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Category: Pre-WW1 Medals

The King’s South Africa Medal

The King’s South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to all British and Colonial military personnel who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa, who were in the theatre on or after 1 January 1902 and who had completed 18 months service in the conflict prior to 1 June 1902.

Poor logistics, long logistics lines, disease and having to fight against a disciplined and capable enemy of excellent horsemen and marksmen made this a hard-won medal. Men often having had to go without basics such as food and water, enteric fever killed several thousand and was a constant drain on manpower. Published casualty rolls run to over 50,000 names, while contemporary studies put the actual figure for all casualties at 97,000. The King’s South Africa Medal was awarded only to those troops who fought in 1902, and who had served for 18 months.

Two date clasps were awarded for service in 1901 and 1902, but nurses did not qualify to receive either clasp.

The King’s South Africa Medal Design

The King’s South Africa Medal is struck in silver and measures 38 millimetres (1.5 inches) in diameter and 3 millimetres (0.12 inches) thick.

The obverse displays King Edward VII, in Field Marshal’s uniform and facing left, with the legend “EDWARDVS VII REX IMPERATOR” around the upper perimeter. The reverse shows Britannia holding the Union Flag in her left hand and a laurel wreath in her right hand. In the right background are troops marching inland from the coast. In the left background are two men-of-war, with Neptune’s Trident and Britannia’s shield on the ground in the foreground. Around the top perimeter are the words “SOUTH AFRICA”.

The clasps were attached to the suspender and to each other in roller chain fashion with rivets. The ribbon measures 32 millimetres wide, with an 11 millimetres wide green band, a 10 millimetres wide white band and an 11 millimetres wide orange band.

The Ashanti Medal

The Ashanti Medal was the first campaign medal authorized by Edward VII and awarded to troops that were engaged in the Third Ashanti Expedition, also known as the War of the Golden Stool. The medal was sanctioned in October 1901.

This expedition lasted from March until December 1900, with the final outcome that the Ashanti maintained its de facto independence. Ashanti was made a Protectorate of the British Empire, but they ruled themselves with little reference to the colonial power.

The clasp ‘KUMASSI’ was awarded to the forces besieged within Kumassi between 31 March and 15 July 1900 and to members of the two relieving columns, under Colonel James Willcocks and Colonel A.P. Burroughs respectively.

About 4,400 silver and at least 900 bronze medals were awarded. While no British Army units took part in the campaign, 183 European officers and 80 European NCOs received the silver medal, as well as 139 European civilians and 4,000 locally recruited troops and constabulary who received the medal in silver.

The Ashanti Medal Design

The Ashanti medal was designed by George William de Saulles, it was circular and measured 36 millimeters (1.4 in) in diameter.

The obverse shows the bust of King Edward VII in Field Marshal’s uniform facing left with the inscription ‘EDWARDVS VII REX IMPERATOR’. The reverse displays the British lion standing on a rocky cliff facing a rising sun with, below, a native shield and crossed spears with a scroll bearing the inscription ‘ASHANTI’.

The medal was awarded in silver to combatants and in bronze for native carriers. The ribbon is green, measures 33 millimeters (1.3 in) wide, with three 5 millimeters (0.20 in) black stripes, one at each edge and one in the center.

The rim of the medal was impressed with the recipient’s name and unit in small square capitals. Officers’ medals often had details engraved in script.

The China War Medal (1900)

The China War Medal 1900 was a British campaign medal issued to British and Indian land and sea troops who served during the Boxer Rebellion, between 10 June and 31 December 1900 and approved on 1 January 1902.

The medal could be issued without a clasp, or with one or more of the following clasps:

  • Taku Forts: Awarded to Royal Naval personnel of the British contingent of the international fleet involved in the attack of the Taku Forts along the Peiho River on 17 June 1900.
  • Defence of Legations: Awarded a total of 132 times to Royal Marines, the British Legation Guard drawn from several regiments and to civilian volunteers who aided the defence of the Legation Quarter in Peking for 55 days between 20 June and 14 August 1900.
  • Relief of Pekin: Awarded to British and Indian army personnel and to men of the Royal Navy involved in the relief of the Legations in Peking between 10 June and 14 August 1900.

The medal was awarded to 555 naval personnel of the Colonial navies of Australia without a clasp: 256 men with the New South Wales Contingent, 197 with the Victorian, and 102 on the South Australian gunboat Protector.

