Item number: M158-5

Year: AD 1917-1920

Material: Silver

Provenance: J. Collins Medals 2024

This is a miniature version of the “Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal” issued during the reign of King George V, intended to recognise and encourage soldiers who had rendered long and exemplary service in the army.

The medal is made of silver. The obverse features a left-facing bust of King George V in formal military attire, surrounded by the Latin inscription: “GEORGIVS V. BRITT: OMN: REX ET IND: IMP:”, which translates as: “George V, King of all the Britains, and Emperor of India.”

The reverse bears the engraved inscription: “FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT”, signifying that the medal was awarded in recognition of extended military service and exemplary behaviour.

The upper edge of the medal is fitted with a swivel scroll suspension with claw to attach the ribbon. The ribbon design follows the version adopted in AD 1917, consisting of a purple background with a single white stripe along each edge. For versions awarded in other territories of the British Empire, the centre of the purple ribbon would feature an additional coloured stripe representing the respective colony or dominion.

During the First World War, Britain emerged as one of the major combatants, gaining control over numerous German colonies overseas and marking the final expansion phase of the British Empire. However, this four-year-long conflict exacted a heavy toll on Britain, resulting in the loss of approximately 6% of its adult male population, amounting to 880,000 lives. Additionally, the war left Britain heavily indebted to the United States, leading to a gradual shift in global dominance from the British Isles to the New World across the Atlantic, signaling the beginning of the end of the era of the British Empire where the sun never set.

物件編號: M158-5

年代: 公元 1917-1920 年

材質: 銀

來源: 克林獎章 2024

這是一枚喬治五世時期，迷你版「陸軍長期服務和良好行為獎章」，旨在鼓勵長期服役於軍隊中的人員。

獎章材質為銀。獎章正面為時任英國國王的喬治五世左側禮服肖像，周圍以環形拉丁銘文標示頭銜「GEORGIVS V.BRITT:OMN:REX ET IND:IMP:」(喬治五世，大不列顛諸地之王，印度皇帝)。獎章背面鐫刻「FOR LONG SERVICE AND GOOD CONDUCT」(長期服務和良好行為)。

獎章上緣以帶爪螺旋式懸掛銜接綬帶，綬帶配色為公元1917年起採用的版本，即左右兩側各以一條白色條紋裝飾的紫色綬帶。若為大英帝國其他的領土，紫色綬帶的正中間會以代表不同殖民地或自治領的顏色作為裝飾。

英國作為第一次世界大戰的主要參戰國，獲得多數德國在海外的殖民地，完成大英帝國的最後一次擴張時光。然而這場長達四年的戰爭，讓英國本土就失去6%成年男性，即88萬人的犧牲。戰爭也讓英國欠下美國大筆的外債，使得世界霸權的位置逐漸從英倫三島轉移至彼岸的新大陸，標示日不落帝國的結束開端。