James Beashel enlisted for the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on 1 June 1917. He served with the 33rd Battalion and was marched out to the front in France in February 1918. In that year the 33rd Battalion engaged in a number of significant battles as the Germans launched their ‘Spring Offensive’ – a final push for victory following the revolution and collapse of the Russian army in late 1917. Some of the notable engagements include the Battle of Mont St Quentin, the Battle of Amiens and the Battle of Villers Bretonneux. Beashel was not the most disciplined of soldiers throughout his time with the AIF. He was regularly disciplined for offences such as neglecting to obey orders, drunkenness, going AWOL and missing marching parades. He was discharged from the AIF at the conclusion of the First World War and returned home to New South Wales. Later in life he relocated to Victoria and died in 1965. For his service he received the Victory Medal, the British War Medal 1914-20, and the 1914-15 Star. The 1914-15 Star was awarded to those who served with the British and Imperial Forces between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915 The British War Medal 1914-20 was instituted by King George V in 1919 to mark the end of the First World War. It was awarded to members of British and Imperial forces who had served for a prescribed period during the course of the war, or who had died in active service. The Victory Medal was awarded to those who served with the armed forces of the British and Imperial Forces or with certain voluntary organisations between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918.This item is historically significant as it represents the service of an Australian in one of the most significant events of the twentieth century, and indeed in human history. 416,809 Australians enlisted for service, of which more than 60,000 were killed and more than 150,000 were wounded, gassed, or taken prisoner. The First World War remains a significant event in Australia's history. The landings at Gallipoli on April 25, 1915 is remembered as ANZAC Day, and is still commemorated to this day, over 100 years later.Four medals. One is a bronze four-pointed star medallion, ensigned with a crown. The obverse has two crossed swords overlaid with a wreath and a scroll that reads '1914-15'. Below is the royal cypher of King George V - GV. The ribbon is a thick white band flanked by a thinner blue band on one side and a red band on the other. Two of the medals are the same. Silver, circular medallions. The profile of King George V is impressed on the obverse, along with the words 'GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:' The reverse has an impression of St George on horseback, along with '1914' and '1918'. The ribbon is a thick orange band, flanked on both sides by thinner blue, black and white bands. One is a circular, bronze medallion, impressed on the obverse with a winged, female figure holding a palm branch in her right hand. The reverse reads 'THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILISATION 1914 - 1919', surrounded by a laurel wreath. The ribbon is rainbow coloured.Medal 1: Obverse: 1914-15 / Medals 2 and 4: Obverse: GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP: / Reverse: 1914 1918 / Medal 3: Reverse: THE GREAT / WAR FOR / CIVILISATION / 1914 - 1919 /medal, commemorative medals, military, first world war, world war one, world war i, world war 1, wwi, ww1

The Victory Medal (also called the Allied Victory Medal) is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA. The medal was issued to all those who received the 1914 Star or the 1914-15 Star, and to most of those who were awarded the British War Medal - it was never awarded singly. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.The Holgate medals were the first war medals held by BCC archives. They have historical and social significance for the College.The Victory Medal is a 36mm diameter circular copper medal, lacquered in bronze. The obverse shows the winged, full-length, full-front, figure of Victory, with her left arm extended and holding a palm branch in her right hand. The reverse has the words ‘THE GREAT / WAR FOR / CIVILISATION / 1914-1919' in four lines, all surrounded by a laurel wreath. The 39mm wide 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.The reverse has the words ‘THE GREAT / WAR FOR / CIVILISATION / 1914-1919' in four linesworld war one, ballarat college, victory medal, w w 1, e s holgate, allied victory medal

The Victory Medal (also called the Allied Victory Medal) is a campaign medal - of which the basic design and ribbon was adopted by Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Siam, Union of South Africa and the USA. This medal was never awarded singly. It ia accompanied by the ribbon of the British War Medal but this medal is not held in the School archiveThe medal is of historical and social significance for the College. The Holgate medals were the first WW1 medals held by the school archive.The Victory Medal is a 36mm diameter circular copper medal, lacquered in bronze. The obverse shows the winged, full-length, full-front, figure of Victory, with her left arm extended and holding a palm branch in her right hand. The reverse has the words ‘THE GREAT / WAR FOR / CIVILISATION / 1914-1919' in four lines, all surrounded by a laurel wreath. The 39mm wide 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. The reverse has the words ‘THE GREAT / WAR FOR / CIVILISATION / 1914-1919' in four lines Inscribed around outer edge of medal: '4303 A-CPL. H. S. HOLGATE 29 BN A.I.F.'world war one, ballarat college, victory medal, w w 1, allied victory medal, h s holgate

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