- 1914 Star
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1914 Star 
Obverse of the medal and ribbonAwarded by United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Type Campaign medal Eligibility British forces. Awarded for Campaign service. Campaign France and Belgium 1914. Description Bronze four-pointed star. Clasps 5th Aug.-22nd Nov. 1914 Statistics Established April 1917 Total awarded 378,000 Related 1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Territorial Force War MedalThe 1914 Star (colloquially known as the Mons Star) was a British Empire campaign medal for service in World War I.
The 1914 Star was approved in 1917, for issue to officers and men of British forces who served in France or Belgium between 5 August and midnight 22/23 November 1914. The former date is the day after Britain's declaration of war against the Central Powers, and the closing date marks the end of the First Battle of Ypres.
The majority of recipients were officers and men of the pre-war British army, specifically the British Expeditionary Force (the Old Contemptibles), who landed in France soon after the outbreak of the War and who took part in the Retreat from Mons (hence the nickname 'Mons Star'). 365,622 were awarded in total.[1] Recipients of this medal also received the British War Medal and Victory Medal. These three medals were sometimes irreverently referred to as Pip, Squeak and Wilfred.[2][3]
A very similar medal, the 1914-15 Star, was also issued, but no person could receive both awards.
Alfred Anderson was the last known living recipient of the medal.
Description
- The medal is a four pointed star of bright bronze, ensigned with a crown, with a height of 50mm, and a maximum width of 45mm.
- The obverse has two crossed gladii (swords) with blades upwards and a wreath of oak leaves, with the Royal Cypher of King George V at foot and central 'S'-shaped scroll inscribed AUG 1914 NOV.
- The reverse is plain and displays the recipient's number, rank, name and unit.
- The ribbon has the red white and blue colours of the French Tri-coloure, in shaded and watered stripes.
Clasp
- 5th Aug.-22nd Nov. 1914
- Often referred to as Clasp and Roses. Instituted in 1919 (Army Order Number 361 published 16 October 1919) and awarded to those who had operated within range of enemy mobile artillery during the above period.[4] When the ribbon bar was worn alone, recipients of the clasp to the medal wore a small silver rosette on the ribbon bar.
See also
- 1914-15 Star
- World War One - Medal Abbreviations
- Australian campaign medals
- New Zealand campaign medals
Notes
- ^ British Battles and Medals, p236
- ^ "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred". First World War.com. http://www.firstworldwar.com/atoz/pipsqueakwilfred.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ "Pip, Squeak and Wilfred". The Long, Long Trail. Archived from the original on 2008-02-27. http://web.archive.org/web/20080227010804/http://www.1914-1918.net/pipsqueak.htm. Retrieved 2008-06-26.
- ^ The number of medals issued with this bronze clasp is unknown.
Bibliography
- Mackay, J and Mussel, J (eds) - Medals Yearbook - 2006, (2005), Token Publishing.
- Joslin, Litherland, and Simpkin (eds), British Battles and Medals, (1988), Spink
External links
- "Information relating to the 1914 Star". www.royaldublinfusiliers.com. http://www.royaldublinfusiliers.com/medals/1914Star.html.
- Search over 5 million campaign medal cards on The UK National Archives' website.
- "The King's Own Royal Regiment Museum, (Lancaster), 1914 Star". www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com. http://www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com/medalsh.htm.
- "Award Productions - 1914 Star Full Size Medal". www.awardmedals.com. http://www.awardmedals.com/1914-star-full-size-medal-p-453.html?cPath=104_110.
19th Century 
Army Gold Cross (1810) • Army Gold Medal (1810) • Waterloo Medal (1815) • 
Ghuznee Medal (1839) • 
Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal (1842) • Jellalabad Medals (1842) • Medal for the Defence of Kelat-I-Ghilzie (1842) • 
First China War Medal (1842) • Scinde Medal (1843) • Gwalior Star (1843) • 
Sutlej Medal (1846) • 
Naval General Service Medal (1847) • 
Military General Service Medal (1847) • 
Punjab Medal (1849) • 
Army of India Medal (1851) • 
India General Service Medal (1854) • 
South Africa Medal (1854) • 
Crimean War Medal (1854) • 
Baltic Medal (1856) • 
Indian Mutiny Medal (1858) • 
Second China War Medal (1861) • 
New Zealand Medal (1869) • 
Abyssinian War Medal (1869) • 
Canada General Service Medal (1866-70) • 
Ashantee Medal (1873-74) • 
South Africa Medal (1877-79) • 
Afghanistan Medal (1878-80) • Kabul to Kandahar Star (1880) • 
Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal (1880-97) • 
Egypt Medal (1882-89) • 
North West Canada Medal (1885) • _
British South Africa Company Medal (1890-97) East and West Africa Medal (1892) • 
India Medal (1896) • 
Ashanti Star (1896) • 
Queen's Sudan Medal (1899) • 
East and Central Africa Medal (1899) • 
Queen's South Africa Medal (1899) • Queen's Mediterranean Medal (1899)Pre World War 1 
China War Medal (1900) • 
Ashanti Medal (1901) • 
King's South Africa Medal (1902) • 
Africa General Service Medal (1902) • 
Transport Medal (1902) (for South Africa or China) • 
Tibet Medal (1905) • 
India General Service Medal (1909)World War 1 
1914 Star • 1914-15 Star • 
British War Medal • 
Victory Medal • 
Territorial Force War Medal • 
Mercantile Marine War MedalInter World War World War 2 _
_ 
1939-1945 Star • _
Atlantic Star • 
Air Crew Europe Star • __ 
Africa Star • _
Pacific Star • 
Burma Star • 
Italy Star • 
France and Germany Star • _
Defence Medal • 
War Medal 1939–1945Post World War 
Korea Medal (1951) • 
General Service Medal (1962) • 
Rhodesia Medal (1980) • 
South Atlantic Medal (1982) • 
Gulf Medal (1992) 
Accumulated Campaign Service Medal (1994)21st Century 
OSM for Sierra Leone (2000) • 
OSM for Afghanistan (2002) • 
OSM for Democratic Republic of Congo (2003) • 
Iraq Medal (2004) _
Iraq Reconstruction Service Medal (2004) • 
Accumulated Campaign Service Medal (2011)
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