Pip, Squeak and Wilfred

Where one was the other two were sure to follow.

‘Pip’, ‘Squeak’ and ‘Wilfred’, the nicknames of the three medals instituted at the end of the First World War, came about due to the popularity of the characters of a Daily Mirror newspaper strip, by Bertram J Lamb, which first appeared in 1919.

‘Pip’ a dog, ‘Squeak’ a penguin and ‘Wilfred’ a baby rabbit were inseparable.

‘Pip’ was used to describe the 1914 and 1914-15 Star; holders of one were not eligible for the other.

‘Squeak’ was the name given to the British War Medal and to complete the trio the Victory Medal became ‘Wilfred’.