The Victory Medal was authorised in 1919 to commemorate the victory of the Allied Forces over the Central Powers. Each of the Allied nations issued a ‘Victory Medal' to their own nationals with all of these having the figure of Victory on the obverse as a common feature. Australians were awarded the medal issued by Great Britain. A member mentioned in despatches (MID) for service during World War 1 wears a bronze spray of oak leaves on the Victory Medal ribbon. Only one emblem is worn no matter how many times a member may have been ‘mentioned'. When a ribbon alone is worn a slightly smaller insignia is worn as a ribbon emblem. Eligibility The Victory Medal was awarded to prescribed classes of persons who entered a theatre of war on duty between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. The Medal The Victory Medal is bronze with a winged figure of Victory on the obverse. The reverse has the words ‘THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILISATION', all surrounded by a laurel wreath. The Ribbon The Victory Medal ribbon has a ‘two rainbow' design, with the violet from each rainbow on the outside edges moving through to a central red stripe where both rainbows meet. No 19 Farrier Sgt William Stephens, a 26 year old station hand of Drouin, Vic, enlisted RHQ 4 LH Regiment on 21 August 1914.Embarked 19 October 1914, A Squadron 17 April 1916, sick (malaria) 10 Aug 1917, 14 Army General Hospital , Abbassia, 18 Aug, rejoined Regiment 11 Jan 1918, Returned to Australia 15 Nov 1918. Militia service with 13 LH Regt Full size medal with ribbon, unmountedSGT W STEPHENS 4 LHR AIFvictory medal, sgt stephens 4 lh

The Defence Medal was instituted to provide recognition for specified periods of service in non-operational areas subjected to air attack or closely threatened. Eligibility The Defence Medal is awarded for six months service in a prescribed non-operational area subject to enemy air attack or closely threatened, in Australia and overseas, or for 12 months service in non-prescribed non-operational areas. Within Australia the area is the Northern Territory , north of 14 degrees 30 minutes south, and the Torres Strait Islands between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Overseas service includes the Middle East, east of the Suez Canal (less the period of the Syrian Campaign) or Malaya prior to the Japanese invasion on 8 December 1941. The Medal The Defence Medal is cupro-nickel, with the uncrowned effigy of King George VI on the obverse. The reverse has a conventional oak tree centrally, with a crown above, with two lions counter rampart as supporters between the dates 1939 and 1945. The base of the medal reverse has the words ‘THE DEFENCE MEDAL'. The Ribbon The Defence Medal ribbon is orange with green outer stripes, each green stripe having a black pin-stripe running down the centre. The green represents the Islands of the United Kingdom, the orange represents enemy attacks, and the black represents the black outs.Full size and miniature medals with ribbonsnildefence medal

Medal ribbon (only)

Medal ribbon (only)

Medal ribbon (only)

The France and Germany Star was granted for operational service on land in France, Belgium, Holland or Germany after the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944 until 8 May 1945, the date of the end of active hostilities in Europe. Eligibility This medal is awarded for operational service on land in France , Belgium , Holland or Germany between 6 June 1944 and 8 May 1945. The Medal The France and Germany Star is a six–pointed star of yellow copper zinc alloy. The obverse has a central design of the Royal and Imperial cypher, surmounted by a crown. The cypher is surrounded by a circlet containing the words ‘The France and Germany Star'. Stars issued to Australian personnel have recipient names engraved on the plain reverse. The Ribbon The France and Germany Star ribbon has stripes of red, white and blue that represent the colours of the Union Flag, France and the Netherlands. Clasps One clasp was issued for the France and Germany Star: Atlantic Regulations only allow one clasp to be worn with the Star. When the ribbon is worn alone a silver rosette ribbon emblem is worn to denote the award of a clasp to the medal.Full size medal. Ribbon not attachedNo recipient engraved