1914-15 Star, awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart VC, 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards.

Bronze four-pointed star surmounted by a crown, with two crossed swords beneath a scroll bearing the medal's year range, '1914-15', within a wreath of oak leaves bearing the royal cypher for King George V, 'G V'. The reverse is unadorned save for the recipient's number, rank, name and unit. The medal ribbon has red, white and blue watered and shadowed stripes.

Born in Brussels, Belgium, de Wiart enlisted in the 4th Dragoon Guards during the Boer War (1899-1902), seeing much action and being wounded in the stomach and groin. During World War One (1914-1918), attached to the Somaliland Camel Constabulary, he fought in Somaliland where he was again wounded, losing an eye and part of his ear. He was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Order. A record of the award appears in the 'London Gazette' of 15 May 1915, 'For distinguished service in the field in connection with the operations against Dervish Forces at Shimber Berris, Somaliland, during the months of November 1914 and February 1915'.

Transferring to the Western Front in 1915, de Wiart lost a hand and was shot in the hip and ankle. In July 1916 he was commanding a battalion of the Gloucester Regiment at La Boiselle on the Somme when he won the Victoria Cross.

The 1914-15 star was awarded to all those who had served in France and Belgium between 5 August and 22 November 1914. The majority of the 400,000 recipients of the star were officers and men the rear army, the 'Old Contemptibles' who landed in France soon after the outbreak of the First World War and who took part in the retreat from Mons, hence the popular nickname of the 'Mons Star'.

From a medal group awarded to Lieutenant Colonel Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart, KBE, CB, CMG, DSO, VC, 4th (Royal Irish) Dragoon Guards and Army Staff.