War Medals and Their History

by William Augustus Steward

The Triumph Medal.—During the fight on July 31st Admiral Robert Blake's old flagship (he was ashore owing to a wound) caught fire, and many of the men jumped overboard; but those who remained extinguished the fire and saved the ship. For this service the officers and those who had stuck to the ship were awarded a special medal with the obverse and reverse as on the other medals, but with the inscription engraved above the battle scene: FOR EMINENT SERVICE IN SAVING Y TRIUMPH FIRED IN FIGHT W^h Y DVCH IN IVLY 1653. This medal is 1·6 in. by 1·4 in.

Blake's Jewel.—On May 28th, 1657, the House of Commons voted £5,000 for a jewel to be "bestowed on General Blake" for his service in destroying the Spanish fleet off Teneriffe on April 20th. The jewel, supposed to have been a ring, was dispatched to Blake, but whether he received it or not is uncertain, although, as he died within sight of Plymouth on August 7th, 1657, it is quite probable that he did.

Charles II Medals.—In October 1665 Charles II had proclaimed that a definite percentage of the value of prizes should be paid to those who captured them from the Dutch, and that a portion of the proceeds should be set aside to help the widows of those who died in battle, to assist the sick and wounded, and to provide medals for those who performed special service.

War was again declared against the Dutch on February 22nd, 1665, and on June 3rd the Dutch fleet under Admirals Evertzen and Opdam was engaged and defeated off Lowestoft by the English fleet under Prince Rupert, the Duke of York, and Admirals Lawson and Penn. Opdam was killed when his ship was blown up, and two other Dutch admirals were killed. Twenty ships were sunk or taken by the British ere the Dutch made off, and through carelessness were permitted to escape. In the engagement the capable Vice-Admiral Lawson was killed, also Vice-Admiral Sansome, likewise the Earls of Marlborough, Portland, and Falmouth, and Lord Muskerry. To commemorate the victory, medals were issued in gold and silver. One bore on the obverse the bust of the King with his titles, and on the reverse the Island of Great Britain and the legend QUATUOR MARIA VINDICO. A smaller medal has on the obverse a triumphal chariot drawn by sea-horses, with the King seated therein, and the legend ET PONTUS SERVIET. These medals were not apparently issued as decorations; but the fine oval medal by Thomas Rawlins was probably destined for that purpose; it was struck in copper and 1·6 in. by 1·5 in. in size. It was also struck in gold and in silver. It bears on the obverse the truncated bust of Charles II in armour, looking to the left, and around the effigy is the inscription CAROLVS · II · D : G : M : BR : FR : ET · H : REX., and on the reverse a warship with a flag on the mainmast bearing the King's initials C R. This side bears the legend NOS · PENSES · IMPERIVM.

In 1665 Charles II caused to be struck a large circular silver medal 2 in. in diameter with the motto PRO TALIBVS AVSIS (For such enterprises) in the exergue of the reverse, whereon is depicted a battle at sea with a wreck in the foreground and Charles II habited as a Roman general looking on at the engagement. The medal by Rœttier is a fine example of his workmanship, and a few very fine specimens are still extant. This medal, illustrated facing page [272], was probably intended to be commemorative of the victories of either the first or second Dutch wars; but as it is undated it may have been issued to commemorate either or both. It is 2 in. in diameter. Another medal by Rœttier was struck during the reign of Charles II to commemorate the service of James Duke of York; but this, again, is commemorative rather than decorative.

CHARLES II SILVER NAVAL MEDAL.

Several battles were fought ere in 1667 peace was declared with the Dutch. It was not, however, of long duration, for in March 1672 war again broke out, and several battles were fought before peace was finally signed on February 9th, 1674.

La Hogue, 1692.—For this brilliant victory over the French by the combined English and Dutch fleets, under Admiral Russell, following a battle which waged for five days, several medals designed by Rœttier were ordered to be struck by Queen Mary, who expressed her satisfaction in the result of the conflict—which secured the throne of England to her and William, and shattered the hopes of James II—by distributing £30,000 among the soldiers and sailors who had been engaged in the battle, and ordering medals for officers. The most important medal, 1·95 in. in diameter, was struck in gold and silver; it bears on the obverse the busts of William III and Mary II, the king habited in Roman armour and wearing long hair, the Queen simply draped. Around the conjoined busts is the inscription GVL : ET. MAR : D : G : B : F : ET · H : REX · REGINA; and on the reverse the representation of the French Admiral's flagship, "Le Soliel Royal," in flames. This ship was, with three others, driven ashore and set on fire by English fire-ships. Above the scene is the legend NOX · NVLLA · SECVTA · EST (No night followed), and in the exergue PVGN : NAV : INT : ANG : ET · FR : 21 · MAY · 1692. One of the medals in gold, together with a chain of the value of £50, was presented to Captain John Tupper "for the good services performed by him" when in a dense fog he sailed through the French fleet and brought the news of their presence to Admiral Russell at Spithead.