Royal Garrison Artillery
with copy of British Army WW1 Medal Roll Index Card
The Royal Garrison Artillery was formed in 1899 as a distinct arm of the Royal Regiment of Artillery serving alongside the other two arms of the Regiment, the Royal Field Artillery and the Royal Horse Artillery.
British War Medal, 1914-1920. Circular silver medal with claw and ribbon bar suspension; the face with the head of King George V facing left, circumscribed ‘GEORGIVS V BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND : IMP:’ (George V King of Great Britain and Emperor of India), signed ‘BM’ (for Sir Bertram Mackennal, 1863-1931) on the base of the neck; the reverse with St. George on horseback, reins in his left hand, a sword in his right, trampling a shield bearing an eagle with wings outstretched and a skull and crossbones, wavy lines denoting the sea beyond, a radiant rising sun upper right, dated ‘1914’ and ‘1918’ upper left and right respectively, signed ‘W McM’ (for William McMillan, 1887-1977 who also designed the British Inter-Allied Victory Medal); engraved on the edge 145587 GNR. W.Semple R.A
The medal was instituted in 1919 and awarded to members of the British and Imperial forces who had served between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. Officers and men of the Royal Navy, the Royal Marines, and Dominion and Colonial naval forces were required to have completed 28 days mobilised service, though this was waived if active service had been terminated by death.
