British War Medal 1914-20
Obverse: coinage head of George V with legend reading 'GEORGIUS V BRITT. OMN: REX ET IND IMP. ('George V King of all the Britains and Emperor of India')
Reverse: shows St George on horseback, the horse in the process of trampling on the shield of the central powers. At the foot is a skull and crossbones with a rising sun above. Around the edge are the dates 1914 and 1918. Struck in silver for European and Empire recipients, it was also struck in bronze for native troops.
Personal details engraved on the rim
The naming is on the rim in impressed capitals: '1475 A BMBR FHJ HALL RA'. A BMBR signifies Acting Bombardier. Bombardier was the Artillery equivalent to the rank of Corporal in the infantry, so Fred had been promoted. Note also that Fred is now shown as serving in the plain Royal Artillery; RFA, RHA or RGA (Royal Garrison Artillery, the unit that fired the heavy guns and howitzers) is not differentiated on the medal. His number, 1475, has remained the same; soldiers could change their number so many times during the war that it was decided to use the number allocated when the soldier first entered a theatre of war.
Lack of clasps
Originally the idea was to award clasps to commemorate participation in different battles, but this was dropped on account of the huge potential expense (68 clasps were suggested for the Royal Navy, and 79 for the Army).
The ribbon
The ribbon is 32mm wide and is described as a broad orange watered band down the centre bordered with white, black and blue stripes. 'Watered' refers to colours which appear to run into each other.
Who received it?
All those who served anywhere overseas between 1914 and 1920 (Service in Russia after the 11 November 1918 armistice and mine clearance in the North Sea also qualified.)
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