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 Cross, which is 1⅖ in. in diameter, bears in the centre the Royal
Cypher W.R., surrounded by the legend PREUSSEN SIEGRIECHEM HEERE (To
Prussia's victorious army); on the upper arm of the Cross is the
Prussian crown, on the right arm GOTT MIT IHM, and on the left WAR
UNS SEI, on the bottom arm is DIE EHRE. On the reverse is the crowned
Prussian eagle, resting upon a cannon; on the upper arm is KONIG-GRATZ,
on the left DENZ, on the right, JULI, and on the lower arm, 1866. The
ribbon is of black corded silk, 1 in. wide, with narrow stripes of
white and orange at the side. (See facing page 352.)
=Geneva Cross, 1870-71.=--This bears on the obverse a red enamelled
Cross of four arms, with a silver indented border in the centre
in white enamel, with a plain silver edge. Reverse: On a silver
perpendicular lined surface, within a raised silver double border,
above, 1870; below, 1871; between, AUX BLESSÉS DES ARMÉES DE TERRE
ET DE MER. The cross has a ring and loop for suspension from a white
ribbon, 1½ in. wide, with a red cross in the centre. This Cross appears
to be like the one worn by King Edward VII.
The Silver Cross, 1½ in. in diameter, bears on the obverse, above,
1870; below, 1871; between, SOCIÉTÉ FRANÇAISE DE SECOURS AUX BLESSÉS
DES ARMÉES DE TERRE ET DE MER. The reverse is plain, with a simple
border. Ribbon, the same as the above. The Bronze Cross is the same, 1½
in. in diameter, and is also suspended from the white ribbon with the
Geneva Cross in the centre. (See facing page 352.)
=French Medal for 1870-71.=--The bronze medal recently awarded by
the French Government to the survivors of the Franco-Prussian War
of 1870-71 is what one might expect from an artistic nation. It is
somewhat larger, however, than most French military medals. It bears on
the obverse the helmeted and armour-clad bust of a woman, symbolising
the Republic, with the legend ~REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAISE~ and on the
reverse a finely arranged trophy of French arms, supporting the French
tricolour, above a panel inscribed ~AUX DEFENSEURS DE LA PATRIE~ (To
the defenders of the country). It is suspended by a green ribbon, with
four black stripes of equal width. (See facing page 356.)
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