Serbian Order of Saint Sava (4th Class)

Place Europe: Kingdom of Serbia
Accession Number RELAWM14794
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Award
Physical description Enamel, Silver gilt
Maker Unknown
Date made c 1903
Conflict Period 1910-1919
First World War, 1914-1918
Period 1900-1909
Description

Order of Saint Sava (4th Class). Unnamed as issued. A silver gilt Maltese Cross enamelled white with blue edges in golden ball finals. Between the arms of the cross are placed crowned double headed eagles bearing the Royal Serbian coat of arms. The upper arm of the cross ends in a fleur-de-lys to which a double sided Royal Serbian crown is attached by a hinge axis with a loose ring suspension at the top. Obverse: An oval polychromed enamelled portrait of St. Sava wearing a red robe. The centre is encircled by a blue band worked in enamel and has the motto of the order in old Cyrillic letters 'One's own work achieves all'. Reverse: The date '1883' on a white field surrounded by a blue enameled oval containing a gilt laurel wreath. A piece of 37 mm white ribbon with 7 mm pale blue stripes near the edges, folded in a triangular shape is attached to the suspender. A white and pale blue rosette is stitched to the front of the ribbon.

History / Summary

The Order of St. Sava was instituted by King Milan I on 23 January 1883. The Order was named after the Archbishop St. Sava, from the Royal House of Nemanjic, who died at the beginning of the thirteenth century. King Peter I in 1903 altered the reverse of the medal by placing the year of the proclamation of the Kingdom of Serbia (1882) on it instead of the previous cipher of Milan I. The Order was organized into five classes, and was awarded to Serbian citizens and foreign nationals, for merit in the field of culture, public instruction, science, civil service and theology, as well as for the general service rendered to the King, State and Nation, by civilians or the military. This medal is part of a collection assembled by the late Hon. Sir Thomas Hughes, Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales. It was presented to the Memorial in memory of his son, Captain Roger Forrest Hughes, Australian Army Medical Corps, who died of wounds in France on 11 December 1916 and his grandson, Flying Officer Peter Roger Forrest Hughes, 12 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, who was killed on active service while flying in the Northern Territory on 3 October 1942.