"Barracouta," "Barrossa," "Beagle," "Blonde," "Doris," "Dwarf,"
"Fearless," "Forte," "Gibraltar," "Magicienne," "Magpie," "Monarch,"
"Naiad," "Niobe," "Partridge," "Pearl," "Pelorus," "Philomel,"
"Powerful," "Racoon," "Rambler," "Rattler," "Redbreast," "Sappho,"
"Sybille," "Tartar," "Terpsichore," "Terrible," "Thesis," "Thrush," and
"Widgeon."
=Africa General Service Medal.=--This medal, described on page 254,
was awarded to the army and navy. It was instituted by King Edward VII
to commemorate and recognise the naval and military operations in East
Central and West Africa, and on its institution the East and West and
Central Africa medals were no longer issued.
=Jubaland.=--The medal with bar for JUBALAND for the operations against
the Ogaden Somalis, from November 16th, 1900, to April 30th, 1901, was
awarded to the officers and men of the Royal Navy and marines from
H.M.S. "Magicienne," "Terpsichore," and "Scout."
=Gambia, 1901.=--Those members of the crews of H.M. ships who had
received the Africa General Service medal with the bar for JUBALAND
were not entitled to this bar.
=Aro, 1901-2.=--The crew of H.M.S. "Thrush" took part in the operations
against the Aro tribe from November 15th, 1901, to March 23rd, 1902
(see also page 255). The naval recipients of the medal with the bar for
ARO 1901-2 were 53 of the crew of the "Thrush," and 3 officers and 27
sailors belonging to the Protectorate gunboat "Jackdaw."
=Somaliland, 1902-4.=--In this campaign men belonging to the following
ships participated in the expedition under Colonel Rochfort, C.B.,
C.M.G., and were entitled to this bar: H.M.S. "Cossack," "Dryad,"
"Fox," "Highflyer," "Harrier," "Hussar," "Hyacinth," "Mohawk,"
"Merlin," "Naiad," "Perseus," "Porpoise," "Pomone," and "Redbreast"
(see also page 256).
=Somaliland, 1908-10.=--This bar was awarded with the medal to
those who took part in the campaign. Men from H.M.S. "Hyacinth" and
"Proserpine" were engaged.
=Transport Medal.=--King Edward VII, on his birthday, November 9th,
1903, instituted a medal which was granted as a special recognition
of the magnificent work done, and for the nautical skill and perfect
efficiency shown, by those who were engaged in connection with the
Transport Service during the China and South Africa campaigns. On the
obverse is the bust of King Edward VII, facing left, in the uniform of
an Admiral of the Fleet, wearing his orders and decorations, and the
legend EDWARDVS VII REX IMPERATOR. On the reverse, in the foreground,
is a large liner ("Ophir") ploughing through the sea; above is a map of
the world on Mercator's projection, which embraces the British Empire
from the West Indies to New Zealand, but, owing to the circular form
of the medal, omits the North American Continent; below is the legend
OB PATRIAM MILITIBUS PER MARE TRANSVECTIS ADJUTAM. The medal, 1⅖ in.
in diameter, is suspended by means of a straight swivel bar from a
red ribbon, with two blue stripes each ¼ in. broad. The names are
impressed round the edge of the medal in capital letters. The official
announcement of the issue stated that the "Transport Medal shall be
granted in future wars to the Officers of the Mercantile Marine serving
in the transports" whenever a war medal is granted for the campaign.
These medals have realised from £2 to £4 each at public auction.
MERITORIOUS SERVICE MEDALS
Under this heading I might have placed several of those earlier medals
which were awarded when campaign medals had not been instituted, but
the record for our purpose may begin with the institution of the
Meritorious Service Medal on December 19th, 1845, when Her Majesty
Queen Victoria decreed that a sum of not more than £2,000 per annum
should be set aside for the payment of rewards in the form of annuities
not exceeding £20, to sergeants recommended by the Commander-in-Chief
in recognition of meritorious or distinguished services. The sum for
disbursement was increased to £4,000 in June 1853. This medal bears
on the obverse the diademed head of Queen Victoria, with the legend
VICTORIA REGINA, and generally has the date of institution in the
exergue, but in some of the earlier, and in the later issues also, the
date is omitted. On the reverse (as illustrated facing page 136) is
the inscription FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE, surmounted by a crown, and
encircled by a broad wreath of laurel. The suspender is of the same
pattern as that issued with the India 1854 medal, and the decoration
depends from a red ribbon 1¼ in. wide when worn by military sergeants,
and a blue ribbon by sergeants of marines, who in 1849 were also
granted the medal. Until November 1902 this medal could not be worn
with the L.S. and G.C. medal. These medals realise from £3 to £4 10_s._
in the sale-room.
