Skip to main content

General Service Medal (1918-62): CM.1340-2009

An image of General Service Medal (1918-62)
View image details

Terms of use

The low-resolution images published on this Website are made available under a Creative Commons Attribution licence (CC BY-NC-ND). For more details: Fitzwilliam Terms of Use

This licence does not include any images of works that are still in copyright. Artistic copyright extends from the life of the artist to 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the artist died.

Download this image

For further information on use of images or to license a high resolution version, please contact our image library who can discuss terms and fees.

Alternative views

An image of General Service Medal (1918-62)
Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Ruler: George V (1910-36)
Artist: Preston, Carter
Ruler: Georgivs V Britt: omn: rex et Ind: imp: (With the title of)

Entities

Categories

Description

In 1915 the variety of likely engagements that British forces would face in the future had led to the creation of a new Naval General Service Medal. In 1918 the Army and Royal Air Force jointly instituted a partner medal for their own members, the General Service Medal, which was to be awarded for services anywhere but on the frontiers of India and in East, West and Central Africa.
The first campaign for which the medal was awarded was an attempt, from 1918 to 1919, to establish a British Protectorate in Southern Persia, that country (modern-day Iran) having been occupied by and divided between Britain and Russia during the Great War of 1914-1918 although it remained technically sovereign until this time. The Soviet Union as it had become withdrew from its sphere in Persia in 1921, but in that year a military coup took place under Reza Khan, who would become the first Shah of Persia, and this ended British power in the country also.
This medal was awarded to Lascar Maduraimuthu of the 10th Indian Division for participation in the 1918-19 campaign. Lester Watson purchased his medal from the London dealers Baldwin in 1933.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Baldwin 1933

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.2 mm
Weight: 43.02 g

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

Production date: AD 1923

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: Britannia with trident standing centre and placing wreath on hilt of winged sword left

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1340-2009
Primary reference Number: 141434
Watson Catalogue: 246
Ordering: M-0223
Previous object number: LW.0223

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 25 March 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 (2025) "General Service Medal (1918-62)" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141434 Accessed: 2025-12-06 19:43:21

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/141434 |title=General Service Medal (1918-62) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2025-12-06 19:43:21|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-141434

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_0223_281_29.jpg"
        alt="General Service Medal (1918-62)"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">General Service Medal (1918-62)</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...

University of Cambridge Museums logo
Cambridge City Council logo
Arts Council England Logo
Research England logo