medals for 1813-15.=--These were awarded by King Frederick
William III to all those of his subjects who took part in the campaigns
of 1813-14-15. On the obverse are the initials F. W. surmounted by
a crown; below, ~Preussens tapfern Kriegern~ (To Prussia's brave
warriors), surrounded by the legend, with a border, ~Gott war mit
uns, Ihm sey die Ehre!~ (God was with us, to Him the honour). On the
reverse, within a wreath of oak and laurel, tied with a ribbon at the
base, upon a cross patée with rays, 1815--the date of the campaign.
In the medals for 1813 and 1814 the arms of the cross are rounded at
the ends and terminate at the medal rim. Indented round the edge, AUS
EROBERTEM GESCHUETZ (from the captured guns). See page 52. The ribbon
is yellow, flanked by stripes of black and white.
=The Austrian Cross for 1813-14.=--This is an interesting decoration,
for the Cross itself is enamelled green in the _basse-taille_ manner,
the edge only being left to show the metal, likewise the laurel wreath
which connects the arms of the Cross. On the obverse, across the centre
arms, is PRINCEPS ET PATRIA, on the upper arm is the word GRATI, and
on the lower arm FRANC IMP AUG. On the reverse, across the centre
arms, is LIBERTATE ASSERTA, on the upper arm EUROPAE, and on the lower
~MDCCCXIII/MDCCCXIV~. It is suspended from a yellow corded ribbon with
very broad black edges.
=Hessian Medal for 1814-15.=--This is a bronze medal 1⅛ in. in
diameter, bearing on the obverse in German text capitals, ~K W II
reinen tapfern Hessen, _1821_~, surmounted by a crown, and encircled
by a wreath of conventionalised oak leaves. On the reverse in the
centre is a cross patée, the arms of which rest upon a wreath of
laurel. In the centre are the dates ~1814/1815~. Two tilting spears are
arranged between the arms. Over the top arm, and resting upon a circle
enclosing a light wreath, is a helmet, around is the motto in German
text, ~Gott brach des feindes macht und Hessen ward befreit~. On the
edge in Roman is impressed AUS EROBERTEM GESCHUTZ (from captured guns).
The medal is suspended from a dark-blue ribbon with wide red edges.
(See facing page 324.)
=Légion d'Honneur.=--The Order of the Légion d'Honneur was proposed
on May 15th, 1802, by Napoleon Bonaparte when he was First Consul, as
a reward for Military and Civil Services. The Legislative Assembly,
however, was not favourably disposed, and it was not until four days
later that the institution of the now famous Order was agreed to.
Napoleon knew the value of a ribbon to stick in the coat. (See facing
page 320.)