[Illustration: SILVER CROSS FOR SAN SEBASTIAN, 1846.
Awarded to Staff-Surgeon Chas. Benson Brearey, M.D.]
[Illustration: IRON CROSS FOR SAN SEBASTIAN, 1836.
Awarded to Staff-Surgeon John Callender.]
=H.E.I. Co.'s Meritorious Service Medal.=--On May 20th, 1848, the
Governor-General of India instituted a medal for meritorious service
for distribution among the East India Company's troops. On the obverse
is the bust of Queen Victoria as on the war medals of the period,
with the date 1848 in the exergue, and on the reverse the arms of the
Company encircled by the inscription FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE. The medal
is 1¼ in. in diameter, and was suspended by a scroll clasp as used with
the Sutlej medal by a red ribbon 1¼ in. wide. The name of the recipient
was engraved in a neat running hand upon the edge of the medal. The
issue of this medal was discontinued when the English variety was
instituted. These medals have realised from £3 10_s._ to £5.
=Distinguished Conduct Medal.=--The next in chronological order is the
medal for Distinguished Conduct in the Field, and was instituted on
December 4th, 1854, as an indication of the "Sovereign's sense of the
distinguished service and gallant conduct in the field of the army then
serving in the Crimea." It was awarded to non-commissioned officers
and privates only, and has since been given for gallant service in
many other campaigns. By the decree the medal could be awarded after
selection by the commanding officer. Originally a gratuity went with
the medal, but that was discontinued in 1862. In 1881 it was decided
that a bar bearing the full date of the action for which it was awarded
should be given to a recipient who had again distinguished himself.
The obverse is like the Queen Victoria Long Service Medal, and on the
reverse is the inscription FOR DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT IN THE FIELD.
The same kind of clasp as used with the Meritorious Service Medal is
employed for suspension by a red ribbon with a broad blue stripe down
the centre. The first medals issued had the name, rank, regiment, etc.,
impressed or engraved upon the edge in Roman capitals, but the modern
medals are engraved, and generally bear the date of the action, while
those issued during the reign of King Edward VII were impressed in
small block capitals.
These medals (see facing page 140) realise from £4 to £7 7_s._ in the
sale-room, generally with a war medal representing the campaign in
which it was gained. Groups are relatively higher.
=Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.=--This medal was instituted on August
13th, 1855, as a reward to petty officers, sailors, non-commissioned
officers, and privates in the marines who had distinguished themselves
in the Crimean War. With it gratuities were given ranging from £5 to
£15. In 1874, after the Ashantee War, it was again decided to issue the
medal, and to grant annuities to chief and first-class petty officers,
and sergeants of marines, whenever the annual grant authorised by the
Treasury had not been exceeded. This medal has the same obverse as the
Meritorious Service Medal, and the reverse is practically the same,
except for the inscription, which is FOR CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY. The
first medals issued were struck from the same die as the Meritorious
Service Medal, the second and third lines being erased, and the words
CONSPICUOUS GALLANTRY engraved in Roman capitals. The suspender in the
first issue was the same as that used with the sister medal for the
army, but in the second issue, which commenced in 1874, a straight bar
was used for suspension from a blue ribbon with a broad white stripe
down the centre. The names on these medals are engraved in capital
Roman letters like the naming on the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
The medal issued during the reign of King Edward VII bore upon the
obverse the same bust of His Majesty in Admiral's uniform as is used on
the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct medals granted by him. These
medals realise from £3 10_s._ to £5, but a medal of the first issue,
together with the Baltic medal awarded to George Belding of H.M.S.
"Firefly," realised £59.
