War Medals and Their History

by William Augustus Steward

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 5s. to £2 2s. 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 10s., and the later ones about 5s. to 6s.

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, 5s. to 10s.

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.