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Indian General Service Medal (1854-95): CM.1262-2009

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

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Ruler: Victoria (1837-1901)
Artist: Wyon, Leonard Charles
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 city of Perak, in modern-day Malaysia, in 1874 came under the rule of Sultan Raja Abdullah, who had succeeded with British military aid against a rival, Raja Ismail, backed by Chinese interests. The Treaty of Pangkor that established Abdullah also emplaced a British Resident in Perak who took over governmental duties, but this man, Sir James Birch, was murdered in Upper Perak because of his rather unsympathetic reforms. The ousted Sultan, Raja Ismail, became the head of the following uprising and a British expedition to put down what was in danger of becoming a revolution was sent, heavily supported by the Navy, in late 1875.
This bar was awarded for participation in that campaign, and is here affixed to the medal of Drummer G. Mick, of the 1st Battalion, 10th Foot. Lester Watson acquired the medal at some point before 1928.

Notes

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

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.2 mm
Weight: 39.01 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

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

Dating

1879 - 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.1262-2009
Primary reference Number: 141356
Watson Catalogue: 163
Ordering: M-0145
Previous object number: LW.0145
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/141356 Accessed: 2024-11-05 03:48:11

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{{cite web|url=https://collection.beta.fitz.ms/id/object/141356 |title=Indian General Service Medal (1854-95) |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-11-05 03:48:11|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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