On the reverse in the foreground is represented a piece of artillery captured from the Turks, with the sun in its splendour above, the date 1912 being inscribed on the orb itself, and running with the line of the medal above is the Serbian inscription, in native characters, signifying "Kossovo avenged," the field of Kossovo being the place where the Serbians lost their independence in 1389. The medal, which bears the Swiss modeller's name, Hugeunin Frères, is suspended from a silk-woven ribbon, with the national colours, red, blue, and white, repeated perpendicularly six times.
The Serbo-Bulgarian War.—The medal issued for the war with the Bulgarians is in the form of a Cross—41 millimetres in dimension. This is a very plain, bronze, gilt Cross, bearing on the obverse the royal monogram and surmounted by the royal crown, and on the reverse the date 1913. The decoration is suspended from a red ribbon with an edging of black. Five hundred thousand of these Crosses were issued to the officers and men who took part in the campaign, and four Crosses were struck in gold for the Court.
"For Courage."—The third medal is for valour, and was awarded to those officers and men who particularly distinguished themselves in the two campaigns. On the obverse is a strong figure of Obilitch, a warrior revered by the Serbian people. He has been their national hero since 1389, the ideal and the eternal spirit which inspired and encouraged the Serbian people to live for the time when they could throw off the yoke of the Turk. Around the bust of Obilitch is the inscription, in Serbian characters, Miloch Obilitch, National Hero, 1389. It will be noticed that the crest or chimera which surmounts the helmet of the hero helps to give the connection between the shaped ring for suspension and the decoration. On the reverse is the cross of chivalry, and a wreath of laurel encircling the legend, in Serbian characters, "For Courage." Crossed swords fittingly fill the gaps between the arms of the cross. The medal, modelled by M. Henri Hugeunin, is 36 millimetres in diameter, is suspended from a red silk ribbon. Seven of these decorations (see facing page [376]) were struck in gold, 101 in silver, 4,000 in silver-plated bronze, and 27,000 in bronze gilt.
FOR SERBO-TURKISH WAR, 1912.
FOR SERBO-BULGARIAN WAR, 1913.
SERBIAN MEDALS.
The Sanatory Cross.—The "Sanatory Cross," which is bronze gilt and enamelled, and 40 millimetres at its greatest dimension, was distributed to those men and women who rendered service in the medical department during the two campaigns. On the obverse is the Serbian eagle on an enamelled ground, and on the reverse the inscription in Serbian characters, "For care to the wounded and sick." The inscription also stands out on an enamelled circle. Four thousand five hundred were issued with the sky-blue ribbon arranged in triangular form for men, and 3,500 in tie form for women. (See facing page [376].)