Historical information

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.

Significance

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

Physical description

Full size medal with ribbon, unmounted

Inscriptions & markings

SGT W STEPHENS 4 LHR AIF