Victory Medal

The medal was authorised under Army Order 301 in 1919. This yellow bronze medal, is also known as the Allied Victory Medal, this is because the Allied nations, decided to issue a standardised medal and ribbon, so as to avoid the mass exchange of medals.

All the Victory medals are very similar, whether issued to British troops or Japanese. They all have the symbolic winged figure of Victory.

On the reverse there is a laurel wreath with "THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILISATION 1914-1919" in the centre. If the medal was issued to a South African then the reverse is also in Dutch and not Afrikaans as often stated.

The ribbon is rainbow coloured (starting with red in the centre and working outwards orange, yellow. green, blue and violet), and measures 1.55" wide.

The recipients details are impressed around the rim in sans serif capitals, although medals to Africans are often found unnamed or impressed locally.

There were approximately six million medals issued. They were never awarded alone, and are often seen worn with with either of the 2 campaign stars or the British War Medal.

There were no clasps authorised to be worn with this medal, although if the recipient had been Mentioned in Despatches, they were entitled to wear the Oak Leaf on the ribbon.