Item number: M519-3

Reference number: Borna Barac II#158; MYB#167; Joslin#143d; RM#108a

Year: AD 1918

Material: Bronze

Provenance: J. Collins Medal 2026

This is a miniature version of the 1914–15 Star, a decoration originally instituted in AD 1918 during the reign of King George V and awarded to all combat personnel who had served in a theatre of war prior to AD 1915 and were not otherwise eligible for the 1914 Star.

The obverse of the medal features a four-pointed star overlaid with two crossed swords, with a central scroll bearing the inscription ‘1914-15’. This scroll is encircled by an oak wreath symbolising strength and martial valour. The royal cypher ‘GV’ at the bottom point of the star denotes King George V, whilst the suspension is surmounted by St Edward’s Crown, representing the authority of the Sovereign. In comparison to the 1914 Star, apart from the addition of ‘-15’ on the central scroll, the smaller scrolls above and below containing the inscriptions ‘AUG.’ and ‘NOV.’ have been omitted.

The reverse is plain and unadorned, although many extant examples bear the unit designations of their respective recipients inscribed upon this surface.

The ribbon features a central white stripe that merges via a gradient transition into blue on the left and red on the right.

The medal was awarded to personnel who saw service in any theatre of war against the Central Powers between 5 August AD 1914 and 31 December AD 1915, excluding those who had already qualified for the 1914 Star. Furthermore, it was not granted to individuals who merely passed through a theatre of war or visited one solely on inspection duties; for instance, those traversing a war zone as passengers or undertaking official inspections were deemed ineligible. Specifically regarding the Royal Navy, recipients comprised all officers and ratings of the Royal Navy (R.N.), Royal Marines (R.M.), Royal Naval Air Service (R.N.A.S.), Royal Naval Reserve (R.N.R.), Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (R.N.V.R.), Royal Indian Marine (R.I.M.), and Dominion Naval Forces who were mobilised and served at sea or on shore within operational theatres. It likewise encompassed R.N.A.S. personnel deployed on overseas patrols from naval air stations, Mercantile Marine personnel serving under special naval engagements, and canteen staff serving aboard warships at sea. In respect of the Army, the star was conferred upon all officers, warrant officers, NCOs, and men of British, Dominion, Colonial, and Indian forces who actually served on the establishment of a unit in a theatre of war, including civilian medical practitioners, matrons, nurses, and other personnel employed in military hospitals. Additionally, individuals whose service during this timeframe entitled them solely to the Africa General Service Medal or the Sudan 1912 Medal were disqualified from receiving this award. Ultimately, no fewer than 2,350,000 stars were awarded, making it the most widely issued British campaign medal up to that time.

Because most recipients were concurrently eligible for other service decorations, common medal combinations acquired distinctive popular nicknames amongst the civilian public in the post-war period. Among these, the trio consisting of either the 1914 Star or 1914–15 Star, the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal was—much like many other three-piece sets of that era—affectionately named Pip, Squeak, and Wilfred, after the popular newspaper comic strip introduced in AD 1919.

物件編號: M519-3

參考書目編號: Borna Barac II#158; MYB#167; Joslin#143d; RM#108a

年代: 公元 1918 年

材質: 青銅

來源: J. Collins Medal 2026

這是一枚迷你版的「1914-15星章」，原章於公元1918年設立並頒發，頒予所有並未獲得1914年星章，並於公元1915年前在戰區內服役的戰鬥人員。

章體呈四角星形。上覆雙劍交錯，中央橫幅鐫有「1914-15」，其外環繞橡樹葉冠，象徵力量與武勳。四角星下端的皇室花押「GV」代表了喬治五世（George V）。上方的頂飾為聖愛德華王冠，象徵王權。相較於「1914星章」，除中央橫幅增補「-15」外，省略了橫幅上下刻有「AUG.」與「NOV.」字樣的小橫幅。

背面光平無文，有許多存世的星章會在此處刻有部隊番號。

綬帶中央為白色，以漸層過渡至左側的藍色和右側的紅色。

本勳章頒發給在公元1914年8月5日至1915年12月31日期間，於任何對抗同盟國（Central Powers）之戰區服役的人員，已具備1914之星勳章獲頒資格者除外。此外，該勳章不會頒發給僅途經戰區或僅前往戰區視察的人員。例如，以乘客身分穿過任何戰區，或因視察任務前往戰區者，皆不符合資格。具體而言，以皇家海軍為例，獲頒者包括所有經動員並於軍事行動戰區的海上或岸上服役之皇家海軍（R.N.）、皇家海軍陸戰隊（R.M.）、皇家海軍航空隊（R.N.A.S.）、皇家海軍預備隊（R.N.R.）、皇家海軍志願預備隊（R.N.V.R.）、皇家印度海軍（R.I.M.）及自治領海軍部隊的官兵；自海軍航空站起飛執行海外巡邏任務的皇家海軍航空隊官兵；在特殊海軍交戰任務下服役的商船隊人員；以及曾在海上戰艦上服役的福利社工作人員（Canteen staffs）也包含在內。陸軍方面，則頒發給所有在戰區建制單位內確實服役的英國、自治領、殖民地及印度部隊的軍官、准尉、士官與士兵，包括文職醫師、護理長、護士以及其他軍醫院聘用人員。此外，在此期間僅參與過獲頒「非洲通用服務勳章」（Africa General Service Medal）或「1912蘇丹勳章」（Sudan 1912 Medal）之服役行動者，亦不符合頒發資格。最終，總頒發數量不少於2,350,000枚，使其成為截至當時發行量最大的英國戰役獎章。

由於其獲頒者，多具有其他獎章的獲頒資格。因此常見的獎章組合，在戰後的民間有著獨特的暱稱。其中，「1914星章 / 1914-15星章」、「英國戰爭獎章」（一戰獎章）和「盟軍勝利勳章」，像是當時社會上許多的三件套物品一樣，依公元1919年起流行的漫畫《皮普、斯奎克和威爾弗雷德》（Pip, Squeak and Wilfred），依序取為暱稱。