War Medals and Their HistorySteward, William Augustus
History
War Medals and Their History
Steward, William Augustus
Great Britain. Army -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.
=Médaille Militaire.=--This, the French equivalent of the British
Distinguished Conduct Medal, was founded in 1852 by Louis Napoleon,
when President of the French Republic. It is of silver, 1 in. in
diameter, formed of a close band of laurel wreaths, encircling on the
obverse the gilt bust of Louis Napoleon, facing left, with his name
in gilt letters on a blue enamelled band. On the reverse, the wreath
encircles a narrow band of blue enamel which borders the gilt centre
bearing the legend VALEUR ET DISCIPLINE. The medal is surmounted
by the French eagle, with outspread wings, and is suspended by an
orange-coloured ribbon with green edges. After the Crimea, Louis, who
had then become the Emperor Napoleon III, presented this medal to
500 British non-commissioned officers and men who had distinguished
themselves in the campaign. (See facing page 132.)
The Republican variety bears the female head symbolic of the Republic
on the obverse and the legend REPUBLIQUE FRANÇAIS * 1870 *; on the
reverse is the inscription VALEUR ET DISCIPLINE. The medal is connected
with the suspender by means of a trophy of French arms. The medal
illustrated was won in France during the war now waging, by the late
Sergeant Hunt.
=Turkestan.=--For the campaign in Turkestan the Emperor Alexander II
gave a small silver medal 1⅟₁₆ in. in diameter which bears on the
obverse the Emperor's initial A in ornamental cypher, surmounted by the
Imperial crown and II arranged between the legs of the initial. The
reverse bears in the centre the date 1857-1858-1859 encircled by an
inscription in Russian explaining that it was awarded for the success
of arms in Turkestan. (See facing page 364.)
=Garibaldian Medal, 1860.=--This medal was given in 1860 to the
Garibaldians in Sicily by the Municipality of Palermo, and distributed
to the troops by Garibaldi, November 4th, 1860, in the square fronting
the Royal Palace, Naples.
[Illustration: SILVER MEDAL "FOR ZEAL," AWARDED BY NICHOLAS I.
SILVER MEDAL FOR CAUCASUS, 1859-64.
BRONZE CROSS FOR CAUCASUS, 1864.
SILVER MEDAL FOR TURKESTAN, 1857-8-9.
BRONZE MEDAL FOR POLISH INSURRECTION, 1863-4.
RUSSIAN WAR DECORATIONS.]
On the obverse, within the words AI PRODI CUI FU DUCE GARIBALDI, is a
spread eagle standing on a scroll, on which are the letters S.P.Q.P.
Three stars below. All in relief. On the reverse, outside a circle of
laurel leaves are the words MARSALA, CALATAFIMI, PALERMO. Within the
circle, IL MUNICIPIO PALERMITANO RIVENDICATO MDCCCLX. A star is in the
exergue. This is a small circular medal, 1⅕ in. in diameter, within a
plain, raised double border, suspended by a silver loop and ring from
a crimson ribbon, 1⅖ in. wide, with narrow yellow edges, on which is
attached the Arms of Sicily in silver, bearing the words UNO DEI MIL.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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