British War Medal 1914-20, awarded to Corporal F J Edwards VC, The Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)

Silver campaign medal with a portrait of King George V facing left with the inscription, 'Georgivs V Britt: Omn: Rex Et Ind Imp:', on the obverse and an equestrian figure of St George, trampling a shield bearing the Prussian eagle, on the reverse. Additional designs on the reverse include the years, '1914' and '1918', a skull and crossed bones representing death and a rising sun, representing victory. Orange corded silk ribbon edged with blue and white vertical stripes.

Private Frederick Jeremiah Edwards (1894-1964) from Queenstown (now Cobh) in County Cork, won the Victoria Cross on 26 September 1916 for knocking out a German machine gun at Thiepval Ridge on the Somme with grenades. He was awarded his VC by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 5 February 1917.

Edwards was later promoted to corporal and after leaving the Army he was forced to sell his VC to make ends meet. He died in Surrey on 9 March 1964.

The British War Medal was awarded to all members of the British and Imperial military forces who completed 28 days mobilised service during 1914-1918. Although World War One ended in 1918, the qualification period for this medal was extended to cover post-war ordnance clearance and service in Russia during 1919-1920. Over six million silver medals were issued to Empire soldiers and around 110,000 bronze versions of the medal were issued to those Africans, Chinese, Indians and other peoples from across the Empire who had served in the various Labour Corps raised during the conflict.

From a medal group awarded to Corporal F J Edwards VC, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment).