The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1880-06-20
War Medals In England.

With 4 view to preventing the loss and
disappearance of medals and other decorations granted
for distinguished services Col Eaton, of the Grena-
dier Guards has made interesting collection of
about !, O00 of them. Probably the first medal
fcrrcd IN this country for service In the field was one
authorized to lie issued by Charles L. In the year 1913
to such soldiers as might distinguish themselves in
90 fOrlOrn hOpes.'' IL to he made of silver, and
was to lie worn the breast Of every who should
he certified by the commanders nclef to have done
faithful service in the fororn hope. II was, In fact,
the Victoria Cross Of that time, the commanders and
warlens of the mint being required to keep register
OF the names OF all those upon whom the decoration
was conferred.
In June, 1913, Charles ordered gold medal to be
struck for Robert Nelcl, an Irish gentleman who at
tie battle Of Edgeh recovered the standard of the
Kings own Regiment, which had been taken by the
Parliamentary forces, and who also captured two
pieces Of cannon, tor which services he had been pre-
Viously knlghied. lh8 medal. which bore the eiii-
giles of the King and Prince Charles with tho In
scription - Per Regale Mandainm carroll Regis hoe
assignnur Roberto Wclch, Mili ~ seems 10 have
been the first war medal which was MS u per-
sonal decoration in this country In 1919 the Long
Parliament passed an act directing that the tenth
part of all prizes due 10 the Lord High Admiral
should he devoted To tho Issue ol medals or other
rewards for distinguished services al sea. The first
instance, however, of war medals being conferred
generally on both officers and occurred IN the
year 1000, when the House Of Commons ordered q
medal To he struck and Issued 10 the officers AMI men
who had taken part In the defeat of the Scots at Dun
bar on the ID of September of that vcarr
Under the Commonwealth several medals were given
for naval services against the Dutch, bn these appear
to have been conferred only on the commanders and
VI
commenoraiOn Of the victories Of the great Duke of
Marlborough and also after the battle OF Cnlioden, In
l7id, hut In neither ease were they dec0ri-
tons by Officers or men. II Is curious fact that,
with ilic exception oi tho medal struck In commence
ration o the victory of Dunbar In 1870, there Is
instance of general distribution of medals to officers
and men until the Waterloo Medal was struck 1t IL
said that when Napoleon surrendered board the
Bellerophon he made a minute inspection Of the
sailors and marines. After remarking upon their fine
appearance, he asked how II was that none Of them
had seen any service. Upon being told that with u
few exceptions they had all much SERVICE he
pressed his astonisnenl, and added Snch Is not the
way Ia arouse or foster the military virtues. ~
The distribution in 1914 of the medal struck cons
niemoraie the battle of Waterloo among the officers
commissioned Officers, and soldiers who has; taken
part In II, naturally caused the veterans who had
fought In the Peninsula 10 desire that similar dis
tncti"n should he granted Ia them. For years. how
ever the claims on this head Of the officers and men
who had shared In the victories of COrinna Talayer
| insaco, Salamanca, and the lost, Ignored and
II was moi until lsi7 that the Queen supplied the
sons Of her predecessors by insiiuting what Is known
rs 1.-THE War Medal. - This medal struck tn
record both naval and military services during the
wars commencing In 1893 and ending In lsl.-Pdii
| WdH Gdsetie.