Mercantile Marine War Medal¹

Notes

• (Witness) Note for Web: Mercantile Marine War Medal and British War 1914-20 Medal, Allied Victory 1914-19 Medal, Territorial Force War, 1914-1919 Medal and Silver War Badge Medal were mentioned with 1914 Star Medal and 1914-15 Star Medal. There were five campaign medals available for individuals who saw service in the First World War. An individual, male or female, could be issued with a maximum of three of these medals, although there are a small number of exceptions to the rule.
  
  Service medals were issued automatically to other ranks, but officers or their next of kin had to apply for them. Medals were impressed with the name of the recipient and usually included some or all of the following: service number, rank, first name or initial, surname and military unit (Regiment or Corps). This was either on the rim of the medal or in the case of a star, on the reverse.
  
  In addition to the five campaign medals a badge was available to officers and men who had been honourably discharged or had retired as a result of sickness or wounds from war service.
  
  British Campaign Medal Sets
  The 1914 Star
  The 1914-15 Star
  The British War Medal, 1914-18
  The Allied Victory Medal
  The Territorial Force War Medal, 1914-1919
  The Silver War Badge
  Mercantile Marine War Medal.¹
• Note for Web*: Mercantile Marine War Medal The medal was established in 1919.
  
  The Board of Trade awarded this campaign medal, the Mercantile Marine War Medal, to people who had served in the Merchant Navy and who had made a voyage through a war zone or danger zone during the 1914-1918 war.
  
  It was a circular bronze medal. It was 1.42 inches in diameter. On the obverse (front) there was an effigy of King George V facing to the left with the words GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:.
  
  The reverse of the medal has a laurel wreath around the rim with an image of a merchant ship on a stormy sea with an enemy submarine and an old sailing ship to the right of the merchant ship. The inscription on this side of the medal is FOR WAR SERVICE/MERCANTILE MARINE 1914-1918.
  Reverse of the Mercantile Marine War Medal.
  
  The ribbon (1.25 inches wide) is green on the left and red on the right with a thin white line in the centre between the two. The green and red colours of the ribbon represent the starboard and port running lights of a ship with the centre white colour being representative of the masthead steaming light.
  
  133,135 Mercantile Marine War Medals were awarded..¹