# Victory Medal (United Kingdom)
The Victory Medal (also called the Allied Victory Medal or Inter-Allied Victory Medal) is a British First World War campaign medal, authorized in September 1919, awarded to military and civilian personnel who served on the establishment of a unit in a theater of war between 5 [August 1914](https://www.edgepedia.org/august-1914) and 11 November 1918[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal) • [2](https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1991-06-22-2). It was one of five [British campaign medals](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-campaign-medals) for the war, alongside the 1914 Star, the 1914-15 Star, the [British War Medal](https://www.edgepedia.org/british-war-medal), and the Territorial Force War Medal[3](https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/cultural-collections/medals/collection/first-world-war-campaign-medals/).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Authorisation | Agreed by the Allies in March 1919; authorized in Britain on 1 September 1919[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal) |
| Qualifying service | Service on the establishment of a unit in a theater of war, 5 August 1914 to 11 November 1918[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal) |
| Who received it | All recipients of the 1914 or 1914-15 Stars, and most recipients of the British War Medal[2](https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1991-06-22-2) |
| Material and size | Lacquered bronze (copper), 36 mm in diameter[4](https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co68970/victory-medal-1914-1919) • [5](https://www.bugbrookelink.co.uk/WW1/Articles/ww1%20medals.pdf) |
| Designer | William McMillan; made by Wright & Son or the Royal Mint[4](https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co68970/victory-medal-1914-1919) |
| Numbers issued | About six million believed produced; a total of 5,725,000 is recorded as issued[2](https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1991-06-22-2) • [1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal) |
| Adoption abroad | The same basic design and double rainbow ribbon were adopted by thirteen other Allied nations[2](https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1991-06-22-2) |
## Origin among the Allies
Within months of the armistice of 11 November 1918, the idea of a victory medal shared by all the Allies was under discussion; an inter-allied committee met in March 1919, and representatives of the Allies at the Paris Council approved the issuance by each member nation of a medal commemorating the victory over the [Central Powers](https://www.edgepedia.org/central-powers)[6](https://www.omsa.org/the-british-victory-medal-1914-1919-part-i/) • [7](https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/medal-ribbons). After debate, the allies settled on the name Victory Medal, a name the Germans and their allies could not use[8](https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/unofficial-victory-medal-ribbon-1919).
The scheme was deliberately coordinated. Each ally issued its own bronze medal with a similar design, equivalent wording, and an identical ribbon, so that allied medals could be recognized without exchange; each medal was patterned after a French medal of 1870[9](https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5ac2e3a021ea6a0d20246248) • [1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal). Fourteen allies agreed on a common 'rainbow' ribbon, with most adopting a version of the winged Victory figure on the obverse[5](https://www.bugbrookelink.co.uk/WW1/Articles/ww1%20medals.pdf). Because the British basic design and double rainbow ribbon were adopted by thirteen other Allied nations, the British medal is often known as the Allied War Medal[2](https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1991-06-22-2).
Before the official medals were struck, a commercially sold unofficial victory ribbon was worn by soldiers in 1919; its design differed from the ribbon eventually adopted[8](https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/unofficial-victory-medal-ribbon-1919).
## Design
The medal was designed by the sculptor William McMillan and struck in lacquered bronze (copper) by Wright & Son or the [Royal Mint](https://www.edgepedia.org/royal-mint) at [Woolwich Arsenal](https://www.edgepedia.org/woolwich-arsenal)[4](https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co68970/victory-medal-1914-1919). The British issue is the standard 36 mm diameter, made in a yellow bronze alloy of copper and zinc and then lacquered[5](https://www.bugbrookelink.co.uk/WW1/Articles/ww1%20medals.pdf).
On the obverse, Victory appears frontally in full figure with wings, her left arm outstretched and a palm branch grasped in her right hand.[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal) On the back, the words THE GREAT / WAR FOR / CIVILISATION / 1914 - 1919 appear across four lines, each followed by a dot, and this text is enclosed within a wreath.[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal)
The watered ribbon is 1.5 inches wide and consists of nine colored stripes: violet, blue, green, yellow, red, yellow, green, blue, and violet[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal). For the first issue, the recipient's name, number, and rank were engraved on the rim[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal).
## Eligibility
The medal was awarded to all ranks of the fighting forces, to civilians under contract, and to others employed with military hospitals who actually served on the establishment of a unit in a theater of war between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918, inclusive[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal). Everyone who had previously qualified for the 1914 Star or the 1914-15 Star received it, as did the majority of recipients of the British War Medal[2](https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1991-06-22-2).
Award of the Victory Medal was never made on its own: it was always issued with the British War Medal[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal). Eligibility was later extended beyond the armistice to members of the British Naval mission to Russia in 1919 to 1920 and to mine clearance in the [North Sea](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-sea) between 11 November 1918 and 30 November 1919[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal).
## Bars and devices
Only one device was worn on the medal for the First World War: the multiple-leaved emblem denoting a Mention in Despatches. There were no other bars[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal).
## Scale of issue
The Victory Medal was among the most commonly awarded British medals of the First World War[3](https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/cultural-collections/medals/collection/first-world-war-campaign-medals/). About six million are believed to have been produced[2](https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1991-06-22-2), and the Canadian record gives a total of 5,725,000 issued, of which 351,289 went to the [Canadian Expeditionary Force](https://www.edgepedia.org/canadian-expeditionary-force)[1](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal).
Together with the 1914 or 1914-15 Star and the British War Medal, it formed the trio of medals that troops colloquially called Pip, Squeak and Wilfred, after cartoon characters in the [Daily Mirror](https://www.edgepedia.org/daily-mirror)[4](https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co68970/victory-medal-1914-1919).
## References
1. [Victory Medal (Inter-Allied War Medal), Veterans Affairs Canada](https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/medals-and-decorations/medals/victory-medal-inter-allied-war-medal)
2. [Allied Victory Medal 1914-19 awarded to Major J W Parkinson, National Army Museum](https://collection.nam.ac.uk/detail.php?acc=1991-06-22-2)
3. [First World War Campaign Medals, UK Parliament](https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/building/cultural-collections/medals/collection/first-world-war-campaign-medals/)
4. [Victory Medal, 1914-1919, Science Museum Group Collection](https://collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co68970/victory-medal-1914-1919)
5. [WW1 medals article, Bugbrooke Link](https://www.bugbrookelink.co.uk/WW1/Articles/ww1%20medals.pdf)
6. [The British Victory Medal, 1914-1919: Part I, Orders & Medals Society of America](https://www.omsa.org/the-british-victory-medal-1914-1919-part-i/)
7. [Medal ribbons, National Army Museum](https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/medal-ribbons)
8. [The unofficial Victory Medal ribbon of 1919, Australian War Memorial](https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/unofficial-victory-medal-ribbon-1919)
9. [The Allied Victory Medal, 1919, Victorian Collections](https://victoriancollections.net.au/items/5ac2e3a021ea6a0d20246248)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Conflict and security › Ranks, honours, and service traditions › Military awards and decorations › Campaign medals › British campaign medal series*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license