THE VICTORY MEDAL

Obverse: The winged, full length figure of Victory, with her left arm extended and holding a palm branch in her right hand. The remaining space is left bare.

Reverse: The legend "THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILISATION 1914-1919" surrounded by a wreath.

Size: 36mm in diameter.

Ribbon: 37mm wide. Watered with colours, reading from the centre outwards, of red, yellow, green, blue and violet, merged into a rainbow pattern.

Suspension: The ribbon is threaded through a 13mm diameter ring, which passes through a loop fixed to the top of the piece. The ring will move forwards and backwards.

This bronze gilt medal was awarded to all those who received The 1914 Star or The 1914-15 Star and, with certain exceptions, to those who received The British War Medal. It was never awarded alone.

Eligibility for this award consisted of having been mobilised in any of the fighting services and of having served in any of the theatres of operations, or at sea, between 5th August, 1914, and 11th November, 1918, both dates inclusive. Women who served in any of the various organisations in a theatre of operations were eligible, such as nurses, members of the Women's Royal Naval Service, Women's Army Auxiliary Corps, Women's Royal Air Force, canteen staffs and members of many charitable organisations of all kinds.

Those who were mentioned in dispatches between 4th August, 1914, and 10th August, 1920, were allowed to wear an oak leaf on the ribbon. The leaf worn on the ribbon of the medal is slightly larger than that worn on the ribbon when the ribbon alone is worn. In the rare cases when the recipient of a Mention in Dispatches did not receive The Victory Medal, or The British War Medal, the emblem is worn on the jacket.

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