Kiwi Medals

This medal, from the Ottoman Empire, is known colloquially as the “Gallipoli Star”. However it was not just awarded to deserving individuals in the Gallipoli campaign but in fact all acts of valour after its institution in 1915.

From Wikipedia “The Ottoman War Medal (Turkish: Harp Madalyası), better known as the Gallipoli Star, or the Iron Crescent (from German Eiserner Halbmond, in allusion to the Iron Cross) was a military decoration of the Ottoman Empire which was instituted by the Sultan Mehmed Reshad V on 1 March 1915 for gallantry in battle. This decoration was awarded for the duration of World War I to Ottoman and other Central Powers troops, primarily in Ottoman areas of engagement.”

I always wanted one of these since the Gallipoli campaign is almost holy to New Zealanders and during my recent trip to Turkey was able to hook this one. This one is stamped B.B. & Co on the rear.

This entry was posted on November 10, 2013 at 2:52 PM and is filed under Valour Medals with tags Gallipoli, Ottoman Empire, Turkey, Valour Medals, WW1. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.