Territorial War Medal

Territorial War Medal
Type	Campaign medal
Description	Bronze disk, 36mm diameter.
Country	United Kingdom
Eligibility	British forces
Campaign(s)	First World War
Clasps	None
Established	April 1920
Ribbon bar
Precedence
Next (higher)	Victory Medal (United Kingdom) Victory Medal (South Africa)
Next (lower)	Mercantile Marine War Medal

The Territorial Force War Medal was a campaign medal awarded to members of the British Territorial Force and Territorial Force Nursing Services who served overseas in World War I; it is the rarest of the five British Great War medals.

The medal was established in April 1920 for award to members of the Territorial Force and Territorial Force Nursing Services who volunteered for service overseas on or before 30 September 1914, and served overseas. They had to:

• have been serving with the force on 4 August 1914 or
• have completed four years service with the force before 4 August 1914 and rejoined the force on or before 30 September 1914

In addition provided they:

• Undertook, either verbally or by written agreement on or before 30 September 1914 to serve outside the United Kingdom, such agreement being operative after 4 August 1914, and
• Have served outside the United Kingdom between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918 (both dates inclusive; the last date was in 1918 though the years on the reverse said 1914-19) and
• Did not qualify for the 1914 Star or 1914-15 Star

Description

• The medal is a circular bronze design of 36mm (1.42 in) diameter, with a straight bar suspender. The obverse shows a King George V bareheaded effigy, facing left, with the legend: GEORGIVS V BRITT : OMN : REX ET IND : IMP :
• The reverse has a wreath with in centre FOR / VOLUNTARY / SERVICE / OVERSEAS / 1914-19, and around the upper outer edge TERRITORIAL WAR MEDAL
• The ribbon is yellow with two green stripes, 32 mm (1.25 in) wide.

See also

• British campaign medals
• Lists of abbreviations used on Commonwealth World War I medals
• Territorial Force Imperial Service Badge

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

• Northeast Medals website (with image)
• Worcestershire medal Service Ltd website (with image)
• Medals UK website (with image)
• Search over 5 million campaign medal cards on The UK National Archives' website.