Medal Commemorating The Death Of General Lord Kitchener, 1916

[Tim B]

Here's another sharp looking commemorative medal from WWI. Lord Kitchener was well known for his services in the Middle East (Cyprus, Palestine, and Sudan). He received the title of "Lord" after leading the British Army in taking back the Sudan and was declared a national hero for his efforts. He was later in the Boer War, Commander in Chief in India and Military Governor of Egypt. By coincidence, he was on leave when WWI broke out and was appointed Secretary of War. He's the guy you see on the recruitment posters of WWI telling men to join the army. He died in 1916 while sailing onboard HMS Hampshire when it struck a mine on it's way to Russia.

The bronze medal was recently auctioned on ebay and is the first one I have seen. I could not find much information on this commemorative medal, but did find a silver version of it on the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London website (photo courtesy to NMM). The medal looks almost identical but note the details are a bit sharper except around the edges where the details appear to fade away.

I think either the dies had changed or been reworked at one point or a completely different die was used between the bronze and silver versions. Even the bust looks narrower on the silver medal.

Tim

[Tim B]

Sharp design with the dueling dreadnoughts. :cheers:

[Tim B]

Here's the silver one from NMM.

[Tim B]

and the reverse...