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.
=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 5_s._ to £2 2_s._ 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
10_s._, and the later ones about 5_s._ to 6_s._
=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, 5_s._ to 10_s._
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