This article is about the campaign medal given by the United Kingdom. For similar subjects, see Crimea Medal (disambiguation).
The Crimea Medal was a campaign medal approved on 15 December 1854, for issue to officers and men of British units (land and naval) which fought in the Crimean War of 1854–56 against Russia. The medal was awarded with the British version of the Turkish Crimea Medal, but when a consignment of these was lost at sea, some troops received the Sardinian version.[2]
The medal consists of a 36 millimetres (1.4 in) silver disc with, on the obverse, the diademed head of Queen Victoria and the legend VICTORIA REGINA with the date 1854 below. The reverse has a depiction of a standing Roman warrior about to receive a laurel crown from a flying figure of victory, the word CRIMEA appearing on the left. The medal is notable for its unusually ornate clasps. Each is in the form of an oak leaf with an acorn at each end, a style not used on any other British medal. The ornate, floriated, swivelling suspender is also unique to the Crimea Medal.[2] The 27 millimetres (1.1 in) wide ribbon[1] is pale blue with yellow edges.[3]
Most medals were issued unnamed, but could be returned for naming free of charge – impressed on the rim in block Roman capitals, in the same style as the Military General Service Medal – while some recipients had their medals privately engraved.[1]
Sebastopol – for the siege that lasted from 11 September 1854 to 9 September 1855. Anyone who received the Balaklava or Inkerman clasps was also awarded this clasp.[4]
Azoff – for the Naval expedition in the Sea of Azoff from 25 May to 22 September 1855. It was awarded only to Royal Navy personnel.
The Alma and Inkerman clasps were authorised in December 1854 at the same time as the medal, with that for Balaklava on 23 February 1855, Sebastopol on 13 October 1855[1] and Azoff on 2 May 1856.Azoff.[5] No person received more than four clasps.
The medal was awarded to the next of kin of those who died during the campaign.[6]
Troops who landed in the Crimea after 9 September 1855, the day Sebastopol fell, did not receive the medal unless they had been engaged against the enemy after that date.[7]
The medal was issued to Turkish,[8] and to a limited number of French forces who served in the Crimea,[9] unofficial French clasps being sometimes added in addition to the British clasps, including:[1]
1904-05 Russo-Japanese War Medal, based on Crimea Medal
Australian Cadet Service Medal, designed by Benjamin Bishop
The suspender and the clasp of the Crimea Medal inspired the 2020 design of the unofficial Australian Cadet Service Medal awarded to Australian Defence Force cadets (ADFC) for service to communities.[10]
This suspension bar design of many Japanese military medals during the late 1800s to mid 1900s was closely based on the Crimea Medal. The medals using this design include:
Cartoon from Punch magazine titled Patient Heroes. The caption reads:
Well Jack! Here's good news from home. We are going to have a medal. That’s very kind. Maybe one of these days we'll have a coat to stick it on!
In December 1854, when the medal was sanctioned, there was widespread criticism in Britain that the troops were not receiving winter supplies, including warm clothing.[11]
Joslin, Litherland, and Simpkin, (eds) (1988). British Battles and Medals. Spink, London. ISBN978-0-907605-256. {{cite book}}: |first= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
Steward, William Augustus (1915). War Medals and Their History. Stanley Paul & Co, London.
Dorling, Captain H. Taprell (1956). Ribbons and Medals. A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London.
External links
by Mike Hargreave Mawson
Illustrated Identification Guide to Crimean War Medals
"The King's Own Royal Regiment Museum, (Lancaster), Crimea Medal". www.kingsownmuseum.plus.com.
