The medal was awarded to all troops both of the Crown and of the Company that were actually present at the siege and capture of the fortress, July 21, 22, and 23, 1839.
3. Syria, 1840.—Awarded by the Sultan of Turkey, 1841. Obverse: A fortress on which the Turkish flag is flying, and above six stars; below, in Turkish, “The People of Syria; and the Citadel of Acre, A.H. 1258.” Reverse: Cypher of the Sultan, within a laurel wreath. Ribbon: Red with white edges. Clasps:Nil.
The St Jean d’Acre medal, as it is commonly called, was awarded to the officers and men of the British fleet that were engaged in the operations off the coast of Syria, against Mehemet Ali, which culminated in the bombardment and capture of St Jean d’Acre, Nov. 3, 1840. The medal, 118 in. in diameter, is purely a naval medal therefore, although a few artillery and engineer officers doing duty in the fleet received it. It was given in gold to officers of flag rank and captains (or field officers), in silver to quarter-deck and warrant officers, and in copper to other ranks. This is the only instance of there being a difference made according to the rank of the recipient since the “Burma” medal.
4. China, 1840–42 (1st Medal); China, 1857–60 (2nd Medal).—Awarded by Queen Victoria, 1842, 1861. Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria, diademed, l. Leg. VICTORIA REGINA. Reverse: Naval and military trophy, with behind a palm tree, and in front a shield of the Royal Arms. Above, ARMIS EXPOSCERE PACEM. In exergue, CHINA 1842.[1] Ribbon: Red with yellow borders (Plate I.). Clasps: 1st medal, nil; 2nd medal, six—CHINA 1842; FATSHAN 1857[2]; CANTON 1857; TAKU FORTS 1858[2]; TAKU FORTS 1860; PEKIN 1860.
The first China medal was awarded to all the naval and military forces, both of the Crown and of the Hon. East India Company, that took part in the first China War, 1840–42. Another medal was struck, and is to be found in proof, but it was never issued as it was deemed it might give offence to China. Of this the obverse is the same as that described above; but the reverse had, under the same motto, the British lion trampling upon the Chinese dragon, and in the exergue, NANKING 1842. The second China medal was similarly awarded to both the naval and military forces, British and Indian, that took part in the second China war, 1857–60. To those, however, who were already in possession of the first China medal the second medal was not awarded, they receiving a clasp CHINA 1842 to go on their original medal, together of course with the clasps to which their services in the second war had entitled them. The second medal was in fact not a new decoration but a re-issue. The first China medal was the first to be issued with the effigy of Queen Victoria upon it. The first medal with clasps for the second China war is very rare, and in almost every case would probably be found to be a naval medal. Of the second medal only one was issued with all the five new clasps. This was to a Royal Marine Artilleryman, and it is now in the Cheylesmore collection. Medals specially valued by collectors are those given to the 1st Dragoon Guards with the two clasps TAKU FORTS 1860 and PEKIN 1860, as only two squadrons of the regiment were present. In a G.O. by Lord Ellenborough, governor-general of India, dated Simla, Oct. 14, 1842, it was intimated that the Government of India would present to the Indian Army a medal, the design of which was indicated in the order, but this idea was of course abandoned when the queen intimated her intention of making the award.
5. Jellalabad, 1842.—Awarded by the Government of India, 1842. First medal—Obverse: A mural crown; above, JELLALABAD. Reverse: VII April 1842. Second medal—Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria as in China medal, but legend, VICTORIA VINDEX. Reverse: Figure of Victory flying, in her right hand two wreaths, in her left the British flag. Beneath, the town of Jellalabad. Above, JELLALABAD VII APRIL: in exergue, MDCCCXLII. Ribbon (both medals): Military ribbon of India (Plate I.). Clasps: Nil.
In a G.O., dated Allahabad, April 30, 1842, Lord Ellenborough announced that the Government of India would present a medal to the Company’s troops, and with the consent of Her Majesty, to those of the Crown, that held Jellalabad, under Sir Robert Sale (Nov. 12, 1842–April 7, 1842). The queen’s consent to her troops (13th Foot, now Somersetshire Light Infantry) receiving the medal was granted in August. The governor-general being dissatisfied with the first medal, made at the Calcutta Mint, the second (generally known as the “Flying Victory”) was ordered in England, and it was notified that on their arrival the first medals, all of which had been distributed, could be exchanged for the second. The new issue was ready by March 13, 1845, but the recipients apparently preferred the original medals, for very few were exchanged. Both are very rare, for only 2596 medals were issued. The “military ribbon of India” is a tri-colour composed of the three primary colours shading into one another. It was designed by Lord Ellenborough, and is intended to symbolize an Oriental sunrise.
6. Afghanistan, 1842 (1st Afghan).—Awarded by Government of India. 1842. Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria as on First China Medal. Reverse: No. 1. CANDAHAR 1842 within a laurel wreath; above, a crown. No. 2. GHUZNEE CABUL each within a laurel wreath; above, a crown; below, 1842. No. 3. CANDAHAR GHUZNEE CABUL 1842 all within a laurel wreath; above, a crown. No. 4. CABUL 1842 within a laurel wreath; above, a crown. Ribbon: Military ribbon of India (Plate I.). Clasps: Nil.
