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Allied Victory Medals from the Great War |
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<< Photo (Portugal obverse) courtesy of Les Turner |
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Belgium
obverse & reverse  |
Czechoslovakia
(Serbia)  |
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| France obverse & reverse | Greece obverse & reverse | ||
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South
Africa obverse & reverse  |
Italy
obverse &
reverse  |
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US of America
obverse & reverse |
Japan obverse |
Japan reverse |
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| Notes on the Japanese Victory Medal. As the Winged Victory, who should be on the obverse, has no meaning in Japanese culture, a figure of "Take-Mikazuchi-no-Kami", a son of the ancient god Izanagi who defeated his brothers to conquer Japan, was chosen. The reverse shows, within the outline of a cherry blossom, a globe with the flags of Japan, US, Britain, Italy and France, with characters below for "and the other allied and united nations". Around the edge there are the characters for "Great War for Protection of Civilization, Taisho 3rd year to Taisho 9th year". |
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Romania obverse &
reverse |
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Thailand obverse |
Thailand obverse |
Thailand reverse |
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Thailand (Siam) did not use Winged Victory either. They substituted the image of a local God. |
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Thailand (Siam) photos courtesy of Francesco Saverio Sesti |
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Portugal
obverse and reverse |
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The issuing of this medal was authorized by the Inter-allied Commission in Warsaw for Poles who fought on the side of the Allies during WWI under the Authority of the Supreme War Council. For reasons still not known Poland did not proceed with the manufacture of the medal at their mint. The medal shows a clearly visible “MK” ( Mint Kremnica). The medal may possibly be an unofficial strike by a veteran’s group.
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| British War Medal ribbon | Original Victory Ribbon |
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Image from Brian & June Foster |
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Thank you for your email enquiry to the Research
Centre of the Australian War Memorial.
Please find below Military Heraldry's answer to the enquiry regarding
this ribbon,"This ribbon is seldom seen, but in fact represents the earliest approved design for what was to become the Victory Medal. As you possibly know, the ribbon on the left is that of the British War Medal 1914-1920, and the eventual design adopted for the Victory Medal on the right was of the colours of the rainbow. The earlier design, which was proposed in 1918, comprises the national colours of the victorious Allies. It is some time since I examined an original piece of this ribbon, but my recollection is that the colours were intended to be those of: Great Britain, (or France, or the US) Portugal, Romania, France, (or the US, or Great Britain) Belgium, Italy and the US (or Great Britain, or France!) Possibly the colours of Japan and Russia are also present, or intended to be present. Evidently this design was approved, and manufactured in large quantity, before the decision to change to the familiar rainbow was made in 1919 or 1920. Certainly large numbers were issued, but as ribbon only. I have never seen an example of a Victory Medal mounted on the early ribbon, and in fact at the time the ribbon was produced, no design for the medal itself had been made. Virtually every example of this ribbon which I have seen (and they are usually mounted, like yours, with a piece of British War Medal ribbon) turns out to have been worn during the Victory Parade in London in 1919, at which a large number of Australians marched. It appears that, in the absence of medals (which, it had already been decided, were to be awarded for service in the war) these ribbons were produced and mounted for distribution to those marching in the parade. In essence, your ribbon is an uncommon survivor of a proposed design which was later superceded." |
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Victory Medal Certificates |
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If you know of any others and are willing to share an image please Email it to me. |
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| The Inter-allied Victory Medal Certificate from Belgium |
The Inter-allied Victory Medal Certificate from Romania |
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| The official medal struck in silver to commemorate the Armistice anniversary and the building of the Cenotaph in London. Art Deco style medal on the Armistice anniversary in 1928. | |
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Chinese WWI Victory Commemorative Medal of 1918. Reverse seal characters means, Republic of China, 7th year November 20th, awarded by Hsu Shih Chang, President of the Chinese Republic. Hsu Shih Chang, elected President of the Chinese Republic, September 4, 1918. This medal was NOT part of the Inter-allied Victory medal collection, but is relevant in that context. |
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Strange French Victory Medal combo. with certificate. |
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More details on Victory 2
