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Indian General Service Medal (1854-95): CM.1252-2009

An image of Indian General Service Medal (1854-95)

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Artist: Wyon, William
Artist: Wyon, Leonard Charles
Ruler: Victoria (1837-1901)
Ruler: Victoria regina (With the title of)

Entities

Categories

Description

The Army of India Medal's issue in 1849 having marked the previous half-century's combats in the region, further conflicts in the 1850s led in 1854 to the design and issue of a General Service Medal for the theatre, for which bars would be issued as each new campaign merited.
The North-West Frontier, where British rule in India met Afghanistan, was guarded by a variety of arrangements, including accommodations with local potentates. Two such were the Khan of Agror and the Khan of Allai, both of whose capitals lie in modern Pakistan. Both rulers were commonly involved in intrigues against the British, often involving the Hassanzai, Akazai and Chagarzai tribes of the Black Mountain area of Hazara (also in modern Pakistan), whose raids resulted in British punitive expeditions against them in 1888, 1891 and 1892.
Participation in the 1891 campaign earnt this bar, which is here affixed to the medal of Private J. Roberts of the 1st Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. Lester Watson purchased the medal from the London dealers Baldwin in 1927.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Baldwin 1927

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.3 mm
Weight: 41.24 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

1892 - 1895

Materials used in production

Silver

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Bust of Victoria facing left

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

Inscription present: Victory crowning seated Classical warrior with laurel wreath

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1252-2009
Primary reference Number: 141346
Watson Catalogue: 151
Ordering: M-0135
Previous object number: LW.0135
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) "Indian General Service Medal (1854-95)" Web page available at: https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141346 Accessed: 2024-12-22 05:51:32

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141346 |title=Indian General Service Medal (1854-95) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-12-22 05:51:32|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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