Towards the end of the last century the officers of a few regiments
instituted Orders of Merit, and gave medals to their men as rewards for
particular acts of gallantry, distinguished service in the field, long
service, good conduct, etc. These medals were not issued by the
Government, but were presented by the officers of the different
regiments at their own expense. They were generally discontinued on the
institution of the medal for long service and good conduct by William
IV. in 1830.
Subjoined is a List of the principal Regimental Medals known. It is not
exhaustive, and exigences of space compel the omission of detailed
descriptions of each medal. Of some of them, especially those struck in
gold, and given as a reward for a special act of bravery, but a single
specimen was ever issued, and of many of those in silver but one or two
specimens are known. When bestowed as a reward for gallant conduct, the
names of the battles in which the recipient had been engaged were
usually engraved on the medal. They were generally in silver, but were
sometimes struck in bronze and white metal.
One of the first regiments to introduce a system of honourable
distinction in its ranks was the 5th. Fusiliers. The medals were of
three classes—worn, suspended by a green ribbon, from a button-hole of
the left lapel. The first, or lowest class, which was given to such men
as had served irreproachably for seven years, was made of bronze, having
on the obverse the badge of the regiment, St. George and the Dragon,
with the motto “Quo fata vocant”; and on the reverse, within a laurel
wreath, “Vth. Foot, Merit, March 10th., 1767.” The second class was
silver, having on the reverse the words “Reward of fourteen years’
Military Merit.” The third was similar to the second, but was inscribed
with the name of the individual whose conduct had earned it,—“A. B., for
twenty-one years’ good and faithful service as a soldier, has received
from his commanding officers this honourable testimony of his merit.”
These medals were bestowed only upon soldiers who, for the respective
periods of seven, fourteen, or twenty-one years, had never incurred the
censure of a court-martial. They were given by the commanding officer at
the head of the assembled battalion; and if, which rarely happened, the
owner of a medal subsequently forfeited his pretensions to enrolment
among the men of merit, his medal was cut from his breast by the
drum-major as publicly as he had been invested with it. Those who
obtained the third, or twenty-one years’ medal, had also an oval badge
of the colour of their facings on the right breast, embroidered round
with gold and silver wreaths, and inscribed in the centre with the word
“Merit” in gold letters.[232]
The 5th. Fusiliers being one of the earliest, if not the first regiment
to reward meritorious soldiers with medals, has been placed first in the
list, as a typical example how regimental decorations were commonly won
and conferred.
ROYAL ARTILLERY.—In 1813 a troop of the Royal Horse Artillery was
armed with rockets, and served in the battle of Vittoria, and
afterwards at Leipsic, in the German Allied Army, against the French.
A silver medal was given to the men of the rocket troop, who were
present at these battles, inscribed “Vittoria and Leipsic,” but by
whom is not known.
NINTH LANCERS.—1837. Silver. Two sizes. Ribbon, red with blue edges.
TENTH HUSSARS.—1843–46. Silver. Ribbon, dark blue.
TWELFTH LANCERS.—Silver.
FOURTEENTH HUSSARS.—1812. Silver. Ribbon, red.
SIXTEENTH LANCERS.—1813. A large Maltese cross. Silver. Given by
Lieutenant-General Sir J. Vandeleur.
SEVENTEENTH LANCERS.—A small engraved gold medal, presented by the
non-commissioned officers and privates of Captain Willett’s troop to
Troop Sergeant-Major Farley.
TWENTY-SECOND LIGHT DRAGOONS.—“Reward of Merit.” 1815. Silver. Ribbon,
yellow.
FIRST FOOT.—1847. Silver. Ribbon, red.
SECOND FOOT.—A Maltese cross, in bronze for six years’ service; in
silver for ten years. Ribbon, dark blue.
THIRD BUFFS.—Gold medal given to Lieutenant Latham. (See page 129).
SEVENTH FOOT.—1788. Silver and bronze. Ribbon, dark blue.
NINTH FOOT.—Silver. Ribbon, yellow.
TENTH FOOT.—“For Expertness in Ball-firing.” Bronze. Ribbon, yellow.
THIRTEENTH FOOT.—Medal of Merit. Gold for twenty years’ good conduct;
silver for fourteen, ten, and seven year. Also a silver badge of a
bugle and sphinx. Ribbon, yellow with red edges.
SIXTEENTH FOOT.—1838. A Temperance Medal. Silver.
SEVENTEENTH FOOT.—1816. Reward of Merit. Silver. Ribbon, blue.
TWENTIETH FOOT.—1838. Gold and silver, with an ornamental clasp.
Ribbon, yellow. The silver medal was a reward for good shooting.
TWENTY-SECOND FOOT.—Order of Merit. 1785. Silver gift for twenty-one
years’ good conduct; silver for fourteen years; and bronze for seven.
Ribbon, blue or yellow.
TWENTY-THIRD FOOT.—1816. Silver. Engraved. Ribbon, red, blue edges.
TWENTY-SIXTH FOOT.—1823. Silver and bronze. Ribbon, red with yellow
edges.
