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.
=Gold Cross for Albuhera.=[4]--On March 1st, 1815, it was decided by
the Spanish Government to issue a cross to Generals, officers, and men
of the army of Estremadura, who had distinguished themselves at the
battle of Albuhera on March 16th, 1811. This is an oblong, four-pointed
cross of gold enamelled red, the points terminating in gold knobs,
having red enamelled gold-edged flames issuing between the arms of the
cross. In the centre of the cross, on a white enamelled ground, is the
letter F in script, with VII in gold, surrounded by a frosted gold oval
band bearing the inscription in bright gold letters AL BUHE RA. The
cross is suspended from a squat green enamelled laurel wreath, to which
is fixed a gold loop and ring for attachment to the ribbon, which is 1½
in. wide, and red with blue edges.
[4] Should be Albuera, but is spelt ALBUHERA on cross, also bars.
=Gold Cross for Vittoria.=--On April 22nd, 1815, a gold enamelled cross
was instituted in Spain for presentation to officers to commemorate the
battle of Vittoria, June 21st, 1813. The battle was won by the division
of the 4th Corps of the Army, under the command of the Captain-General,
the Duke of Ciudad Rodrigo (Wellington), and Field-Marshal D. Francisco
Thomas de Longa. The cross is 1⅕ in. in diameter, and enamelled white
with a red four-pointed star (see facing page 36), and between the
cross, which is enamelled the same both sides, is a green enamelled
laurel wreath; the cross is suspended from a gold Spanish crown
surmounted by an orb ensigned with a gold fleur-de-lis; the ring for
attachment to the ribbon being run through the ball. On the obverse is
a white enamelled circle with gold borders encircling a red irradiated
ground, whereon are three gold crossed swords, with a gold ribbon
(inverted) bearing the motto IRURAG BAT. On the reverse, on a domed
gold ground, is the legend in raised stamped letters, arranged in three
lines, RECOMPENSA DE LA BATALLA DE VITTORIA. This cross depends from
a 1½ in. ribbon composed of equal stripes of black, crimson, and pale
blue.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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