Allied Victory Medal 1914-19, Corporal F J Edwards, Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment)

Circular, bronze medal designed by William McMillan with a figure of Winged Victory holding a palm branch on the obverse. On the reverse, the inscription, 'The Great War for Civilisation 1914-1919', within a laurel wreath. The medal is suspended from a double rainbow coloured medal ribbon.

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 Allied Victory Medal was issued in to all those personnel who had been mobilised for war service in World War One (1941918), between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. The medal was not awarded singly. In this case, as was usual, it was awarded with the British War Medal 1914-20.

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