Circular grey zinc medal with loop for ribbon suspension; the face with a cross pattée alisée, an escutcheon bearing the Saxon arms imposed centrally, the Saxe-Altenburg crown on the upper arm, the left and right arms inscribed ‘19’, ‘14.’ respectively; the reverse with the crowned cipher of Duke Ernst II; on replaced correct ribbon.
The medal was instituted by Duke Ernst II on 20 February 1915 ‘in relation to the current war for non-commissioned officers and other ranks whether enlisted in the 8th Division 153rd Thuringian Infantry Regiment or citizens of the Duchy enlisted in other units or in the Imperial Navy and who have displayed outstanding and exceptional bravery’ (‘aus Anlaß des gegenwärtigen Krieges für Unteroffiziere und Mannschaften welche entwerder dem 8. Thüringischen Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 153 angehören oder als Staatsangehörige des Herzogtums in anderen Truppenteilen oder der Kaiserlichen Marine stehen und sich durch besondere Tapferkeit ausgezeichnet haben’).
Originally issued in bronze, in 1916 wartime shortages caused the medal to be issued instead in coppered zinc and finally in 1918 in grey zinc.
The Duchy was small in population and only about 2,300 medals in zinc were awarded.
|