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132 result(s) to your search. (Campai)

David
Wed October 6, 2004 10:59pm

Commemorative Medal for t

Commemorative Medal for the Italian Campaign 1943-1944

This silvered bronze award, which was instituted op 1 April 1953, could be awarded to members op the French Expeditionary Forces, who were well known for their participation at the Battle of Monte Cassino, who served in Italy or at Elba between 1 December 1943 and 25 July 1944.

David
Wed October 6, 2004 11:09pm
Rating: 10

Bar for the Wounded

Bar for the Wounded

This special Bar was instituted on 8 November 1952 and was authorised to be worn on the campaign medal or war medal.

David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:19am

Victoria Cross

Victoria Cross

On 29 January 1856 Queen Victoria of Great Britain signed a Royal Warrant, which instituted a new decoration for officers and men deserving some sort of recognition. On the Queens request the award was made retrospective to 1854. In this year Great Britain became involved in a war with Russia, this conflict would be known as the Crimean War.

The Royal Warrant mentioned that the Victoria Cross could only be awarded to those officers and men who have served in the presence of the enemy, and shall have then performed some signal act of valour or devotion to their country. It is further mentioned that neither rank, nor long service, nor wounds, nor any other circumstance or condition whatsoever, save the merit of conspicuous bravery, shall be held to establish a sufficient claim to the honour.

The Victoria Cross is highly valued in British military history and has developed into the highest decoration for gallantry that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces since 1854.

The Victoria Cross is made from metal taken of Chinese cannons captured from the Russians during the Crimean War.The decoration is formed as a Maltese Cross ensigned with a lion upon the Royal Crest. On the obverse side of the decoration the text ?For Valour? is mentioned. On the reverse side of the decoration some details about the Victoria Cross recipient are mentioned. Common details are name, rank, unit and the date of the act of gallantry.

Originally the ribbon was dark blue for the Royal Navy and crimson for the Army. A Royal Warrant dated 22 May 1920, signed by Winston Churchill, authorized that the Crimson ribbon should be adopted by all services of the English Forces.

Some facts about the Victoria Cross:
Ever since 1856 each Victoria Cross is handmade by Hancocks, a London Jewellers, and therefore every decoration is unique in its sort.

The Victoria Cross was, and is only awarded by Royal assent and is usually presented by the monarch.

The Victoria Cross has been presented 1354 times since its institution. The first presentation was to C.D. Lewis, for his heroic actions in the Baltic Sea on 21 June 1854. The last two decorations are presented to Lieutenant-Colonel Herbert Jones and Sergeant Ian McKay, for their heroic actions during the Falklands War on 12 June 1982.

The first presentation of the Victoria Cross was made in Hyde Park on 26 Jun 1857 where Queen Victoria decorated 62 officers and men for their heroic actions during the Crimean War.

Only three men have received the Victoria Cross twice. These are Arthur Martin-Leake, Noel Chavasse and Charles Upham.

There are three cases where both father and son have received the Victoria
Cross. Only four times the Victoria Cross was presented to brothers. During the Second World War the Victoria Cross was presented 182 times, Charles Upham received the Victoria Cross twice during this campaign. For actions during the Normandy Landings of 6 June 1944 only one Victoria Cross was awarded, this went to Stanley Hollis, a member of the Green Howards.

Since 1920 the Victoria Cross can be awarded posthumously, and until 1977 this was the only English decoration that could be awarded posthumously.

The largest number of Victoria Crosses won in a single day was on 16 November 1856 during the Indian Mutiny. On this day 24 men were awarded this British decoration.

The largest number of Victoria Crosses won in a single action was on 22 January 1879 at Rorke?s Drift during the Zulu War. In reference to this action 11 men were awarded this English decoration.

Fourteen men not born British or Commonwealth citizens have received the Victoria Cross. These were five Americans, one Belgian, three Danes, two Germans, one Swede, a Swiss and a Ukrainian.

The Royal Artillery is the corps that has won the highest number of Victoria Crosses since its institution. This unit has won the Victoria Cross 51 times, the Royal Engineers have won the Victoria Cross 41 times and the Royal Army Medical Corps and the Rifle Brigade have each won the Victoria Cross 27 times.

Since 1945 the Victoria Cross has been awarded only 11 times, the last two during the Falklands War in 1982.

David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:55am

Burma Star

Burma Star

The Burma Star was awarded for one day or more of operational service during the Burma campaign, between 11 December 1941 and 2 September 1945. For the Army, the theatre included any part of service in the provinces of Begal and Assam in the period 1 May 1942 to 2 September 1945 and service in China and Malaya between 16 February 1942 and 2 September 1945. The Naval operational area was restricted to the Bay of Bengal, and a area within 300 miles of the southern point of Ceylon or Sumatra, including the Malacca Straits. RAF aircrew had to make one operational flight above this area and the groundcrew of the RAF had the same restrictions as the Army.