=The Victoria Cross.=--This coveted decoration was first suggested by
the Prince Consort, and Queen Victoria being desirous of taking into
her royal consideration a means of adequately rewarding the individual
gallant services, either of officers of the lower grades in the naval
and military service, or of warrant and petty officers, seamen, and
marines, ordained by Royal Warrant on June 29th, 1856, that "the cross
shall only be awarded to those officers or men who have served us in
the presence of the enemy, and shall have performed some signal act of
valour or devotion to their country." With the cross an annuity of £10
is awarded to warrant officers, seamen and marines, non-commissioned
officers, and privates, and for each additional bar £5 per annum is
added to the annuity. In July 1898, owing to the unfortunate condition
to which a recipient had been reduced, and so induced to sell his
cross, it was decided that the Home Secretary might, in his discretion,
increase the annuity to £50. On April 23rd, 1881, the warrant was
revised to enable officers of any grade to receive the medal, and on
August 8th, 1902, King Edward sanctioned the posthumous award of the
cross, and of its issue to relatives of deceased men who had earned it;
prior to this the brave fellows' names had been gazetted only. The new
regulation was retrospective, so that the surviving representatives of
men who had earned the cross as long ago as the Indian Mutiny received
the bronze token of their relative's valour.
The cross (facing page 136) carries with it the right to append V.C.
after the recipient's name.
The cross is made from captured cannon, and is not, as is generally and
wrongly described, a Maltese cross, but a cross patée. It bears in the
centre of the obverse the royal crest of a lion passant gardant upon
the British crown, with a ribbon inscribed FOR VALOUR in a semicircle
beneath it, the ends tucked under the raised edge. The cross has a
pierced semicircular lug, through which a simple link is run to attach
the cross to the laureated suspender by a V. The obverse has raised
edges like the front, but the centre is circular. The name, rank,
regiment or ship to which the recipient was attached is engraved upon
the back of the suspender, and the record of the act which gained the
decoration inside the circle on the back of the cross. The cross is
suspended by a dark-red ribbon, 1½ in. wide, by military recipients,
and by a dark-blue ribbon by naval recipients. The cross, owing to the
fact that it is cast and chased, has often been copied, and I have
had in my possession one which, but for its size, would have deceived
experts, but it had the faults of all cast copies, having shrunk in
the casting, and this is the one way of telling a fraud, although
it generally needs the genuine article for comparison. The V.C. has
realised in the sale-room from £43 for a lieutenant's won in the Mutiny
to £175 for a private's won before Sebastopol.
The only Victoria Cross awarded for gallant services not in "the
presence of the enemy" was given to Private Timothy O'Hea for
extinguishing a fire in an ammunition van during the Fenian Raid in
Canada, 1866. It sold in August 1900 for £50.
=The Albert Medal.=--The Albert Medal, commonly called "The Civilian's
Victoria Cross," was originally instituted by Queen Victoria under a
Royal Warrant dated March 7th, 1866, as a reward for heroic actions
performed in saving life at sea. On April 12th, 1867, the Warrant was
revoked by a second which instituted two new decorations respectively
styled The Albert Medal of the First Class and The Albert Medal of the
Second Class, the original Warrant instituting one class only. Ten
years later, on April 30th, 1877, Her Majesty Queen Victoria signed
another Warrant which extended the decorations to cases of gallantry in
saving life on land.
[Illustration: BRONZE MEDAL GIVEN BY LEOPOLD, GRAND DUKE OF BADEN, "TO
THE BRAVE ARMY OF LIBERATION," 1849.]
[Illustration: BRONZE MEDAL GIVEN BY LEOPOLD, GRAND DUKE OF BADEN, "FOR
FAITHFUL SERVICE IN WAR."]
[Illustration: SILVER MEDAL FOR SAN SEBASTIAN, 1836.]
