Item number: M128-2

Year: AD 1927-1964

Material: Plaster

Size: 109.3 x 109.3 x 18.7 mm

Weight: 220.65 g

Provenance: Spink 2022

This is the plaster “Noble Order of Jemima,” designed based on the mascot of the 11th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own), which Private P. Tudor received at a veterans’ gathering after the First World War. This global conflict, which began in AD 1914 and involved nearly 65 million people, not only impacted humans but also affected countless creatures such as horses, dogs, pigeons, and cats. Jemima, the cat adopted by the 11th Battalion on the battlefield of the Somme River, was one of those animals involved in the war.

The medal features a smiling Jemima with raised eyebrows, showing her fangs, surrounded by a background of wavy patterns. Above Jemima are two lines of text, with the top line being the abbreviation for “11th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade (Prince Consort’s Own).” The next line, “O.C.A,” stands for the location of the veterans’ gathering at “Ye Olde Cock Tavern.” Below Jemima’s collar, the medal is engraved with the name “Noble Order of Jemima,” chosen by veterans for this medal. This Jemima medal, with a diameter of 10.9 cm, has two suspensions on the upper edge to connect with a woven green and black chord.

The intense trench warfare of the First World War not only exposed soldiers to the threat of machine gun fire as they crossed the no-man’s land but also subjected them to the harsh conditions within the trenches. The unsanitary environment allowed rodents, carriers of diseases, to thrive freely. Cats thus became important companions and sources of comfort for soldiers in the trenches.

According to the account of a granddaughter of one of the officers from the 11th Battalion, Billy William, in AD 1916, her grandfather and his comrades discovered a wet kitten on the battlefield of the Somme River. This kitten, named Jemima, joined the battalion and accompanied them to various locations until the end of the war, helping the troops eliminate many rats and pests along the way.

After returning home, since AD 1927 these veterans would gather annually at the “Ye Olde Cock Tavern” in London, a historic pub located on Fleet Street that once hosted the renowned author Charles Dickens, to hold commemorative meetings. Each veteran was presented with a Noble Order of Jemima medal, and they even composed a song dedicated to Jemima, their furry companion who had accompanied them through the tumultuous years of war.

物件編號: M128-2

年代: 公元 1927-1964 年

材質: 石膏

尺寸: 109.3 x 109.3 x 18.7 mm

重量: 220.65 g

來源: 斯賓克拍賣行 2022

這是第一次世界大戰時，服役於英軍阿爾伯特親王步槍旅第11營的二等兵P. Tudor，於戰後老兵集會上得到的，以部隊吉祥物設計的石膏製「潔米瑪尊貴勳章」。這場公元1914年起，近乎6500萬人參戰的全球性衝突，不僅單單影響人類，諸如：馬、狗、鴿子和貓等數以萬計的生靈也被捲入其中，這一隻在索姆河戰場上被第11營收養的小貓「潔米瑪」正是其中一員。

獎章的正中央刻著眉開眼笑，張口露出一對虎牙的潔米瑪，在牠周圍的背景刻有波浪狀紋飾。潔米瑪的上方有兩行字，最上方是「阿爾伯特親王步槍旅第11營」縮寫。下一行「O.C.A」為主辦老兵集會地點的「老公雞酒館」縮寫。潔米瑪下方的領結處，則刻上老兵替這枚獎章取的名字「潔米瑪尊貴勳章」。這枚直徑達到10.9公分的潔米瑪勳章上側邊緣，設有兩個懸掛以銜接綠色和黑色編織弦。

第一次世界大戰慘烈的塹壕戰，不僅使雙方士兵在橫跨中間的無人地帶時，面臨到機關槍的死亡威脅。即便是待在塹壕裡，惡劣的環境也使得老鼠這種攜帶病毒的宿主隨意孳生，貓咪便就成為士兵們在戰壕中的重要夥伴和心靈慰藉。根據第11營其中一名軍官Billy William孫女的轉述，公元1916年，她的爺爺跟同袍在索姆河戰場上發現一隻濕漉漉的小貓，這隻被命名為潔米瑪的小貓就此跟部隊一起轉戰各地，直到戰爭結束替部隊消滅不少老鼠等害蟲。

歸國以後，自公元1927年起這些老兵每年都會定期在倫敦的「老公雞酒館」，這間坐落於弗利特街曾招待過文豪狄更斯的小酒館舉辦紀念集會。每位老兵都得以獲贈一枚潔米瑪尊貴勳章，他們甚至幫潔米瑪寫了一首歌，以紀念這位陪他們走過烽火歲月的毛茸茸戰友。