Ironbark Medal Mounting

Unique medal set, 14 Medals

A hugely popular story is the 6th of the 10 most popular posts, and would have to be close to being the most viewed photograph and story ever on this page.

The photograph on this post is the coffin of the Unknown Warrior in state in the Abbey, London, in 1920. I found it very moving that guests of honour were a group of about one hundred women. They had been chosen because they had each lost their husband and all their sons in the war - "Every woman so bereft who applied for a place got it".

The guard of honour were 100 holders of the Victoria Cross from all three services. Most likely the greatest number of Victoria Cross recipients to be at the one place at the same time.

The Unknown Warrior was buried in Westminster Abbey, London on the 11th of November 1920, simultaneously with a similar interment of a French unknown soldier at the Arc de Triomphe in France.

The coffin was interred in soil brought from each of the main battlefields, and covered with a silk pall.

On the 17th of October 1921, the unknown warrior was given the United States' highest award for valour, the Medal of Honor. It hangs on a pillar close to the tomb. On the 11th of November 1921, the American Unknown Soldier was reciprocally awarded the Victoria Cross.

Lest We Forget.

Photograph came from Imperial War Museums - image file number IWM Q 31514. Most of the information came from Wikipedia.

The largest medal job I have done to date, 15

Nice group of Australian and British Medals

Australian Federal Police Set

OSM Boarder Protection and Philippine Medal of Merit