British War Medal 1914-18

Awarded to Captain Edwin Mansergh Palmer (1882-1945). Obverse: Head of King George V (left). Legend: 'GEORGIVS V BRITT : OMN : REX ET IND : IMP:' Reverse: A Knight on horseback (right) a short sword in his right hand, trampling on the German shield, skull and cross-bones. Legend: '1914-18': Fitted with a bar and orange watered silk ribbon edged with blue, black and white stripes.

Captain Edwin Mansergh Palmer RN, OBE was born in Armagh, Northern Ireland, the son of a doctor. He joined training ship 'Britannia' as a cadet on 15 May 1997 and was rated a midshipman the following year. He was promoted lieutenant on 30 September 1904. During World War I he was acting commander of the troopship 'Dalhousie' from 26 August 1914 to 15 January 1917. After 1916 'Dalhousie' was used as a decoy ship at Basra. He then joined HMS 'Cumberland' for the rest of the war, ranked commander from June 1917, during this time, she was mainly employed on convoy escort duties. Palmer was awarded the OBE for war services, see - London Gazette 1 January 1919. He retired in 1923 and was promoted Captain on the retired list in 1927. He rejoined the Royal Navy at the outbreak of World War II and was attached to shore bases at Freetown as maintenance captain and flag captain on the staff of the Commander in Chief, South Atlantic. From 1941 he served in HMS 'Beaver' II - a shore base at Immingham on the Humber. Palmer retired again on 30 October 1945, shortly before his death on the 19 November.

Object Details

ID: MED2381
Collection: Coins and medals
Type: War medal
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Mackennal, Edgar Bertram; McMillan, William
Events: World War I, 1914-1918
Date made: 1919
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 36 mm