Abyssinian War Medal

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Abyssinian War Medal
1868 Abyssinian Campaign Medal (RLH).png
Obverse and reverse of the medal
Type Campaign medal
Awarded forCampaign Service
Presented by the United Kingdom
EligibilityBritish and Indian Army
Campaign(s) 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia
Established1 March 1869
Abyssinian War Medal BAR.svg
Ribbon bar of the medal
Precedence
Next (higher) New Zealand War Service Medal
Next (lower) Canada General Service Medal

The Abyssinian War Medal was awarded for service between 4 October 1867 and 19 April 1868 [1] to those who participated in the 1868 Expedition to Abyssinia. This punitive expedition, led by Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Napier, was carried out by the armed forces of the British Empire against the Ethiopian Empire. Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia imprisoned several missionaries and two representatives of the British government. [2] The punitive expedition launched by the British in response required transporting a sizable military force hundreds of miles across mountainous terrain lacking any road system.

About 14,000 medals were awarded, 12,000 to the British and Indian armies and 1,981 to the Royal Navy. In addition to members of the Naval Brigade which accompanied the expedition, awards were made to the crews of the ships on duty off the Ethiopian coast during the campaign. [3]

Description

The medal is silver and 1.25 inches (32 mm) in diameter. It was designed by Joseph and Alfred Wyon, and struck at the Royal Mint. [4] The medal is unique in that the recipient's name and unit were embossed on the reverse. This feature required that the dies for the reverse had a removable centre, so each recipient's name and unit could be impressed, with each medal minted individually. [3] [5] However, most medals awarded to Indian troops had impressed naming. [6]

The obverse bears the left facing effigy of a diademed Queen Victoria. Around the edge is a stylised border with indentions, between the indentions are the letters ABYSSINIA. The bust is similar to that on the New Zealand War Medal issued in the same year. [4]

The reverse has a blank central space for the recipient's name and unit, surrounded by a laurel wreath. [4]

The medal is held by a ring suspension attached to a crown surmounting the medal. The medal is borne upon a crimson ribbon 1.5 inches (38 mm) wide, with white borders. [4]

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The British Expedition to Abyssinia was a rescue mission and punitive expedition carried out in 1868 by the armed forces of the British Empire against the Ethiopian Empire. Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia, then often referred to by the anglicized name Theodore, imprisoned several missionaries and two representatives of the British government in an attempt to force the British government to comply with his requests for military assistance. The punitive expedition launched by the British in response required the transportation of a sizeable military force hundreds of kilometres across mountainous terrain lacking any road system. The formidable obstacles to the action were overcome by the commander of the expedition, General Robert Napier, who captured the Ethiopian capital, and rescued all the hostages.

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The Battle of Magdala was the conclusion of the British Expedition to Abyssinia fought in April 1868 between British and Abyssinian forces at Magdala, 390 miles (630 km) from the Red Sea coast. The British were led by Robert Napier, while the Abyssinians were led by Emperor Tewodros II.

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References

  1. United Kingdom: Abyssinian War Medal, Medals of the World, retrieved 28 December 2010
  2. Abyssinian War Medal awarded to AB Seaman T. Simpkin of HMS Spiteful, 1869. Archived 2012-03-19 at the Wayback Machine , The Fitzwilliam Museum, retrieved 28 December 2010
  3. 1 2 Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin. British Battles and Medals. pp. 145–146. Published Spink, London. 1988.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Mayo, John Horsley (1897). Medals and Decorations of the British Army and Navy, Volume 2. A. Constable. p. 395.
  5. "An unusual Abyssinia Medal". The Royal Mint Museum. Retrieved 1 April 2013.
  6. John Mussell (ed). Medal Yearbook 2015. p. 155. Published by Token Publishing Ltd. Honiton, Devon.