Ceylon Volunteer Service Medal
Obverse (left), reverse (right)
Type	Non-wearable campaign medal
Presented by	Ceylon
Eligibility	All overseas combatants from Ceylon
Campaign(s)	World War I
Total	~3000

The Ceylon Volunteer Service Medal (sometimes referred to as the Government of Ceylon War Medal) is a non-wearable campaign medal awarded by the Government of Ceylon to all members of the Ceylonese armed forces that volunteered for overseas service during World War I.^[1][2] The exact number of medals struck is disputed, with sources citing numbers between 450^[1] and 3000.^[3] The medal was the only one of its kind, Ceylon being the only British crown colony to issue a medal of its own for its citizens' service in the war.^[1][3] Those awarded the medal were servicemen of the Ceylon Defence Force (including the all-European Ceylon Planters' Rifle Corps).^[4]

Design

The medal was cast in bronze, having dimensions of 45 x 52 x 3 mm.^[5] The obverse depicts the personification of Ceylon- a seated, right-facing robed and laureate female figure placing, with her right hand, a laurel wreath crown on the bowed head of a left-facing soldier kneeling on his left knee.^[5] The soldier rests his cap on the ground with his right hand, while the background depicts a multi-rayed sun setting into the sea behind them.^[5] An inscription above the scene reads:^[5]

Above the words is a short piece of laurel wreath, bound.^[5]

The reverse depicts a front-facing illustration of Victory- a winged, robed and laureate female figure seated on a throne.^[5] Her right hand is raised aloft, holding a laurel wreath, while her left holds a shield emblazoned with the coat of arms of Ceylon.^[5] A plaque inscribed with the recipient's name is located at the figure's feet, above a skull and spiked helmet obscuring a horizontal scythe.^[5]