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Indian General Service Medal (1854-95): CM.1258-2009

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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 province of Maranzai, in modern Pakistan, was in the 1890s one of a number of unstable areas whose position on the North-West Frontier of India made them a paramount British concern. When, therefore, an extremist Muslim religious leader, Syed Mir Basha, declared a local jihad in the Samana Heights, two Expeditionary Forces were sequentially dispatched to settle the area.
The bar to this medal was awarded for participation in the second campaign, and the medal was awarded to Private E. Oliver of the 2nd Battalion, Manchester Regiment. 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: 36.2 mm
Weight: 42.44 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

1891 - 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.1258-2009
Primary reference Number: 141352
Watson Catalogue: 159
Ordering: M-0141
Previous object number: LW.0141
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/141352 Accessed: 2024-11-04 18:34:58

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141352 |title=Indian General Service Medal (1854-95) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-04 18:34:58|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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