Personnel qualifying for the Pacific Star and the Burma Star, only received the first earned Star with a suitably inscribed clasp for the second award attached on the ribbon.

The award is a six-pointed star with in the middle the GRI/VI monogram, surmounted by a crown and inscribed THE BURMA STAR. The reverse of the award is plain and the medal is issued unnamed.

The ribbon exists of three equal bands of dark blue (British forces), Red (Commonwealth forces) and another dark blue band. The dark blue bands each have at their centres a stripe of bright orange, representing the sun.

David
Thu October 7, 2004 9:41am

M

M?daille de la Victoire 1914-1918 - also called "M?daille Interalli?e" as all allies issued one with this particular ribbon. Awarded to all members of the armed forces who served for a minimum of 3 months during WWI.
It was instituted on 20 July 1922 and was also conferred on medical personnel, prisoners of war, escaped prisoners etc. It is worn immediately after French orders and decorations, i.e. before any colonial orders or decorations and before any campaign or commemorative medals. A number of unofficial medals were struck and can be found regularly.
The medal's reverse bearing the text "RF La Grande Gverre povr la Civilisation 1914-1918" (RF = R?publique Fran?aise - The Great War for Civilization)

David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:05pm

Russo-Japanese War Medal

Russo-Japanese War Medal. This is a service medal for a conflict that predates the Great War, but is included here since it was not uncommon to see among Great War soldiers' awards. This service medal was awarded in 1914, marking the 10th anniversary of the war with Japan. Since Russia did not 'win' that war, the Russian government was reluctant to issue any commemorative medals for the conflict. Veterans finally prevailed in seeing a medal issued. Following Russian custom, campaign medal ribbons were made with the colors of existing orders. For the Port Arthur medal, the colors of the Order of St. George and St. Alexander Nevsky. Examples exist in brass or bronze and in silver. Some have plain ribbons and some have the 'bow'. I do not know if these mark classes or grades, since this was a campaign medal, not a merit award. They may represent variations in style or issue only.

David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:12pm

Turkish War Medal and Lib

Turkish War Medal and Libyan Medal. While Italy's war with Turkey predates WWI. We include these two related medals here since that conflict is intertwined with the Balkan Wars that ultimately culminated in the Great War. These medals may also appear among WWI veterans' awards.
- The two medals have identical ribbons of blue and red stripes. The obverses are also identical, carrying the likeness of King Vittorio Emanuele III. The turkish campaign medal was instituted by King Vittorio Emanuele III in November 1912. The reverse of the Turkish War medal bears the inscription "GUERRA ITALO-TURCA 1911-12". The Libyan medal was instituted by King Vittorio Emanuele III in September of 1913. The reverse of the Libya Medal bears the inscription, "LIBIA".
- The two may appear together on the same uniform. The medals could be frontally distinguished by the bars of the ribbon: a "1911-12" bar for the turkish campaign, a "1912" and/or "1913", or "1912-13" bar for the libyan campaign.
- A variant ribbon has been seen a few times for the Turkish War medal. It's significance is undetermined as yet.

David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:21pm

Citation Star (Silver Sta

Citation Star (Silver Star) On July 9, 1918, an Act of Congress authorized the wearing of a small (3/16") silver star upon the ribbon of a campaign medal by Army personnel. This was to indicate "a citation for gallantry in action, published in orders issued from the headquarters of a general officer, not warranting the award of a Medal of Honor or Distinguished Service Cross". World War I veterans who had received this award wore the device on the WWI Victory Medal. This was originally known in the Army as the "citation star", but was established as the Silver Star Medal in 1932. At this time, holders of a citation star were issued the new medal.

David
Thu October 7, 2004 12:47pm

The Turkish War Medal

The Turkish War Medal of 1915. This medal is referred to by a number of informal names. Commonwealth nations often call it the "Gallipoli Star" even though it was not a campaign medal specifically for that battle. Another informal name is the "Iron Crescent," as it functioned similarly to Prussia's Iron Cross. The medal was given from 1915 until the end of the war, for acts of bravery or merit in action. Recipients of the Imtiaz and Liyakat medal were automatically eligible for this medal. The medal is a star-shaped pin back badge of white metal (not iron), with a raised crescent around the bottom center, and the "Toughra" or monogram of the Sultan in the center. The flat surfaces of the badge were finished in a thin opaque red enamel. The War Medal was worn pinned to the tunic in a manner similar to the Iron Cross, and not suspended from a ribbon. There was a ribbon (red with white side stripes) which was worn in the second button hole (like the Iron Cross 2nd Class) when the star itself was not worn.
Because the medal was frequently awarded to German and Austrian personnel who served with the Turkish forces during WW1, many unofficial variants were made in Germany and elsewhere, of varying quality, but usually of higher quality than the originals. This difference in quality had led some early authors to speculate that there were two classes of the War Medal -- poor quality copies for enlisted men, nicer copies for officers. In fact there was only one class.