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Canada General Service Medal: CM.1233-2009

An image of Canada General Service Medal

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Ruler: Victoria (1837-1901)
Artist: Saulles, George W. de
Ruler: Victoria regina et imperatrix (With the title of)

Entities

Categories

Description

Colonial Canada's nineteenth-century history did not lack for secessionist movements, all ultimately unsucessful. One of the more serious threats was that posed by the Fenian Brotherhood, also known as the Irish National Militia, a body which gathered an increasing amount of support in the Northern United States, support which with the end of the American Civil War often came in the form of disbanded military contingents looking for a new war to fight.
Such men were offered their wish by a Fenian self-proclaimed Colonel by the name of O'Neil, who in 1866 used a large force of such men to attempt an invasion of British Canada. The Fenian army was dispersed by a single engagement with Canadian forces and mostly arrested on their return to the USA. O'Neil subsequently attempted the same thing again with equal lack of success twice in 1870, on the latter occasion being arrested before even leaving the USA.
This medal was awarded in 1899 to those who had fought the Fenians in any of these raids or the related Red River expedition. This one was awarded to Corporal J. Smart of the Royal Canadian Rifles. Lester Watson purchased it at some point before 1928.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt before 1928

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.4 mm
Weight: 43.95 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester

Dating

Production date: AD 1899

Materials used in production

Silver

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Bust of Victoria facing left

  • Text: VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Canadian flag with maple wreath around

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1233-2009
Primary reference Number: 141327
Watson Catalogue: 127
Ordering: M-0116
Previous object number: LW.0116
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 15 January 2024 Last processed: Monday 15 January 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Coins and Medals

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Canada General Service Medal" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141327 Accessed: 2024-11-05 05:30:11

Citation for Wikipedia

To cite this record on Wikipedia you can use this code snippet:

{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141327 |title=Canada General Service Medal |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-05 05:30:11|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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