War Medals and Their HistorySteward, William Augustus
History
War Medals and Their History
Steward, William Augustus
Great Britain. Army -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.
The only Victoria Cross awarded for gallant services not in "the
presence of the enemy" was given to Private Timothy O'Hea for
extinguishing a fire in an ammunition van during the Fenian Raid in
Canada, 1866. It sold in August 1900 for £50.
=The Albert Medal.=--The Albert Medal, commonly called "The Civilian's
Victoria Cross," was originally instituted by Queen Victoria under a
Royal Warrant dated March 7th, 1866, as a reward for heroic actions
performed in saving life at sea. On April 12th, 1867, the Warrant was
revoked by a second which instituted two new decorations respectively
styled The Albert Medal of the First Class and The Albert Medal of the
Second Class, the original Warrant instituting one class only. Ten
years later, on April 30th, 1877, Her Majesty Queen Victoria signed
another Warrant which extended the decorations to cases of gallantry in
saving life on land.
[Illustration: BRONZE MEDAL GIVEN BY LEOPOLD, GRAND DUKE OF BADEN, "TO
THE BRAVE ARMY OF LIBERATION," 1849.]
[Illustration: BRONZE MEDAL GIVEN BY LEOPOLD, GRAND DUKE OF BADEN, "FOR
FAITHFUL SERVICE IN WAR."]
[Illustration: SILVER MEDAL FOR SAN SEBASTIAN, 1836.]
By the Warrant of April 12th, 1867, it was ordained that the
Albert Medal of the First and Second Classes, severally inscribed
"For Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea," should be made only on a
recommendation by the President of the Board of Trade; and in the
Warrant dated April 30th, 1877, it was ordained that the award of the
Albert Medal of the First and Second Classes, inscribed "For Gallantry
in Saving Life on Land," should be made only on a recommendation by the
First Lord of the Treasury. On September 13th, 1881, an amended Warrant
was issued, ordaining that the award of the Albert Medal should be
made only on a recommendation by the Principal Secretary of State for
the Home Department, "Providing always that the preliminary steps and
inquiry concerning the award of the Albert Medals severally inscribed
'For Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea' be, as heretofore, with the
President of the Board of Trade." By Warrant dated April 30th, 1877,
it was ordained that a register of the names of those who received the
Albert Medal for Saving Life at Sea should be kept at the office of
the Board of Trade. By Warrant dated Whitehall, March 24th, 1891, the
previous Warrants bearing the dates April 30th, 1877, and September
13th, 1881, respectively, were amended, and it was ordained that the
award of the Albert Medal for Saving Life at Sea should be made only
on a recommendation of the Principal Secretary of State for the Home
Department, "Provided always that the preliminary steps and inquiry
concerning the award shall, if the award be to any one belonging to
the Royal Navy or the Royal Marines, be with the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty, and in other cases with the President of the Board
of Trade." Further, that a register of the names of those persons
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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