Summary

South African Victory Medal (Specimen) awarded for service in World War I.

The South African Victory Medal (with reverse legend in English and Afrikaans) was authorised in 1919 and was awarded to army, navy and air force personnel who served in a theatre of war between midnight 4th-5th August 1914 and midnight 11th-12th November 1918. The Allies resolved that, if they wished to issue a Victory Medal, it would share a common feature of a depiction of Victory on the obverse and a ribbon of red, yellow, green, blue and violet merged into a rainbow pattern. The other Allied countries that issued Victory medals were: Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Great Britain, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Thailand and the United States of America.

Physical Description

A bronze medal without ring mount for ribbon.

Obverse Description

A figure of Victory facing three-quarters right with wings spread; in her right hand she holds a palm branch, her left hand is extended and open. The artist's initials, W.McM. (W. McMillan) are above the ground line on the right.

Reverse Description

The words, THE GREAT . WAR FOR . CIVILISATION DE GROTE OORLOG VOOR DE BESCHAVING 1914 - 1919 within a circular wreath of laurel.

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