By the Warrant of April 12th, 1867, it was ordained that the
Albert Medal of the First and Second Classes, severally inscribed
"For Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea," should be made only on a
recommendation by the President of the Board of Trade; and in the
Warrant dated April 30th, 1877, it was ordained that the award of the
Albert Medal of the First and Second Classes, inscribed "For Gallantry
in Saving Life on Land," should be made only on a recommendation by the
First Lord of the Treasury. On September 13th, 1881, an amended Warrant
was issued, ordaining that the award of the Albert Medal should be
made only on a recommendation by the Principal Secretary of State for
the Home Department, "Providing always that the preliminary steps and
inquiry concerning the award of the Albert Medals severally inscribed
'For Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea' be, as heretofore, with the
President of the Board of Trade." By Warrant dated April 30th, 1877,
it was ordained that a register of the names of those who received the
Albert Medal for Saving Life at Sea should be kept at the office of
the Board of Trade. By Warrant dated Whitehall, March 24th, 1891, the
previous Warrants bearing the dates April 30th, 1877, and September
13th, 1881, respectively, were amended, and it was ordained that the
award of the Albert Medal for Saving Life at Sea should be made only
on a recommendation of the Principal Secretary of State for the Home
Department, "Provided always that the preliminary steps and inquiry
concerning the award shall, if the award be to any one belonging to
the Royal Navy or the Royal Marines, be with the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty, and in other cases with the President of the Board
of Trade." Further, that a register of the names of those persons
belonging to the Royal Navy or Royal Marines, upon whom the Albert
Medal for Saving Life at Sea shall have been conferred, shall be kept
at the offices of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. (See group
facing p. 184.)
=Distinguished Service Order.=--By a Royal Warrant dated September
6th, 1866, Her Majesty Queen Victoria instituted the Distinguished
Service Order for the purpose of recognising the special services of
commissioned officers of the Army and Navy, likewise the Indian and
Colonial Naval and Military Forces.
The badge consists of a gold cross patée, convexed, the ground
enamelled white, leaving an edge of gold; on the obverse, in the
centre, within two sprigs of laurel, enamelled green, is the Imperial
Crown in gold, upon a red enamelled ground. On the reverse is the
monogram V.R.I. within two branches of laurel, also upon a red
enamelled ground. The badge is worn suspended from the left breast by
a red ribbon edged with blue, 1 in. in width, from a gold laureated
bar 1⅕ in. wide, fastened to the badge by two gold loops, and having
a similar gold laureated bar with brooch attachment above. The award
carries with it the right to append the letters D.S.O. after the
recipient's name. (See facing page 208.)
=The New Zealand Cross.=--This was instituted by Order in Council at
the Government House, Wellington, March 10th, 1869, and afterwards
sanctioned by Her Majesty as "a Decorative Distinction to be conferred
on members of the Militia, Volunteers, or Armed Constabulary, who may
particularly distinguish themselves by their bravery in action, or
devotion to their duty while on service." The conditions are almost
exactly similar to those for the Victoria Cross, and the recipient
received an annual pension of £10.
It is a silver Maltese cross, with bright silver double borders, having
a six-pointed gold star on each arm. In the centre, in a circle,
NEW ZEALAND surrounded by a wreath of laurel in gold. The cross is
surmounted by a gold crown and attached to a crimson ribbon--1½ in.
wide--by a silver bar ornamented with laurel, in gold, connected by
a V and ring, in silver, with the top of the crown. The name of the
recipient and the date of the action should be engraved on the back
of the cross. Clasps may be added for additional acts of bravery or
devotion. The clasp to be a silver bar across the ribbon, having a
plain surface burnished and inscribed with the date of the occurrence
for which the bar is given, and the name of the action--if any.
Twenty-one officers and men have received this decoration. These
crosses have realised from £15 to £25.
=India Distinguished Service Medal.=--This medal was instituted on
June 28th, 1907, by an Army Order published in Simla as a reward
for both commissioned and non-commissioned officers of the regular
and other forces in India. It bears on the obverse the bust of King
Edward VII, and on the reverse a laurel wreath encircling the words
FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE. The medal, 1⅖ in. in diameter, is ordered
to be worn immediately to the right of all war medals, suspended by a
red ribbon 1¼ in. wide, with blue edges ⅜ in. wide. This medal may be
conferred by the Viceroy of India.
=Conspicuous Service Cross.=--This cross was instituted by King Edward
VII on June 28th, 1901, as a reward for "distinguished service before
the enemy," for bestowal upon warrant officers and subordinate officers
of the fleet who do not hold commissions in the navy. No person can be
nominated for the cross unless his services shall have been marked by
a special mention of his name in dispatches by the Admiral, or senior
naval or military officer commanding the squadron or detached force.
The cross (facing page 208) is of silver, patée in form, and convex. It
bears on the obverse the monogram E.R.I. surrounded by a raised border,
surmounted by the imperial crown, with ring for suspension from a blue
ribbon with a white stripe down the centre like that used for the
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. The reverse is plain. The recipient has
the right to append the letters C.S.C. to his name.