January 25, 2023
crimea, medal, this, article, about, campaign, medal, given, united, kingdom, similar, subjects, disambiguation, campaign, medal, approved, december, 1854, issue, officers, british, units, land, naval, which, fought, crimean, 1854, against, russia, medal, awar. This article is about the campaign medal given by the United Kingdom For similar subjects see Crimea Medal disambiguation The Crimea Medal was a campaign medal approved on 15 December 1854 for issue to officers and men of British units land and naval which fought in the Crimean War of 1854 56 against Russia The medal was awarded with the British version of the Turkish Crimea Medal but when a consignment of these was lost at sea some troops received the Sardinian version 2 Crimea MedalObverse and reverse of the medal TypeCampaign medalAwarded forCampaign service DescriptionSilver disc 36mm diameter Presented by United Kingdom of Great Britain and IrelandEligibilityBritish forces Campaign s Crimean War ClaspsAlma Inkerman Balaklava Sebastopol AzoffEstablished15 December 1854Total275 000 1 Ribbon 27mm pale blue with yellow edges RelatedTurkish Crimea MedalBaltic MedalCrimea Medal with unofficial French bar Traktir Contents 1 Design 2 Clasps and eligibility 3 Influences 4 See also 5 Notes 6 Bibliography 7 External linksDesign EditThe medal consists of a 36 millimetres 1 4 in silver disc with on the obverse the diademed head of Queen Victoria and the legend VICTORIA REGINA with the date 1854 below The reverse has a depiction of a standing Roman warrior about to receive a laurel crown from a flying figure of victory the word CRIMEA appearing on the left The medal is notable for its unusually ornate clasps Each is in the form of an oak leaf with an acorn at each end a style not used on any other British medal The ornate floriated swivelling suspender is also unique to the Crimea Medal 2 The 27 millimetres 1 1 in wide ribbon 1 is pale blue with yellow edges 3 Most medals were issued unnamed but could be returned for naming free of charge impressed on the rim in block Roman capitals in the same style as the Military General Service Medal while some recipients had their medals privately engraved 1 Clasps and eligibility EditFive clasps were authorised 1 Alma for the battle of 20 September 1854 Balaklava for the battle of 25 October 1854 Inkerman for the battle of 5 November 1854 Sebastopol for the siege that lasted from 11 September 1854 to 9 September 1855 Anyone who received the Balaklava or Inkerman clasps was also awarded this clasp 4 Azoff for the Naval expedition in the Sea of Azoff from 25 May to 22 September 1855 It was awarded only to Royal Navy personnel The Alma and Inkerman clasps were authorised in December 1854 at the same time as the medal with that for Balaklava on 23 February 1855 Sebastopol on 13 October 1855 1 and Azoff on 2 May 1856 Azoff 5 No person received more than four clasps The medal was awarded to the next of kin of those who died during the campaign 6 Troops who landed in the Crimea after 9 September 1855 the day Sebastopol fell did not receive the medal unless they had been engaged against the enemy after that date 7 The medal was issued to Turkish 8 and to a limited number of French forces who served in the Crimea 9 unofficial French clasps being sometimes added in addition to the British clasps including 1 Tchernaia for the battle of August 16 1855 Traktir alternate clasp for the bars the Battle of the Tchernaia Mer d Azoff for the Navy missions in the Sea of Azoff from 25 May to 22 November 1855 Malakof for the battle of 8 September 1855 Influences EditThe unique design has influenced other medals 1904 05 Russo Japanese War Medal based on Crimea Medal Australian Cadet Service Medal designed by Benjamin Bishop The suspender and the clasp of the Crimea Medal inspired the 2020 design of the unofficial Australian Cadet Service Medal awarded to Australian Defence Force cadets ADFC for service to communities 10 This suspension bar design of many Japanese military medals during the late 1800s to mid 1900s was closely based on the Crimea Medal The medals using this design include 1874 Formosa Expedition War Medal Medal of Honor 1904 05 Russo Japanese War Medal 1937 45 Japanese Army China Incident War Medal 1931 34 China Incident War Medal Japanese Service Medals Taisho Enthronement Commemorative Medal 1915See also Edit Cartoon from Punch magazine titled Patient Heroes The caption reads Well Jack Here s good news from home We are going to have a medal That s very kind Maybe one of these days we ll have a coat to stick it on In December 1854 when the medal was sanctioned there was widespread criticism in Britain that the troops were not receiving winter supplies including warm clothing 11 Category Recipients of the Crimea Medal Baltic Medal Turkish Crimean War medal Turkish Order of the Medjidie Sardinian Crimea Medal Legion d honneur Medaille militaire Crimean War medal disambiguation Notes Edit a b c d e f Joslin Litherland and Simpkin 1988 p 128 a b Christodoulou Glenn Medals of the Crimean War Crimean War Research Society 1985 Mussell 2014 p 144 The Crimean War Medal No 21879 The London Gazette 2 May 1856 p 1629 No 21653 The London Gazette 23 January 1855 p 251 Medals and Their History W A Steward 1915 page 152 No 21838 The London Gazette 14 January 1856 p 151 Dorling 1956 p 64 CadetNet Cadet Net 15 April 2020 Retrieved 15 May 2020 Martin Theodore 1877 The Life of His Royal Highness the Prince Consort Volume III page 181 Smith Elder amp Co London Bibliography EditMussell J ed 2014 Medals Yearbook 2015 Token Publishing ISBN 978 0950694313 Joslin Litherland and Simpkin eds 1988 British Battles and Medals Spink London ISBN 978 0 907605 256 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a first has generic name help CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Steward William Augustus 1915 War Medals and Their History Stanley Paul amp Co London Dorling Captain H Taprell 1956 Ribbons and Medals A H Baldwin amp Sons London External links EditThe Crimean War Medal by Mike Hargreave Mawson Illustrated Identification Guide to Crimean War Medals The King s Own Royal Regiment Museum Lancaster Crimea Medal www kingsownmuseum plus com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Crimea Medal amp oldid 1122453618, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
