Canada General Service Medal

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Canada General Service Medal
Canada General Service Medal, awarded to Pte. Allan Poyntz Patrick, Queen's Own Rifles, for the Fenian Raids of 1866 and 1870 - Glenbow Museum - DSC00634.JPG Canada General Service Medal, 1870 reverse.jpg
Obverse and reverse of medal
Type Campaign medal
Awarded forCampaign service.
DescriptionSilver disk 36 mm wide
Presented by Canada
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
EligibilityImperial and Canadian forces
Clasps
  • FENIAN RAID 1866
  • FENIAN RAID 1870
  • RED RIVER 1870
Established1 January 1899 [1]
Total17,623 [2]
Canada General Service Medal BAR.svg
Ribbon: 32mm: Three equal stripes of red-white-red

The Canada General Service Medal was a campaign medal awarded by the Canadian Government [3] to both Imperial and Canadian forces for duties related to the Fenian raids between 1866 and 1871. [4] The medal was initially issued in 1899 and had to be applied for. [5] The application period was later extended to 1907, then to 1928. [3]

With late applications, 17,623 medals were awarded, [2] including 15,300 to members of Canadian units. [5]

The medal, 1.4 inches (36 mm) in diameter, is silver and has a plain straight swivel suspender. [3] The obverse bears the head of Queen Victoria with the legend VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX, while the reverse depicts the ensign of Canada surrounded by a wreath of maple leaves with the word CANADA above. [5]
The recipient's name, rank and unit appear on the rim of the medal. A number of different impressed and engraved styles were used, reflecting that the medal was awarded over a long period of time. [3]
The 1.25 inches (32 mm) wide ribbon consists of three equal stripes of red, white and red. In 1943 the same ribbon was adopted for the Canada Medal. [6]

Clasps

The medal was always awarded with a clasp, with 12 medals awarded with all three clasps. [2] The number of clasps indicated below includes those that appear on multi-clasp medals.

FENIAN RAID 1866
For services related to the Fenian raids of 1866. [5] 13,000 clasps were awarded. [2]
FENIAN RAID 1870
For services related to the Fenian raids of 1870. [5] 5,925 clasps were awarded. [2]
RED RIVER 1870
For services related to the suppression of the Red River Rebellion. [5] 502 clasps were awarded. [2]

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fenian raids</span> Irish military campaign in Canada in between 1866–1871

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Military General Service Medal</span> Award

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">India General Service Medal (1854)</span> Award

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal</span> Award

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Efficiency Decoration</span> Award

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Transport Medal</span> Award

The Transport Medal was a British campaign medal sanctioned on 8 November 1903 and awarded by the Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty. It was awarded to masters and officers of merchant ships employed by the Transport Service to move troops to either South Africa during the South African War or to China during the Boxer Rebellion. The officers of hospital ships also qualified.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">North West Canada Medal</span> Award

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Africa Medal</span> Award

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References

  1. Canada: General Order (7) 1 January 1899.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America. Volume 48, number 7. Aug-Sept 1997, pp 28-30.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin. British Battles and Medals. pp. 146-149. Published Spink, London. 1988. ISBN   0-907605-25-7
  4. William Spencer. Medals - The Researcher's Guide. p. 53. Published by The National Archives, Richmond, Surrey, England. 2006. ISBN   1-903365-63-5
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "War Medals (1866-1918) - Canadian General Service Medal (1866-1870)". Veteran Affairs Canada. Retrieved 6 October 2010.
  6. Captain H. Taprell Dorling, Ribbons and Medals, p 65. Published A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London. 1956.