Medal, Military
The Army Museum
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| Object Name: | Medal, Military |
|---|---|
| Category: | Status Symbols |
| Material: | Metal |
| Accession Number: | 2021.0.558 |
| Culture: | Canadian |
| Earliest Production Date: | 1914-01-01 |
| Latest Production Date: | 1967-12-31 |
| Description: | A set of attributed military medals without ribbons: an Officer of the Order of the British Empire Medal, British War Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal 1939-1945, Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal, and Canadian Centennial Medal (1967). The British War Medal has the soldier's name etched on the side. The Officer of the Order of the British Empire Medal is a gold cross patonce (four arms with three points on each arm) surmounted by an Imperial Crown. The circular centre shows the crowned effigy of King George V, and is surrounded by a banner bearing the motto FOR GOD AND THE EMPIRE. For mounting, a ring is attached to the top of the crown through which a larger ring passes. The British War Medal is a circular, silver medal. For mounting, there is a plain, straight, non-swiveling suspender with a single-toe claw. The obverse shows King George V, bareheaded coinage effigy, facing left, with the legend: GEORGIVS V BRITT : OMN : REX ET IND : IMP : On the reverse, there is a horseman, St. George, armed with a short sword (an allegory of the physical and mental strength which achieves victory over Prussianism). The horse tramples on the Prussian shield and the skull and cross-bones. Off-centre, near the right upper rim, is the sun of Victory. The dates 1914 and 1918 appear in the left and right fields respectively. The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal is a circular, silver medal linked to a straight suspender by a small ring passing through a small fixed ring at the top of the medal. On the obverse of the medal, seven marching figures are depicted, representing men and women of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Nursing service; and around the rim, the inscription 1939 CANADA 1945 VOLUNTARY SERVICE VOLONTAIRE. The reverse shows the coat of arms of Canada. The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal is a circular, silver medal. For mounting purposes there is a ring attached to a double-toed claw on the upper edge of the medal. The obverse features a crowned effigy of Queen Elizabeth II. The reverse shows the Royal Cypher EIIR surmounted by a large crown. The legend around the edge reads: QUEEN ELIZABETH II CROWNED 2nd JUNE 1953. The Canadian Centennial Medal (1967) is a circular silver medal. For mounting, there is a wide triangular fixed suspender attached to the medal by a prominent single-toe claw. On the obverse, the Royal Cypher EIIR surmounted by a crown is superimposed on a large single maple leaf. The inscription around the circumference reads CONFEDERATION · CANADA · CONFEDERATION with the word CANADA being at the top of the medal. The reverse shows the Canadian Coat of Arms, with 1867-1967 in an arc below. |
| Narrative: | Etched name is "H.E. Read / R.A.F. |
| History of Use: | The Order of the British Empire Medal, at any level, can be awarded for gallantry as well as for service. The British War Medal was awarded to all ranks of Canadian overseas military forces who came from Canada between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918, or who had served in a theatre of war. The Canadian Volunteer Service Medal is granted to persons of any rank in the Naval, Military or Air Forces of Canada who voluntarily served on Active Service and honourably completed eighteen months total voluntary service from 3 September 1939 to 1 March 1947. The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was awarded as a personal souvenir to selected persons. The Canadian Centennial Medal (1967) was awarded to people recommended by governments and associations. The Canadian Forces were awarded almost 30% of the medals issued. (From Veteran's Affairs Canada website). |
| Length: | 9 cm |
| Width: | 17 cm |
| Institution: |
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| Institution City: | Halifax |
| Institution Province: | Nova Scotia |