British War Medal 1914-18

Awarded to Captain Gordon Colquhoun Fraser, RN (1866-1952). 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: 'CAPT.G.C. FRASER. R.N.' Fitted with a bar and orange watered silk ribbon edged with blue, black and white stripes.

Fraser entered the Navy in 1880. As a midshipman he served in the 'Monarch' and the 'Agincourt', Mediterranean Station, between 1882 and 1885 and then in the 'Active' between 1885 and 1886 mostly in the East Indies. Having attended the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, he was promoted to lieutenant in 1888. In 1890 he was appointed to the 'Kingfisher' in the East Indies, after which he specialized in torpedo duties, serving at the torpedo school 'Vernon' in 1894 and again between 1897 and 1900. He organized the illumination of the Fleet at the opening of the Kiel Canal in 1899, probably the first time this had been done by electricity. After promotion to commander in the same year, he joined the 'Vindictive' in the Mediterranean. During this period he became seriously ill and had eventually to be invalided, retiring as captain in 1907. During the First World War he served in the Torpedo and Mining Division of the Admiralty, specializing in defensive mining.

Object Details

ID: MED2618
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: Fraser, Gordon Colquhoun
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 36 mm