- Time Period: Pre-WW1
- Year of Institution: 1810
- Country: Great Britain
The Medal for the capture of Rodriguez, Isle of Bourbon and Isle of France is a campaign medal awarded by the Governor-General of India to native Indian soldiers of the East India Company (EIC), the Bengal and Bombay Armies who took part in the capture of three French islands on the Indian Ocean.
These actions included the Island of Rodriguez in July 1809; the Isle of Bourbon (now Réunion) in July 1810; and the Isle de France (now Mauritius) in November 1810. Only 200 EIC troops were present in Rodrigues, the smallest, while the Isle de France involved 10,000 British and Indian forces.
The medal was authorized in September 1811 by Lord Minto, the Governor-General of India, and the medals were completed and distributed in 1813. A total of 2,201 medals were issued, with native Indian officers awarded the medal in gold (45 awarded) and other ranks receiving silver medals (2,156 awarded).
The Medal for Capture of Rodriguez, Isle of Bourbon and Isle of France Design
The medal was struck at the Calcutta Mint in gold or silver and measures 49 mm in diameter.
The obverse depicts a sepoy standing in front of a field gun, holding a Union Jack in his right hand and a musket with a fixed bayonet in his left. His foot tramples the French colors and Imperial Eagle, while the British fleet is at anchor is in the background.
The reverse bears an inscription in Persian, within a wreath, that translates as: “This medal was conferred in commemoration of the bravery and accustomed fidelity exhibited by the Sepoys of the English Company in the capture of the Mauritius Islands in the Hijri year 1226″. Around the edge and outside the wreath, is the English inscription: “RODRIGUES VI JULY MDCCCIX. BOURBON VIII JULY & ISLE OF FRANCE III DEC. MDCCCX”.
The medal was issued unnamed with a flattened loop for suspension, through which passed a yellow cord allowed the medal to be worn around the neck.
