Kabul to Kandahar Star

Instituted 19th March 1881 and awarded to all who took part in General Roberts epic three hundred and ten mile march from Kabul to Kandahar, 3rd August to 31st August 1880.

Description; a bronze1 five pointed star, 62mm high by 48 mm wide. A crown is positioned between the upper points and a small ball between the others.

The Royal monogram VRI is at the centre, surrounded by a circlet bearing the inscription "KABUL TO KANDAHAR 1880".

The reverse has a central depression corresponding to the raised monogram area, and the reverse of the crown has a bracket like moulding to hold the suspension ring.

Naming: positioned around the central depression on the reverse - impressed in san serif capitals to British units. Indian units - engraved in capitals or script.2

Ribbon; 38 mm wide, with a graded rainbow pattern- red, white, yellow, white, blue.

Notes
1. The bronze used to manufacture the medal was from the guns taken from Ayub Khan at the battle of Kandahar.

1914 - 1920 Victory Medal

Issued 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 oak leaf 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 oak leaf is worn as a ribbon emblem.

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.

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.

1914 Star - AKA "The Mons Star"

Authorized in April 1917 for award to those that served with the British and Indian Expeditionary Forces in France or Belgium on the establishment of a unit between 5th August 1914 and midnight on 22/23 November 1914.

Naval personnel who served ashore were included.

A bar was announced in 1919 for those who had actually came under fire between the appropriate dates.

Personnel entitled to a 1914 or 1914-15 Star would automatically qualify for the British War Medal 1914 - 1920, and the Victory Medal 1914 -1919.


Description: A bronze four pointed star design, 62mm high, 44.5 mm wide. Obverse; the upper point is replaced with a crown and solid fixed suspension ring. Two crossed short swords are positioned between the arms of the star and a scroll bearing AUG 1914 NOV passes around the centre of the swords. The central area is surrounded by an oak wealth bearing a GV monogram at 6 o'clock. Reverse: plain apart for the recipients details.

Ribbon: red white and blue, shaded and watered.
Naming: impressed in sans- serif capitals

British War Medal 1914 - 1920

"The British War Medal 1914-1920, authorised in 1919, was awarded to eligible service personnel and civilians alike.

Qualification for the award varied slightly according to service. The basic requirement for army personnel and civilians was that they either entered a theatre of war, or rendered approved service overseas between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. Service in Russia in 1919 and 1920 also qualified for the award."


Description:A silver medal with mount and ribbon. The obverse features a bare head of King George V facing left; around, GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:; the artist's initials B.M. (Bertram MacKennal) are on the neck truncation.
The reverse depicts a naked figure of St. George on horseback advancing right trampling a shield bearing an eagle design and a scull and crossbone; above, the sun; in the background, the ocean; around, 1914 1918. The edge impressed in block capitals with the name of the soldier.

Dimensions: 36 mm (Diameter)

The Elizabeth Cross

Queen Elizabeth II has unveiled a new medal to honor the families of British service personnel killed while serving their country.

The Elizabeth Cross may be given to family members of service personnel who have died since 1948.

The Elizabeth Cross will be given to the next of kin of armed forces personnel killed on operations or as a result of terrorism "as a mark of national recognition for their loss," the Defense Ministry said.

It is the first time the name of a reigning monarch has been given to a new award since the queen's father, King George VI, instituted the George Cross in 1940. That medal recognizes acts of bravery of both civilians and military personnel.

"This seems to me a right and proper way of showing our enduring debt to those who are killed while actively protecting what is most dear to us all," the queen said in a message to the armed forces. "The solemn dignity which we attach to the names of those who have fallen is deeply ingrained in our national character. As a people, we accord this ultimate sacrifice the highest honor and respect."

The Elizabeth Cross is a sterling silver emblem in the shape of a cross over a wreath. In the center is the queen's monogram, EIIR, which stands for Elizabeth II Regina, or Queen Elizabeth II.

At each of the four tips of the cross are floral symbols: a rose for England, a thistle for Scotland, a shamrock for Northern Ireland, and a daffodil for Wales.

The reverse of the cross will be engraved with the name of the person who died. The name will also be written on a scroll signed by the queen, to be given to family members along with the medal, the Defense Ministry said.

Military Medal

Awarded for acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire

The Military Medal was (until 1993) a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land.

The medal was established on 25 March 1916.

It was the other ranks' equivalent to the Military Cross, which was awarded to commissioned officers and Warrant Officers (although WOs could also be awarded the MM), although it took precedence below that decoration as well as the Distinguished Conduct Medal, also awarded to non-commissioned members of the Army.

Recipients of the Military Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal letters "MM". In 1993, the Military Medal was discontinued, and since then the Military Cross has been awarded to personnel of all ranks.

Description
* A circular silver medal of 36 mm diameter. The obverse bears the effigy of the reigning monarch.
* The reverse has the inscription 'FOR BRAVERY IN THE FIELD' in four lines, surrounded by a laurel wreath, surmounted by the Royal Cypher and Imperial Crown
* The suspender is of an ornate scroll type.
* The ribbon is dark blue, 1.25 inches wide, with five equal centre stripes of white, red, white, red, and white (0.125 inches each).
* Silver, laurelled bars are authorised for subsequent awards.


There have been over 135,000 people awarded the Military Medal.

Victoria Cross (VC).

The premier award for gallantry, the VC may be awarded to all ranks of the services and civilians for gallantry in the presence of the enemy. It may be awarded posthumously.

Description: A cross pattée in bronze. The obverse of the medal (shown here) bears a lion statant gardant on the royal crown, with the words 'FOR VALOUR' on a semi-circular scroll. The reverse bears a circular panel inside which is engraved the date of the act for which the decoration was awarded. The reverse of the suspender is engraved with the rank, name and ship, regiment or squadron of the recipient. Clasp. A bronze bar ornamented with laurels may be issued to VC holders performing a further act of such bravery which would have merited award of the VC.

Ribbon. Plain crimson. Prior to 1918, a dark blue ribbon had been issued for the Royal Navy. When the ribbon alone is worn a replica of the cross in miniature is affixed to the centre of the ribbon.

History. Instituted by Queen Victoria to cover all actions since the outbreak of the Crimean War in 1854, the Victoria Cross has been awarded 1356 times and 3 bars have been awarded. The VC is made from the bronze of Russian guns captured at Sebastopol, though modern research suggests that Chinese guns may have been used at various times.