Summary

Victory Medal 1914-1919 with ring mount and ribbon awarded to Sjt. P.E. Kelsey, service number 384, 5th Battalion, A.I.F. for service in World War I.

Corporal Kelsey was born in Armadale, Victoira. He was a clerk before he joined on 15 August 1914 aged 25 years and 8 months. Kelsey embarked from Melbourne on 21 October 1914 on HMAT Orvieto. He was wounded in Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 and suffered from pyrexia and dysentery in August 1915. Kelsey was never sent to France due to his heart irregularity and stayed in England as a pay sergeant, Sergeant Kelsey was discharged on 26 February 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; '384 ER - SJT. P.E. KELSEY. 5 BN. A.I.F.'.

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