Central Africa Medal

Central Africa Medal

Obverse and reverse of the medal
Awarded by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
Type Campaign medal
Awarded for Service in Eastern and Central Africa from 1891–1894 and 1894–1898
Clasps
  • Central Africa 1894–98[1]
Statistics
Established 1 April 1895

Ribbon bar of the medal

The Central Africa Medal was awarded for service from 1891–1894 in Eastern and Central Africa, for the 1895 Unyoro Expedition, and from 1894–1898 for service in British Central Africa.

Criteria

Award of the Central Africa Medal was announced as being approved by the Queen in Army Order No. 66, 1 April 1895. The initial award was for various military expeditions from July 1891 to June 1894. It was subsequently authorized for the participants in the Unyoro Expedition in 1895.[2] It was later authorised for service in British Central Africa from 1895–1898

Appearance

The medal uses the same medal design as the Ashantee Medal and the East and West Africa Medal. The obverse depict the left facing effigy of Queen Victoria wearing a diadem with a veil behind. On either side of the effigy is the inscription VICTORIA on the left and REGINA on the right.[2]

The reverse was designed by Sir Edward John Poynter, the famous British artist. It bears a scene, inspired by the Ashanti War of British soldiers fighting the Ashanti in the jungle.[3]

The first version of the medal, issued without a clasp, hangs from a ring suspension attached to a ribbon 1 1/4 inches wide. It has three equal stripes of brown, white, and black. The brown color is also described as copper or terra cotta.[2]

A clasp, Central Africa 1894–98, was subsequently authorised. When the medal was issued with the clasp, it hung from a straight bar suspension.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Narbeth, Colin (2002). Collecting Military Medals: A Beginner's Guide. Cambridge, England: Lutterworth Press. p. 48. ISBN 9780718890094.
  2. 1 2 3 Mayo, John Horsley (1897). Medals and Decorations of the British Army and Navy, Volume 2. A. Constable. pp. 398, 425–426.
  3. ↑ "Ashantee Medal 1873–74". Northeastmedals.co.uk. Retrieved 31 March 2013.
  4. ↑ Steward, William Augustus (1915). War Medals and Their History. S. Paul. pp. 228–229.
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