THIRTY-FIRST FOOT.—In 1804 a gold medal was presented to Private W.
Pentency and his two companions, for their bravery in extinguishing a
fire in the powder magazine at St. Heliers, Jersey.
THIRTY-FOURTH FOOT.—1836–43. Silver, of large size, with a bar.
THIRTY-SEVENTH FOOT.—1843. Gold and silver for the best marksmen. Also
a large oval badge. Silver. Ribbon, red, with blue edges.
THIRTY-EIGHTH FOOT.—Silver and bronze.
FORTIETH FOOT.—Silver. Struck to commemorate the gallant defence of
German Town, a village six miles from Philadelphia, and repulse of the
Americans, by this regiment, under Lieutenant-Colonel Musgrave.
October 4th., 1777. Suspended by a narrow dark blue string.
[Illustration: A line drawing showing the obverse and reverse of a
circular military medal. The left side features a laurel wreath with
text '40 Regt GERMAN TOWN OCT 4 1777'. The right side depicts a battle
scene at a large house with 'Reward of Merit' inscribed above.]
FORTY-SECOND FOOT.—1819. Silver. Three varieties.[233] Ribbon, red,
with blue edges; also a circular badge in the form of a garter, given
to the best marksman.
FORTY-THIRD FOOT.—Medal “Presented by the officers of the regiment to
Private Henry Wharton,”—who served seven campaigns in Spain and
France.
FORTY-FOURTH FOOT.—1812. Silver. A Forlorn Hope medal.
FORTY-FIFTH FOOT.—A gold oval medal, presented by the inhabitants of
Wexford, 1793, to Lieutenant-Colonel Oliver Nicolls.
FORTY-SIXTH FOOT.—Silver.
FORTY-EIGHTH FOOT.—1819. Silver. Engraved. Ribbon, red with blue
edges.
FORTY-NINTH FOOT.—1837. Silver. A temperance medal.
FIFTY-SECOND FOOT.—1812–13. Silver. A Forlorn Hope medal, given to
volunteers in the assault on Badajoz and San Sebastian. Ribbon, red,
with blue edges.
FIFTY-THIRD FOOT.—1812. A silver plate, with an engraved clasp.
Ribbon, blue and red. This decoration was given to fifteen sergeants
for distinguished conduct in the Peninsula.
FIFTY-FIFTH FOOT.—A small Maltese cross. Silver. Given to marksmen.
FIFTY-SIXTH FOOT.—Silver. A temperance medal, with a bar.
FIFTY-SEVENTH FOOT.—1798. A social medal for officers.
FIFTY-EIGHT FOOT.—“Gibraltar, 1782.” A gilt medal.
SIXTY-SECOND FOOT.—Silver. A good conduct medal.
SEVENTIETH FOOT.—Silver. Given to marksmen.
SEVENTY-FIRST FOOT.—Silver. Given for long service. Four varieties.
Also, a silver star—a prize for marksmen. Ribbon, red with blue edges.
SEVENTY-THIRD FOOT.[234]—Silver. “Prize for the best marksman.”
SEVENTY-FOURTH FOOT.—1814. Silver. Given in three classes. First, to
men who had been in eight or nine general actions. Second, to those
present in six or more. Third, to those who had been in four or
upwards. The different classes vary slightly in size, and the names of
the battles are engraved on the medal. Specimens were also issued in
bronze. Ribbon, yellow. Permission was granted by the
Commander-in-Chief to wear this medal.
SEVENTY-SIXTH FOOT.—1837. Silver. Prize for best shot.
SEVENTY-SEVENTH FOOT.—1818. Silver. For services in the Peninsula.
Ribbon, red, with blue edges.
SEVENTY-NINTH FOOT.—1819. Silver, for fourteen years’, and bronze for
seven years’ good conduct. Ribbon, dark green.
EIGHTY-EIGHTH FOOT.—1818. Silver. In three classes. First class, a
large Maltese cross, given to men present in twelve general actions;
the names of the battles being inscribed on the arms of the cross.
Second class, a medal bestowed on men present in six to eleven general
actions. Third class, a similar medal, but smaller, given to men
present in six, or less number of actions. All the medals had a bar
for suspension. Ribbon, red, with blue edges. Seventy first class
crosses, one hundred and forty-five second class, and two hundred and
seventeen third class medals, were issued.
NINETY-FOURTH FOOT.—Silver; with a clasp inscribed “Peninsula,”
Ribbon, red, with blue edges.
NINETY-FIFTH FOOT (Rifle Brigade).—1807–13. Silver medals were given
to eleven sergeants for their gallant conduct at the storming of Monte
Video, 1807. A Forlorn Hope medal for San Sebastian, 1813. Also, a
Maltese cross (silver), a prize for marksmen.
NINETY-SIXTH FOOT.—A silver star. Prize for the best marksman.
NINETY-SEVENTH FOOT (Queen’s German Regiment).—1801. Silver.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIRST FOOT (First Bengal Europeans).—1837. Silver.
Good conduct medal.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTH FOOT.—1780. Silver.
SECOND WEST INDIA REGIMENT.—1846. Bronze, silver-gilt.