The Territorial Force War Medal was a campaign medal awarded to members of the British Territorial Force and

Territorial Force Nursing Service The Territorial Force Nursing Service (TFNS) was established in 1908, part of the reform of the British auxiliary forces introduced by Richard Haldane which created the Territorial Force. Nurses with at least three years of training were able to ...

who served overseas in World War I. It is the rarest of the five British Great War medals.

Award Criteria

The medal was established in April 1920 for award to members of the Territorial Force and Territorial Force Nursing Service who volunteered for service overseas on or before 30 September 1914, and served overseas. They had to: * have been serving with the Force on 4 August 1914; or * have completed four years service with the Force before 4 August 1914 and rejoined on or before 30 September 1914. In addition provided they: * undertook, either verbally or by written agreement on or before 30 September 1914 to serve outside the United Kingdom, such agreement being operative after 4 August 1914, and * have served outside the United Kingdom between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918 (both dates inclusive; the last date was in 1918 though the years on the reverse said 1914-19) and * did not qualify for the

1914 Star The 1914 Star, colloquially known as the Mons Star, is a British World War I campaign medal for service in France or Belgium between 5 August and 22 November 1914. Institution The 1914 Star was authorised under Special Army Order no. 350 in Nov ...

or 1914-15 Star. A total of 33,944 Territorial Force War Medals were awarded. This includes 227 to nurses of the Territorial Force Nursing Service, the only women to receive the medal. The numbers given to each regiment varied widely. For example, 63 were awarded to

Seaforth Highlanders The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, mainly associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The regiment existed from 1881 to 1961, and saw servic ...

, where all three Territorial Force battalions were in France by 1915, compared with 824 to the

East Surrey Regiment The East Surrey Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 until 1959. The regiment was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot, the 70th ...

, where both Territorial battalions undertook garrison duty in India until 1917, and therefore did not qualify for the 1914 or 1914-15 Star.

Description

* The medal is a circular,

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals, such as phosphorus, or metalloids such ...

and of 36mm (1.42 in) diameter, with a straight bar suspender, with the following design: * Obverse: a

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

bareheaded effigy, facing left, with the legend: 'GEORGIVS V BRITT : OMN : REX ET IND : IMP :' ; * Reverse: a wreath with in centre 'FOR / VOLUNTARY / SERVICE / OVERSEAS / 1914-19', and around the upper outer edge 'TERRITORIAL WAR MEDAL'; * Ribbon: yellow with two green stripes, 32 mm (1.25 in) wide; * Naming: The number, rank name and unit of the recipient were impressed on the rim in block capitals.

Order of wear

The order of wear of medals awarded for service during the First World War is as follows: *

. * 1914–15 Star. *

British War Medal The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in si ...

. *

Mercantile Marine War Medal The Mercantile Marine War Medal was established in 1919 and awarded by the Board of Trade of the United Kingdom to mariners of the British Mercantile Marine (later renamed the Merchant Navy) for service at sea during the First World War.

. * Victory Medal. * Territorial Force War Medal.

References

Bibliography

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External links