Skip to main content

1914 Star: CM.1346-2009

An image of 1914 Star

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: Gv (With the title of)

Entities

Categories

Description

The 1914 Star was instituted in 1917 to commemorate service on the Western Front during the Great War of 1914-1918 between the declaration of war on 5 August and the end of the First Battle of Ypres on 22 November 1914. By this time the hideous casualties at Ypres and the Somme had considerably reduced the number of those who qualified for its award.
Despite its broader eligibility, the Star rapidly became identified with the first battle fought by the British during the War, that of Mons. In this battle it fell to the British Expeditionary Force to hold a position at Mons for 24 hours to cover the withdrawal of the French Fifth Army, beaten in the Battle of Charleroi. The German forces, superior in numbers, were confident of rolling over the four under-prepared divisions of the BEF, but in the event, though they were forced to withdraw, the British put up a defence that became a legend, in which many acts of heroism were performed.
This medal was awarded to Private P. McGeehan, of the 1st Battalion, Liverpool Regiment; the bar, awarded in 1919, testifies that he served under fire between the dates it carries. As the Liverpool, or King's Regiment, were heavily involved not just in the Battle of Mons, but both in several subsidiary actions around it and also in the subsequent Battle of the Marne that arrested the Allied retreat and threw the Germans back onto the defensive, Private McGeehan's opportunities so to qualify must have been plentiful. Lester Watson acquired his 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: 44.8 mm
Weight: 27.77 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

1917 - 1919

Materials used in production

Bronze

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Crossed swords with inscriptions on scrolls, under wreath wth royal monogram at bottom and over four-pointed star of which topmost point replaced by crown.

  • Text: AUG / 1914 / NOV
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Plain star with recipient's name stamped

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1346-2009
Primary reference Number: 141440
Watson Catalogue: 252
Ordering: M-0229
Previous object number: LW.0229
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) "1914 Star" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141440 Accessed: 2024-03-28 14:03:08

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/141440 |title=1914 Star |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-03-28 14:03:08|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-141440

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/cm59/CM_1346_2009_281_29.jpg"
        alt="1914 Star"
        class="img-fluid" />
        <figcaption class="figure-caption text-info">1914 Star</figcaption>
    </figure>
</div>
    

More objects and works of art you might like

1914 Star

Accession Number: CM.7116-2007

1914-15 Star

Accession Number: CM.1481-2009

1914-15 Star

Accession Number: CM.7088-2007

1914-15 Star

Accession Number: CM.7075-2007

Suggested products from Curating Cambridge

You might be interested in this...

Sign up for updates

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