The China War Medal Design

The medal was struck in silver for combatants and in bronze for native, namely Indian, bearers drivers and servants.

The obverse of the China War Medal shows a crowned and veiled effigy of Queen Victoria, facing left, with the legend “VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX” around the upper perimeter. The reverse displays the same shield bearing the Royal Arms, with a palm tree and trophy of arms behind and the inscription ‘ARMIS EXPOSCERE PACIM’ above, as found on the First and Second China War Medals. ‘CHINA 1900’ appears in the exergue below.

The ribbon measures 1.25 inches (32 mm) and is crimson with wide yellow edges.

The Queen’s Mediterranean Medal

The Queen’s Mediterranean Medal was awarded to troops who had replaced their regular Army counterparts in garrisons across the Mediterranean.

The Queen’s Mediterranean Medal was awarded to Militia troops who had replaced their regular Army counterparts in the various military garrisons across the Mediterranean, in Gibraltar, Malta and Egypt. The medal was authorized by King Edward VII and This allowed regular troops to be available for the Second Boer War.

Troops on the island of St. Helena who were guarding Boer prisoners of war in the POW camp were awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal without clasp.

The Queen’s Mediterranean Medal Design

The Queen’s Mediterranean Medal and ribbon are identical to the Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, except the inscription ‘SOUTH AFRICA’ has been replaced by the word ‘MEDITERRANEAN’ on the reverse of the medal.

No clasps were awarded with this medal.

The Queen’s South Africa Medal

The Queen’s South Africa Medal is a military decoration established in 1900 and presented to military personnel in the Boer War.

The Queen’s South Africa Medal is a military decoration of South Africa that was established in 1900. It was first presented to military personnel who fought in the Boer War from the 11th of October 1899 to 31st May 1902 and awarded to the British forces, the Royal Navy, the colonial forces; mainly from Canada, Australia, India, New Zealand, South Africa and civilians employed in official positions by the military.

The medal (without bar) was also presented to soldiers who guarded the prisoners captured in the Boer War at POW camp in St Helena. Those in the Mediterranean islands received the Queen’s Mediterranean Medal, and some troops on the ships received the Transport Medal.

Establishment:

The QSA was instituted by Queen Victoria in 1900 to honor soldiers and civilians who served in South Africa’s Boer War.

There are three known versions of the medal. Since it was expected the war would only last a short duration and conclude by 1900, the original medals were struck years 1899 to 1900 on the back.

Fifty medals were presented before it became apparent the war was not going to end any time soon. And so the remaining medals had the impressed years scrapped off. The third version of the QSA medal didn’t have the labeling of the years.

The soldiers who received this medal deserved it because they faced difficulties during the war. For instance, they fought against an enemy who was well prepared in terms of marksmanship and movement. The enemy was good at navigation and used horses to move around.

These combatants survived devoid of the basic necessities like food and water, while thousands perished from enteric fever. Casualties reached 50,000 during the war, but recent studies put the number at approximately 97,000.

A majority of those who were awarded this medal took part in the scorched earth policy during the last stage of the war that lasted twenty months. They adopted this strategy when it became clear the conventional way of fighting the enemy wasn’t working.

The Queen’s South Africa Medal Design

The QSA medal is made of silver and is about 1.5 inches in diameter. But there were versions made of bronze, which were issued to Indian non-combatants and other non-combatant groups who were in the military payroll. The silver medal was mainly awarded to the native soldiers.

Forward-face:

The front part shows a crowned and disguised model of Queen Victoria, facing the left.

Back side:

The back side was designed by G.W. de Saulles. It shows Britannia clutching at the Union Flag in the left hand and a laurel wreath on the right. In the background, soldiers can be seen marching from the coat towards the inland.

Towards the background in the left, you’ll notice two men-of-war and Britannia’s shield and Neptune’s Trident on the ground. In the top perimeter the words ‘South Africa’ is engraved.

Three versions of the back side exist;

  1. The first version is dated 1899 and 1900, with the wreath close to touching the letter ‘R’ in Africa.
  2. The years were later scrapped off both the dies and the remaining medals were still somehow visible.
  3. Minting was subsequently done with new dies, without the years and the wreath almost touching letter ‘F’ of AFRICA. This is the reverse adopted for the King’s South Africa Medal.

