The 1914-15 Star was authorised by King George V in December 1918 and was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served against the Central European Powers in any operational theatre of World War One between 5 August 1914 and 31 December 1915. Excluded from eligibility for the 1914-15 Star were individuals who had already qualified for the award of the 1914 Star and those who where eligible for the Africa General Service Medal or the Khedive’s Sudan Medal of 1910. The medal was never issued on its own and recipients were also awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal – often referred to as ‘Pip, Squeak and Wilfred’. Unlike the 1914 Star, no clasp or bar to the medal was ever approved.
The 1914-15 Star was cast from bright bronze metal and features a four pointed star ensigned with a crown, oak wreath and crossed gladius. A scroll bearing the legend 1914-15 is placed centrally over the crossed blades with the cypher of King George V at the base of the oak wreath. The reverse of the medal is plain and was engraved with the recipient’s service number, rank, name and unit. In total, it is estimated almost 2.4 million veterans of World War One received the 1914-15 Star.