The authority for this medal is a G.O. of the governor-general dated October 4, 1842. It was awarded to all troops, both of the Crown and the Hon. East India Company, who took part in the operations in Afghanistan in 1842, that is to say the second phase of the First Afghan War. The medal, with reverses 1, 2 and 3, was awarded to those troops that were with Major-General Sir William Nott in Candahar, and took part in the operations around that place, recaptured Ghuznee, and then joined hands with the column under Major-General Pollock at Cabul. The medal with reverse 4 was awarded to the column which advanced from Peshawur on Cabul, being joined en route by the victorious garrison at Jellalabad. This is the first of the four occasions on which the reverse of a medal has been used to denote the actual part taken in the operations by the recipient, in the manner that is now done by clasps. Of these medals the one with the No. 1 reverse is the rarest, as its issue was confined to the small portion of his army that Major-General Nott left behind him in Candahar. The medal with the No. 2 reverse is also rare, as its distribution was very limited.
7. Kelat-i-Ghilzie, 1842.—Awarded by Government of India, 1842. Obverse: A shield inscribed KELAT I GHILZIE encircled by a laurel wreath, and surmounted by a mural crown. Reverse: A military trophy, beneath, on a tablet, INVICTA MDCCCXLII. Ribbon: Military ribbon of India (Plate I.). Clasps: Nil.
The authority for this medal is the same as that for the First Afghan Medal, and the medal itself was awarded to the troops of the Hon. East India Company, which defended this hill fortress for several months, and finally, before they were eventually relieved from Candahar utterly routed and drove off a force of four thousand men. As the medal was given only to 950 in all (forty being European artillerymen, the remainder native troops), it is naturally very scarce.
8. Sinde, 1843.—Awarded by Queen Victoria to the forces of the Crown, and by the Government of India to the troops of the Company. Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria as on First China Medal. Reverse: 1. MEEANEE 1843. 2. HYDERABAD 1843. 3. MEEANEE HYDERABAD 1843. In each case the inscription is surrounded by a laurel wreath, and surmounted by a crown. Ribbon: Military ribbon of India (Plate I.). Clasps: Nil.
The award of a medal for Sir Charles Napier’s conquest of Sinde was first notified, as far as the troops of the Crown were concerned, by a letter from Lord Stanley, then war secretary, to the president of the India Board, dated July 18, 1843, and it is worth noting that this is the only instance of any medals for Indian service being paid for by the Crown. The notification of a similar award by the Government of India to their own troops, followed in a G.O. by the governor-general, dated September 22, 1843. The award was confined to those who had been present at either Meeanee or Hyderabad, and the medals were issued according as to which actions the recipient had been present, no one of course receiving more than one medal for the campaign. In addition to the land forces of the Hon. East India Company, the medal was also given to the naval officers and crews of the Company’s flotilla on the Indus. The only Crown regiment that received this medal was the 22nd Foot.
9. Gwalior, 1843 (“Maharajpoor” and “Punniar” Stars).—Awarded by the Government of India, 1844. This decoration took the form of, a bronze star of six points, 2 in. in diameter. Obverse: In centre a silver star, 118 in. in diameter, around the centre of which is a circle in which is inscribed either MAHARAJPOOR 1843 or PUNNIAR 1843, and in centre of circle the date 29th DECR. Reverse: Plain for name and regiment, or corps, of recipient. Ribbon: Military ribbon of India (Plate I.). Clasps: Nil.
The award of a medal to the troops of the Crown and the Hon. East India Company engaged in the Gwalior Campaign of 1843 was first notified in governor-general’s G.O., dated Camp, Gwalior Residency, January 4, 1844; and the queen’s permission for it to be worn by Crown troops given June 26, 1844. The force moved in two columns, the main and larger under Sir Hugh (Viscount) Gough, the smaller under Major-General Gray. Each force fought an action on the same day, December 29, 1843, the former at Maharajpoor, the latter at Punniar, and the star was inscribed according to which action the recipient was engaged. The stars were manufactured from the metal of the captured guns. The star given to Sir Hugh Gough had in the centre a silver elephant in lieu of a silver star, and it was originally intended that all should be the same, but the silver star was substituted for reasons of economy. As there were fewer troops at Punniar that star is of course the more uncommon.
10. Sutlej, 1845–46 (1st Sikh War).—Awarded by Government of India, 1845. Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria as on First China Medal. Reverse: Figure of Victory, standing, with in right hand outstretched a wreath, in left a palm branch; at her feet a trophy of captured Sikh weapons and armour. In exergue, name and year of the first battle of the war in which recipient was engaged. These inscriptions are four, viz. MOODKEE 1845, FEROZESHUHUR 1845, ALIWAL 1846, SOBRAON 1846. Ribbon: Blue with crimson borders (Plate I.). Clasps: FEROZESHUHUR, ALIWAL, SOBRAON.
