Summary

Victory Medal 1914-1919 with ring mount and ribbon awarded to W.O. 2 William Edward Green, service number 12, who first served in the 1st Light Horse Brigade, A.I.F., during World War I and later worked at Australian Headquarters.

Warrant Officer Green was born in Marong, near Bendigo, Victoria. He was a clerk when he joined on 18 August 1914, aged 21 years and 1 month. In May 1915 Green was serving in Gallipoli. He suffered from diarrhoea and was hospitalised in Alexandria before rejoining his unit in Gallipoli in November 1915. Corporal Green was in Egypt 1916-18 before being promoted to Staff Sargeant in March 1916. He was again promoted to Warrant Officer Class 2 in May 1918. Green was also involved with the Postal corps and Anzac Mounted Division HQ. He was awarded a Meritorious Service Medal and was mentioned in dispatches by General Sir A. Murray in 28 June 1917 (published in Gazette 30391, London 20 Nov 1917) for work in Australian Headquarters. Warrant Officer Green was discharged on 2 May 1919.

The Victory Medal 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. This medal, that of Great Britain, was awarded to personnel from countries in the British Empire (some 5,725,000 were issued). The other Allied countries that issued Victory medals were: Belgium, Brazil, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, France, Greece, Italy, Japan, Portugal, Romania, Thailand, Union of South Africa and the United States of America.

Obverse Description

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 1914-1919' within a circular wreath of laurel.

Edge Description

Text; '12 ER - W.O.2 W.E. GREEN. 1 L.H.B. H.Q. A.I.F.'.

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