Skip to main content

Meritorious Service Medal: CM.1326-2009

An image of Meritorious Service Medal

Terms of use

These images are provided for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons License (BY-NC-ND). To license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who will discuss fees, terms and waivers.

Download this image

Creative commons explained - what it means, how you can use our's and other people's content.

Alternative views

Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Ruler: George V (1910-36)
State: United Kingdom
Ruler: Georgivs V Britt: omn: rex et Ind: imp: (With the title of)
Mint: Calcutta

Entities

Categories

Description

The creation of the Royal Air Force in 1918 by the amalgamation of the Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service necessitated the creation of new awards for the new service. For meritorious service the design of the Army's parallel award was adopted unchanged but with a new ribbon and suspender. The issue of this medal in the RAF was discontinued in 1928 in favour of awards of the British Empire Medal, but was resumed in 1977; it is still on current issue.
This medal was awarded to Air Mechanic 3rd Class S. Prince of the Royal Air Force. The lack of a specified unit suggests that this award was made early in the Force's history, probably for action in the Great War of 1914-1918. Lester Watson acquired the medal at some point before 1928.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, acquired before 1928

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.5 mm
Weight: 36.01 g

Place(s) associated

  • Calcutta

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester

Dating

1918 - 1928

Materials used in production

Silver

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Bust of George facing left

  • Text: GEORGIVS V BRITT. OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Inscription in centre, crown above and laurel wreath around

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1326-2009
Primary reference Number: 141420
Watson Catalogue: 232
Ordering: M-0209
Previous object number: LW.0209
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 15 January 2024 Last processed: Monday 15 January 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Coins and Medals

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Meritorious Service Medal" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141420 Accessed: 2024-11-05 21:11:20

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141420 |title=Meritorious Service Medal |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-05 21:11:20|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

API call for this record

To call these data via our API (remember this needs to be authenticated) you can use this code snippet:

https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/api/v1/objects/object-141420

Bootstrap HTML code for reuse

To use this as a simple code embed, copy this string:

<div class="text-center">
    <figure class="figure">
        <img src="https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0209_281_29.jpg"
        alt="Meritorious Service Medal"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">Meritorious Service Medal</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>
    

Sign up for updates

Updates about future exhibitions and displays, family activities, virtual events & news. You'll be the first to know...