ANTIQUES

John Minns on the four most prestigious medals in the world, who won them and how to set about collecting antique medals

Medals For Gallantry

In valour, there is hope Publius Cornelius Tacitus (56-117)

The Victoria Cross (VC)

If it were not for the involvement of one notable Irish journalist covering the Crimean war (1853-56) it is very unlikely that the VC would ever have existed. William Howard Russell (right) (1820-1907), later Sir William Howard Russell, was a field correspondent for The Times. It was he, while living cheek by jowl with the ordinary soldiers and NCOs, who had observed first hand and on numerous occasions the bravery and heroism of “these fine men” whose exploits in the field of combat had gone relatively unnoticed and therefore unrewarded.

Russell’s missives to The Times highlighted the fact that, while senior officers were eligible to receive medals and other awards (brevets promotion) during conflict, battle or other engagement with the enemy, ordinary soldiers were largely not. He continued tirelessly and regularly

to make this point in his dispatches to The Times, suggesting that recognition for acts of heroism and gallantry be allocated to the common soldier. Over time, he managed to garner much support from members of parliament and the populace, via his articles and more notably from Prince Albert, who suggested a medal for gallantry should be awarded to all those deemed worthy, regardless of status or rank.

It was mooted that a medal of simple construction and design be produced, instead of the gallantry medals that were lavish, loud and bright. The directive and concept by Prince Albert suggested the medal should be made of non-ferrous metal and of simple design in the form of a cross, but the media were unhappy with the concept, The Times calling it ‘poor looking and mean’. It was only when Queen Victoria herself let it be known of her wish to strike a medal that would not recognise birth or class that all remaining dissent and objection disappeared. 1,355 VCs have been awarded since 1856 and some 295 awarded posthumously. It is a protocol for the holder of a VC to receive a salute first from a fellow combatant, regardless of rank. Until 1925, the VC could be forfeited for various misdemeanours, eg theft, serious crime or murder, but this was rescinded when King George V announced: “Even if the VC holder be sentenced to be hanged for murder, he should be allowed to wear his VC on the scaffold.”

The Croix de Guerre

The Croix de Guerre was a gallantry medal whose inception was in 1915, covering WW1 and WW2, available to all ranks. The medal was simple in appearance: a Maltese cross with crossed swords made of Bronze, with the addition of a ribbon attached to it, allowing other awards to be ‘added on’ in the form of Clasps, palms and stars.

The award was not just for the individual. It could be given to military personnel or civilians who were part of a group, for example, The Marquis, the Free French or other resistance groups. It could even also be awarded to non-human comrades-in-arms. In WWI, a carrier pigeon named Cher Ami was awarded the Croix de Guerre for her actions that saved the lives of countless men. An American soldier, Major Charles White Whittlesey, and a battalion of men from the 77th division, were trapped in an enclave behind enemy lines, surrounded by German soldiers. After receiving friendly fire from allied troops, they were being decimated. They released Cher Ami, armed with a vital note informing the allies of their predicament. However, within just a few seconds she was spotted and shot by the Germans. She was sent crashing to the ground, but within minutes she managed to take flight again. She eventually made it to headquarters after flying 40 km badly wounded, shot through the chest, blinded in one eye and lame in one leg, but she survived.

Cher Ami’s actions that day saved the lives of 194 men. For her heroism, she was awarded The Croix de Guerre with palm. In 1919 she starred in a silent film The Lost Battalion, naturally playing herself. Other recipients of the Croix de Guerre include: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, James Stewart and Josephine Baker.

The Pour Le Mérite

The Blue Max originated in 1740 from the court of King Frederick of Prussia. The language of the court was French, hence the use of the French term of Pour le Mérite (‘for excellence’). The medal was awarded to civilians and for military officers of a certain rank and class who had distinguished themselves in the field, or who had facilitated or organised a successful battle campaign.

This award was also bestowed to members of the Luftstreikrafte (later to be known as the Luftwaffe). It was during the First World War that the Pour le Mérite became popularised by the daring exploits of ‘darlings of the airways’ such as Oswald Boelcke and ‘Max’ Immelmann, whose first name later conjoined to the blue coloured enamel on the medal to coin the colloquial term ‘Blue Max’. But the real superstar at that time was Manfred Von Richtofen (1892-1918) ‘The Red Baron’. He became the greatest German Ace of WW1, with 80 victories, and died at the age of just 25, having been shot through the chest. Despite his injuries, he managed to land his plane in a field. It was reported by an Australian stretcherbearer who arrived first on the scene that Von Richtofen’s final word was “Kaput”.

Medal of Honor (MOH) (AKA the Congressional Medal of Honor)

The Medal of Honor is the highest award for valour in the USA. The medal was a five-sided star with slight variants in design, depending on whether issued to Army, Navy or Air forces. Between 1914 and 1942, the design was changed to a cross and issued to navy and marine corps personnel, but was not received well as it appeared too Germanic and not that dissimilar to the British VC. The cruciform version was designed and made by New York jewellers Tiffany and Co., who only made 22 in total, making it a very rare medal.

All medals are attached to a blue moire silk ribbon to be worn around the neck, and presented by the president. A total of 3,512 Medals of Honor have been awarded since the first was awarded in 1863. Only one woman has been awarded the MOH: Mary Edwards Walker M.D (1832-1919), a surgeon captured by Confederate forces during the civil war, and imprisoned as a spy on her release as a prisoner exchange. She later received her Medal of Honor for her work as a medic during the Civil War.

ACQUISITION & COLLECTION

If you are considering acquiring medals for hobby or investment, it may be worth connecting with others with similar interests via a collectors club or collectors’ magazines. Medal News magazine is one such informative periodical. In addition, The Medal Yearbook gives current values and various price guides based on condition and rarity.

FAKES

Medal value and popularity has increased enormously over recent years, and consequently there are a few miscreants out there who will try to pass off a ringer or fake as a genuine piece. Copies and reproduction and wrongly attributed medals abound; while the majority of collectors/dealers are honourable, it may pay you to apply due diligence when parting with your cash.

PURCHASE AT AUCTION

SPINK auctions have existed since 1666 and have a dedicated team of experts who diligently research and verify provenance before putting any items in one of its sales. Most of the main London auctions have fairly regular medal auctions, usually incorporating coins and stamps, with a number also in the provinces. Wallis and Wallis is another established and highly revered auction of note outside London.

THE FLUMMOXER

Readers are invited to ponder the purpose of this issue’s antiquity conundrum, and one provider of the correct answer wins a sterling pair of Fox Cufflinks.

Send your answer to chap@thechap.co.uk

James Matthews correctly identified last issue’s flummoxer as a portable folding gentlemen’s coat hanger.