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medal, campaign

On display
human history
  • Other Name

    Victory Medal 1914-19, WW1 (descriptive name)

    21526 Rifleman James McKay, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, NZEF (associated name)

  • Description

    Victory Medal, 1914-19, WW1

    Medal awarded to 21526 Rifleman James McKay, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, NZEF.

    circular bronze medal with ribbon; fixed loop and ring suspension

    obverse: the winged, full-length figure of Victory, with her arm extended and holding a palm branch in her right hand

    reverse: inscription: ‘THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILIZATION, 1914-1919’ surrounded by a wreath

    named on edge: 216526 RFLM.J.MCKAY. N.Z.E.F.

  • Place
    England
  • Associated Place

    Western Front/Europe

  • Accession Date
    26 Oct 1927
  • Other Id

    W1345.2 (war)

    W0300 (war)

    Spink: 146 (Spink's 1983)

  • Department

    History

    War History

  • Display Room

    Pou Maumahara

medal, campaign, W1345.2, W0300, Spink: 146, Photographed by… … Read more

Images and documents

Images

  • medal, campaign, W1345.2, W0300, Spink: 146, Photographed by Dani Lucas , digital, 17 Oct 2016, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • medal, campaign, W1345.2, W0300, Spink: 146, Photographed by Dani Lucas , digital, 17 Oct 2016, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • medal, campaign, W1345.2, W0300, Spink: 146, Photographed by Dani Lucas , digital, 17 Oct 2016, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • medal, campaign, W1345.2, W0300, Spink: 146, Photographed by Dani Lucas , digital, 17 Oct 2016, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • medal, campaign, W1345.2, W0300, Spink: 146, Photographed by Dani Lucas , digital, 17 Oct 2016, © Auckland Museum CC BY
  • medal, campaign, W1345.2, W0300, Spink: 146, Photographed by Dani Lucas , digital, 17 Oct 2016, © Auckland Museum CC BY

Artefact

  • Display location

    Pou Maumahara drawer bank 1, drawer B, medal position 4

  • Credit Line
    Collection of Auckland Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, W1345.2
  • Primary Maker

     William McMillan (Medallist)

  • Place
    England
  • Date
    [1919]
  • Associated Notes

    Victory Medal, 1914-19, WW1

    Medal awarded to 21526 Rifleman James McKay, 2nd Battalion 3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade, NZEF.

    James McKay of Auckland enlisted with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade and embarked with the 7th Reinforcements on 20th August 1916. He was killed in action on 26 October 1918, Le Cateau, France, during the Rifle Brigade advance on Le Quesnoy, and is buried at the Cross Roads Cemetery, Fontaine-au-Bois.

    At the time of his death James McKay had been back on the front line for barely a month from HM Prison where he was serving a 30 months sentence which had been suspended so that he could rejoin his unit. James McKay's whole military service was punctuated by a series of charges of drunkenness, being absent without leave, and in one instance was charged with desertion. On one occasion he was sentenced to twenty-eight days' Field Punishment No 2, and following a Court Martial in the field his sentence was 60 days' Field Punishment No 1.

  • Associated Event
    WW1; 1914-1918
  • Associated Person

     Rifleman James McKay

     1NZEF: New Zealand Rifle Brigade

  • Associated Place

    Western Front/Europe

  • Associated Date
    1914-1919
  • Period

    World War 1, 1914-18/Wars

    George V (1910 - 1936)/House of Windsor/English reign

  • Signature/marks

    WMcM (medallist's initials)

  • Media

    bronze/copper alloy/nonferrous metal/metal/inorganic material

  • Measurement Description
    medal: 36mm diameter
  • Measurement Reading

    36mm

    50mm

  • Classification

    medal, campaign

    medal, campaign

    medal

    Medal, Campaign

    Insignia

    Status Symbols

    Personal Symbols

    08 Communication Artifacts

  • Last Update
    19 Mar 2024
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