The Ribbons:

The Queens South Africa Medal is worn from its specific ribbon, which was first made from silk but after the 19th-century advancements, changed to cotton.

Furthermore, their colors are symbolic; the equal stripes of 1939 -1945 star are dark blue, signifying the service of the Merchant and Royal Navies, whereas red is for the Armies, and light blue for the Air Force.

The ribbon’s width varies but in general, it’s about 32mm wide. It has five stripes, each around 5 mm wide; red, dark blue, orange at the center, blue and red.

Eligibility:

Recipients of this medal are those who served from 11th October 1899 to 31st May 1902, after the British declared war against the German Empire and the armistice of 11th November 1918. Furthermore, this award was issued to the recipients of the 1914 0r 1914-15 star or those who received the British War Medal.

Clasps:

Also known as bars, clasps are common but not restricted. They are single-faced bars carried on ribbons and attached to the medal. They signify the service during particular battles.

They also have side flanges which makes it easy to attach to the medal and is riveted together to allow a new one to be added as earned.

Typically, the first clasp earned should be attached near the medal, whereas the last one earned attached at the top, but people wear them in the wrong order.

Naming:

The recipient’s details were impressed on the medal’s rim, and some officer’s medals had their details engraved.

Since its institution the Queen’s South Africa model has been awarded to more than 178,000 individuals.

More Union of South Africa Medals

The East and Central Africa Medal

The East and Central Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded for military operations in the Uganda Protectorate and Southern Sudan.

The East and Central Africa Medal is a British campaign medal established in February 1899 and awarded for minor military operations in the Uganda Protectorate and Southern Sudan between 1897 and 1899. Four separate clasps were issued.

Most medals were awarded to British-led local forces or units of the Indian Army. No British Army units were present, although a number of British officers and non commissioned officers received the medal while seconded to local units. The recipients of the Lubwa’s and Uganda 1897-98 clasps included several women who nursed the sick.

Most medals were awarded with a clasp, and there were a total of four authorized:

  • Lubwa’s: Operation against mutinous Sudanese soldiers stationed in Uganda who held Fort Lubwa’s on Lake Victoria, 23 September 1897 – 24 February 1898.
  • Uganda 1897-98: An expedition into the Teita country of Uganda, 20 July 1897 – 19 March 1898.
  • 1898: For service in quelling a rebellion by the Ogaden Somalis led by Sultan Ahmed bin Marghan, 12 April – 3 October 1898.

The East and Central Africa Medal Design

The East and Central Africa medal measures 36 millimeters (1.4 in) in diameter. It was issued in silver to all recipients, except for native porters and other authorized camp followers, who received the medal in bronze.

The obverse shows a left facing half-length figure of Queen Victoria holding the Royal Sceptre and the inscription “VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX”. The reverse, designed by G. W. de Saulles, has an image of Britannia standing and facing right, holding a trident and palm branch, while behind is a lion and the rising sun. Below is the inscription “EAST & CENTRAL AFRICA”.

The ribbon measures 31.7 millimeters (1.25 in) wide and is half yellow and half red, with the yellow to the left when facing the wearer.

The Queen’s Sudan Medal

The Queen’s Sudan Medal was awarded to British and Egyptian forces which had taken part in the Sudan campaign between 1896 and 1898.

The Queen’s Sudan Medal was awarded to British and Egyptian forces which had taken part in the Sudan campaign between June 1896 and September 1898, and authorized in March 1899.

The campaign reflected the British desire to reverse the defeats of the Mahdist War in the 1880’s, as well as concern that France and other European powers would take advantage of Sudan’s instability to acquire parts of its territory.

Initially only the Egyptian Army was engaged. British Army units joined from early 1898, with two British brigades being present at the decisive victory at Omdurman on 2 September 1898.

The Queen’s Sudan Medal Design

The Queen’s Sudan medal is circular and measures 36.5 millimeters (1.44 in) in diameter. It was awarded in silver to soldiers of the British and Egyptian armies, and in bronze to a small number of non-combatants, mainly officers’ servants, and grooms from the Indian Army.

The obverse shows a half length crowned figure of Queen Victoria and has the legend VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX. The reverse displays a plinth inscribed SUDAN supported by Nile lilies, where a figure of victory sits holding a laurel wreath and a palm branch. Behind her are the British and Egyptian flags.