=Indian Order of Merit.=--This reward of valour takes chronological
precedence over those decorations already described. It was instituted
by the H.E.I. Co. in 1837, to reward personal bravery without any
reference to length of service or good conduct, and is the Sepoy's
Victoria Cross (facing page 136.)
It is divided into three classes and is awarded to native officers and
men for distinguished conduct in the field. On the advancement from
one class to another the star is surrendered to the Government, and
the superior class substituted, but in the event of the death of the
recipient his relatives retain the decoration. The order carries with
it an increase of one-third in the pay of the recipient, and in the
event of his death the allowance is continued to his widow for three
years. The First Class consists of a star of eight points, 1⅗ in. in
diameter, having in the centre a ground of dark-blue enamel bearing
crossed swords in gold, within a gold circle, and the inscription
REWARD OF VALOUR, the whole being surmounted by two wreaths of laurel
in gold. The Second Class star is of silver, with the wreaths of laurel
in gold; and the Third Class entirely of silver. The decoration is
suspended from a simple loop and bar from a dark-blue ribbon 1½ in.
in width with red edges, bearing a gold or silver buckle according to
class.
The Indian Order of Merit realises from £2 10_s._ to £8 8_s._ in the
sale-room according to class and action for which it was awarded. It is
noteworthy, however, that in June 1900 the following prices were paid
in the auction-room: First Class, £58; Second Class, £40; and Third
Class, £35. When the order is unnamed, as it was issued, and there is
no record of the services for which it was earned, prices invariably
range lower than these.
=Order of British India.=--This order was instituted at the same time
as the Order of Merit, to reward native commissioned officers for long
and faithful service in the Indian Army. Since 1878, however, any
person, European or native, holding a commission in a native regiment,
became eligible for admission to the Order without reference to creed
or colour. The First Class consists of a gold eight-pointed radiated
star 1½ in. in diameter. The centre is occupied by a lion statant
gardant upon a ground of light-blue enamel, within a dark-blue band
inscribed ORDER OF BRITISH INDIA, and encircled by two laurel wreaths
of gold. A gold loop and ring are attached to the crown for suspension
from a broad ornamental band ⁹⁄₁₀ in. in diameter, through which the
ribbon, once blue, now red, is passed for suspension from the neck.
The Second Class is 1⁷⁄₁₀ in. in diameter with dark-blue enamelled
centre; there is no crown on this class, and the suspender is formed
of an ornamental gold loop. The reverse is plain in both classes. The
First Class carries with it the title Sirdar Bahadur, and an additional
allowance of two rupees a day; and the second the title of Bahadur, and
an extra allowance of one rupee per day.
=India Meritorious Service Medal.=--This was instituted on July 27th,
1888, and on receipt of the medal the order states "a non-commissioned
officer must surrender his Long Service and Good Conduct medal"; but
on being promoted to a commission he may retain the M.S. medal, but
the annuity attached to it will cease. On the obverse is the diademed
bust of Queen Victoria facing left, with a veil falling over the crown
behind, encircled by the legend VICTORIA KAISAR-I-HIND. On the reverse
is a wreath of lotus leaves enclosing a wreath of palm tied at the
base, having a star beneath; between the two wreaths is the inscription
FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE. Within the palm wreath is the word INDIA. The
medal, 1⅖ in. in diameter, is suspended from a scroll by means of a red
ribbon 1¼ in. wide.
The medals issued during the reigns of Queen Victoria's successors
bear on the obverse their bust in profile with the legend altered to
EDWARDVS or GEORGIVS. The Victoria medals have realised from £3 3_s._
to £4 10_s._, and those of King Edward £4 to £5.
=Egyptian Medal for Bravery.=--As a means of rewarding N.C.O.'s and
men of the Egyptian Army who distinguish themselves on the field of
battle, the Khedive Abbas II instituted in May 1913 the silver medal
illustrated. It is 1⅞ in. in diameter and depends from a pale-blue
ribbed ribbon and a suspender of the same pattern as the British
Distinguished Conduct Medal. It bears on the obverse the cypher of
Abbas Hilmi El Thani (Abbas II) and on the reverse in the upper half of
the field FOR BRAVERY, and in the lower half in Arabic characters EL
SHAHAMA, which is the equivalent of the English lettering above it.