MEDALS AND DECORATIONS

these may be divided into two classes, personal and service. personal dec- orations are awarded to the individual (victoria cross, etc.); service decorations are awarded to all persons who partici- pate in a common service (war medals, etc.). as a result of the world war the issue of medals and decorations was the widest ever recorded, and, of these, the best known is the victory medal. in 1918 the allies agreed to issue a col- lective and distinctive medal to commem- orate the war. the advantages of this were that it was symbolical of the one purpose which animated the allied troops, and that it obviated the separate issue by each nation of its own war medal to allied fic. 1.—allied victory medal. forces which had served with them in their own territories. each country designed its own medal, the stereotyped features being that each medal is bronze and has on the obverse the figure of victory, and on the reverse the inscription “‘ the great 848 war for civilisation.” the ribbon is coloured in the form of two rainbows joined together, symbolising the calm after the storm. the following are some of the chief decorations and medals issued since 1910:— belgium.—service. war medal, bronze, shaped like a bell or a label. ribbon, yellow, red edges with inner separation line of black. me medal. obverse, figure of victory; reverse, arms of the ies, fra nce.—fpersonai. croix de guerre. established 1915. bronze cross with crossed swords in angles. ribbon, green, seven narrow red stripes. service. war medal. bronze. ribbon, red and white stripes. clasp, “‘ engage volontaire "' to non-conscripts. vic- oy oe obverse, figure of victory; reverse, inscription (see above). great britain.—since 1910 the following have been issued: personal, distinguished service medal (navy), 1914. ribbon, blue, two white bars in centre. military cross (army), 1914. ribbon, white, central purple stripe. military medal (army), 1916. rib- bon, dark blue, in centre two crimson and three white alternate stripes. distinguished flying cross, 1918. (royal air force). ribbon, violet and white broad diagonal stripes. distinguished flying medal, 1918. (r.a.f.). ribbon, violet and white narrow diagonal stripes. (the above two decorations are for active flyin against the enemy.) air force cross, 1918. (r.a.f. and avlene) ribbon, red and white broad diagonal stripes. air force medal, 1918. (r.a.f. and civilians.) ribbon, red and white narrow diagonal stripes. (the above two decorations are for distinguished service to aviation in actual flying.) recognition medal. silver and bronze medals were issued to allies who had rendered service to british prisoners of war and others behind the enemy lines. ribbon, yellow; red, white and black edges, blue central stripe. service. naval general service medal, 1915. ribbon, white, crimson borders and two crimson ah ie in centre. african general service medal. new issue 1916. ribbon, black, green and yellow (never seen with- out aclasp). 1914 star. bright bronze. ribbon, red, white and blue, shaded and watered. clasp, “ 5th aug.—22nd nov. 19g14.”’ 1914-5 star. similar to above, same ribbon, no clasp. war medal, 1919. ribbon, orange, narrow stripes of white, black and blue at each edge. clasps sanctioned for navy, but not for army. victory medal. obverse, figure of victory; reverse, inscription (see above). oak leaf on ribbon for one or more mentions in despatches. mercan- tile marine war medal. bronze. ribbon, green and red, separated by narrow white central stripe. territorial war medal. bright bronze. ribbon, yellow, two green stripes. special constabulary long service medal. bright bronze. ribbon, red, white and black. clasp, ‘‘ the great war, 1914-1918." general service medal (post www an ribbon, purple, with green central stripe; clasps for service in persia, ‘iraq and kurdistan. italy.—service. war medal. bronze. eighteen stripes of red, white and green. clasps bearing date of each year. victory. con- forms to standard specification. a n.—service. victory medal. obverse, a japanese figure of victory. rumania.—service. war medal. cross in black bronze, re- lieved in bright bronze. ribbon, green with three blue stripes. vic- tory medal. conforms to specification. united states.—personal. distinguished service cross, army, 1918. ribbon, blue; red and white edges. distinguished service medal, army, 1918. ribbon, white; red edges, narrow blue separation line. distinguished service medal, navy. ribbon, blue, narrow yellow central stripe. navy cross. ribbon, blue, narrow white central stripe. service. victory medal. bright bronze. ob- verse, figure of victory; reverse, design with shield and fasces and names of allies. battle clasps are awarded. the only service medal issued by the united states to commemorate service in the world war. (a. v. w.-h.)