The ribbon measures 31.7 millimeters (1.25 in) wide ribbon is half yellow, half black with a thin dividing red stripe. No clasps were awarded for this medal.

The Ashanti Star

The Ashanti Star was a British medal awarded to members of the expedition against the Ashanti King Prempeh, in the Fourth Anglo-Ashanti War.

The Ashanti Star was a British medal awarded to members of the expedition against the Ashanti King Prempeh, in the Fourth Anglo-Ashanti War that lasted from December 1895 to February 1896. The medal was established in 1896.

The forces who qualified for the medal included the second Battalion of the West Yorkshire Regiment and a composite battalion consisting of between 16 and 26 men from each of the three regiments of Foot Guards and from eight infantry regiments. About half the troops deployed were locally recruited Hausa forces. Three Nursing Sisters were also present and received the medal.

The Ashanti Medal Design

The design of the Ashanti medal is attributed to Princess Beatrice, Queen Victoria’s youngest daughter (whose husband, Prince Henry of Battenberg, died of malaria during the campaign).

The medal measures 38mm wide, it’s suspended by a loop and ring, and is a bronze four pointed star superimposed on a saltire cross.

The obverse shows a central medallion with a circlet inscribed “Ashanti 1896”, surrounding an imperial crown. The reverse displays within a circular central recess the inscription “From the Queen”, the rest of the reverse surface is plain.

The ribbon measures 31 millimeters (1.2 in) wide, yellow with two black stripes. The medal was awarded unnamed, except to members of the West Yorkshire Regiment, whose colonel had the medals engraved at his own expense.

The India General Service Medal (1895)

The India Medal is a campaign medal issued to officers and men of the British and Indian armies and approved in 1896. 

The India Medal is a campaign medal issued to officers and men of the British and Indian armies and approved in 1896. The India Medal was awarded for various minor military campaigns in India, chiefly for service on the North-West Frontier during 1895 to 1902.

This medal replaced the India General Service Medal (1854). Each campaign was represented by a clasp on the ribbon; seven were sanctioned.

The following clasps were issued with the medal:

  • Defence of Chitral 1895: 3 March – 13 April 1895
  • Relief of Chitral 1895: 7 March – 15 August 1895
  • Punjab Frontier 1897–98: 10 June 1897 – 6 April 1898
  • Malakand 1897: 26 July – 2 August 1897 (Awarded to troops involved in the Siege of Malakand.)
  • Samana 1897: 2 August – 2 October 1897
  • Tirah 1897–98: 2 October 1897 – 6 April 1898
  • Waziristan 1901–02: 23 November 1901 – 10 March 1902

The India General Service Medal Design

The medal was awarded in silver to soldiers of the British and Indian armies, and in bronze to native bearers and servants.

The obverse shows the profile of Queen Victoria or, for those awarded the medal with the Waziristan 1901–02 clasp, King Edward VII. The reverse portrays a British and an Indian soldier together carrying a standard with the inscription “India 1895”, although the Edward VII version omits the date.

The ribbon measures 1.25 inches (32 mm) wide and has five equal stripes of red, green, red, green, red.

The East and West Africa Medal

The East and West Africa Medal was a campaign medal awarded for minor campaigns that took place in East and West Africa around 1887.

The East and West Africa Medal was a campaign medal awarded for minor campaigns that took place in East and West Africa between 1887. The medal was established in 1892, and a total of twenty one clasps were issued. Most medals were granted to personnel from either the Royal Navy, the West India Regiment or British led local forces, including locally recruited police. 

Awards of the medal covered punitive expeditions against local tribesmen, generally in response to attacks against Europeans or neighboring tribes, or for operations to suppress slavery.

A total of 21 clasps were awarded. Those who qualified for a second or subsequent clasp received the new clasp only to be attached to their existing medal. While the majority of recipients only qualified for one clasp, medals have been seen with as many as seven.

The East and West Africa Medal Design

The East and West Africa was designed by Sir Edward Poynter.

The obverse bears a left-facing portrait of Queen Victoria with the inscription “VICTORIA REGINA”. The reverse has an image of British soldiers fighting Africans in dense jungle.

The medal was issued in silver to officers and men of the British led forces. It was also awarded in bronze to native porters with some clasps. The ribbon measures 31.7 millimeters (1.25 in) wide and is yellow with black edges and two black stripes towards the center.