British War Medal 1914-18

Awarded to Admiral Sir Lewis Bayly (1857-1938). 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': Engraved on the edge: 'ADML. SIR L. BAYLY.' Fitted with a bar and orange watered silk ribbon edged with blue, black and white stripes.

Lewis Bayly was the son of Captain Saltron Keats Neville Bayly, Royal Horse Artillery - a grand nephew of Admiral Richard Goodwin Keats. He entered the Navy as a cadet on 15 July 1870. He was appointed rear admiral in 1913, he commanded the First Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet during the opening months of World War I. In December 1914 he was given command of the Channel Fleet. He was appointed President of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich in 1915 and in July that year was appointed Vice-Admiral Commanding on the coast of Ireland based at Queenstown. From 1917, when he was promoted admiral, this command was entitled Commander-in-Chief, coast of Ireland. Bayley’s role was to protect the Western Approaches from U-boat attacks. In command of a British-American force, he was aided by his experience as Naval Attaché in Washington 1900-1902. After this active service came to an end, he retired in 1919.
Bayley married Yves Henrietta Voysey Stella in 1892, they had no children.

Object Details

ID: MED2396
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
People: Bayly, Lewis
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 36 mm
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