|
Date: |
|
Description: | Artist: Calcutta, mint; Date(s): 1896 - 1902; Classification(s): medal, India Medal (1895-1902), medals, Military, Britain, British Army; Acquisition: loan by Cambridge in America, 2005 [LW.0152]
Description: By 1895 it was beginning to be considered that the 23 bars issued to the India General Service Medal implied a need for its replacement, and in 1896 the new India Medal was first issued.
The North-West Frontier between British India and Afghanistan was a source of political tension for the length of the nineteenth century and beyond, as the precarious Imperial accommodations with local tribes required continual maintenance. In 1897 a particular crisis flared up when several parts of the Frontier rose in rebellion at once, all seeing an opportunity in the rising of the Pathan tribes which began the fighting. This rising left Imperial forces in the frontier forts of Chakdara and Malakand (both now in Pakistan) besieged against heavy odds until relief could reach them. At Malakand 1000 Sikhs successfully held off forces 10 times their number. British retaliation, due to the urgent situation, was unusually destructive, as despatches from the young Winston Churchill, in the force that relieved Chakdara, to the Daily Telegraph made clear at the time.
This medal was awarded to Sapper Munisami of the Queen's Own Madras Sappers & Miners, who was wounded by gunshot in the defence of Malakand. Despite his wounds he also managed to take part in the arduous campaign against the Afridi rising around Peshawar later in 1897, earning him his second bar. Lester Watson purchased his medal at some point before 1928. | Format: | text/html | License: | http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/terms.htm | Publisher: | The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK | Rights holder: | The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK | Subjects: | India Medal (1895-1902) Calcutta medal | Source: | Fitzwilliam Museum | Creator: | The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge, UK | Identifier: | http://www.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/opacdire... | Language: | en-GB | Format: | text/html | Go to resource |
|
More Like this...
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
medal
(1) India General Service Medal…
-
medal
(1) India General Service Medal…
-
|