Item number: M309

Year: AD 1918-1934

Material: Silver

Size: 60.0 x 17.6 x 1.6 mm

Weight: 8.85 g

Provenance: Dixons Medals 2024

This medal was issued under Army Order No. 3 of AD 1923 to recognise service personnel stationed outside the frontiers of India as well as in regions outside East Africa, West Africa, and Central Africa. In addition to the Army and Air Force, local forces, including the police and the Indian military before AD 1947, were also eligible to receive this medal. Its value is comparable to the Naval General Service Medal issued from AD 1915 to AD 1962, and both were ultimately superseded by the General Service Medal of AD 1962.

The medal is circular in shape, featuring a straight bar with ornate vine patterns, which connects to a ribbon. The ribbon is purple on both sides with a green centre. The medal’s ribbon carries five clasps, listed from top to bottom: “Kurdistan,” “N.W. Persia,” “S. Persia,” “Southern Desert Iraq,” and “Iraq.”

The clasps on this medal represent different campaigns and military operations across various time periods, likely assembled by a collector. These regions correspond to the post-World War I British efforts in Iraq and Persia (Iran), focusing on peacekeeping and pacification missions carried out to maintain order and consolidate influence in the area.

Issued between AD 1918 and AD 1962, the General Service Medal was accompanied by various clasps based on service location and operation, with a total of 18 different clasps:

The obverse of the medal features a left-facing effigy of King George V, with the Latin inscription “GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:” around the edge, which translates to “George V: King of all the British Isles and Emperor of India” in English. Compared to the General Service Medal of the second type issued between AD 1934 and AD 1936, this effigy is simpler, depicting the king without a crown and royal robes, and the inscribed text differs slightly. The differences are summarised in the following table:

The reverse side of the medal features a winged Victor wearing a Corinthian helmet and holding a trident. The victor is depicted standing, placing a laurel wreath on a sword representing the army and wings symbolising the air force. At the Victor’s feet, the initials ” EC^RP ” are inscribed, denoting the designer Edward Carter Preston.

物件編號: M309

年代: 公元 1918-1934 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 60.0 x 17.6 x 1.6 mm

重量: 8.85 g

來源: 迪生獎章 2024

這枚獎章根據公元1923年第三號陸軍令所發行，以表彰在印度邊境以及東非、西非和中非地區以外的服役人員。除了陸軍與空軍外，包括警察在內的地方部隊，以及公元1947年前的印度軍隊也可以獲得該獎章。其價值等同於公元1915年到公元1962年發行的海軍一般服務獎章，最終皆被公元1962年的一般服務獎章取代。

獎章外觀為圓形，以帶有點壯與藤蔓花紋的直桿懸掛銜接綬帶。綬帶配色兩側為紫色中間為綠色。綬帶從上而下，分別掛著五種銘牌：「庫德斯坦」、「西北波斯」、「南波斯」、「伊拉克南部沙漠」和「伊拉克」。

這枚獎章的銘牌涉及不同時間的戰役和軍種，為收藏家自行拼湊而成。這些銘牌牽涉的地區，大抵是第一次世界大戰結束之後，英國於伊拉克和伊朗地區的治安和綏靖任務。

在公元1918年到公元1962年發行的一般服務獎章皆附有銘牌，而且依據不同服役地點與項目製作了18個銘牌，分別為:

獎章正面是喬治五世左側肖像，邊緣鐫刻一圈拉丁銘文「GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP: 」；中文則為「喬治五世：不列顛群島的國王和印度的皇帝」。相較於公元1934年到公元1936年發行的喬治五世第二型的一般服務獎章，肖像樣式更為簡單，沒有配戴皇冠與皇袍，鐫刻的文字也略有不同，將差異處整理為下表：

獎章背面的圖案為戴著科林斯式的頭盔、手持三叉戟擁有雙翅的勝利者，以站立的姿勢為身旁代表陸軍的劍和象徵空軍的翅膀戴上桂冠。