Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal

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Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal
Cabul Medal 1842 (Obverse).jpg Cabul Medal 1842 (Reverse).jpg
Obverse, and reverse of the 'Cabul' version
Awarded by Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg British East India Company
Country United Kingdom
TypeCampaign Medal
Campaign(s) Kabul Expedition, First Afghan War
Clasps None
Statistics
Established1842
Kabul to Kandahar Star ribbon.png
Ribbon bar of the medal
Reverse of Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul version Cabul Ghaznee Candahar Medal 1842.jpg
Reverse of Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul version

The Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal was awarded to those who took part in the campaign in the spring and summer of 1842, under the command of General William Nott, to restore British standing in Afghanistan after earlier defeats during the First Anglo-Afghan War.

Kabul Expedition (1842)

The Battle of Kabul was part of a punitive campaign undertaken by the British against the Afghans following the disastrous retreat from Kabul. Two British and East India Company armies advanced on the Afghan capital from Kandahar and Jalalabad to avenge the complete annihilation of its military column in January 1842. Having recovered prisoners captured during the retreat, the British demolished parts of Kabul before withdrawing to India. The action was the concluding engagement to the First Anglo-Afghan War.

First Anglo-Afghan War one of the first major conflicts during the Great Game

The First Anglo-Afghan War was fought between the British East India Company and the Emirate of Afghanistan from 1839 to 1842. Initially, the British successfully intervened in a succession dispute between emir Dost Mohammad (Barakzai) and former emir Shah Shujah (Durrani), whom they installed upon conquering Kabul in August 1839. The main British Indian and Sikh force occupying Kabul along with their camp followers, having endured harsh winters as well, was almost completely annihilated while retreating in January 1842. The British then sent an Army of Retribution to Kabul to avenge their defeat, and having demolished parts of the capital and recovered prisoners they left Afghanistan altogether by the end of the year. Dost Mohamed returned from exile in India to resume his rule.

Contents

The medal was approved by General Order at Simla by the Honourable East India Company on 4 October 1842. Approximately 22,100 were awarded, about 4,400 to members of the British Army and 17,700 to the mainly native forces of the Honourable East India Company. [1]

Shimla Capital city of the state of Himachal Pradesh in India

Shimla, also known as Simla, is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Himachal Pradesh. Shimla is also a district which is bounded by the state of Uttarakhand in the south-east, districts of Mandi and Kullu in the north, Kinnaur in the east, Sirmaur in the south and Solan in the west. In 1864, Shimla was declared as the summer capital of British India, succeeding Murree, northeast of Rawalpindi. After independence, the city became the capital of Punjab and was later made the capital of Himachal Pradesh. It is the principal commercial, cultural and educational centre of the state.

East India Company 16th through 19th-century British trading company

The East India Company (EIC), also known as the Honourable East India Company (HEIC) or the British East India Company and informally as John Company, Company Bahadur, or simply The Company, was an English and later British joint-stock company. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with Mughal India and the East Indies, and later with Qing China. The company ended up seizing control over large parts of the Indian subcontinent, colonised parts of Southeast Asia, and colonised Hong Kong after a war with Qing China.

British Army land warfare branch of the British Armed Forces of the United Kingdom

The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of British Armed Forces. As of 2018, the British Army comprises just over 81,500 trained regular (full-time) personnel and just over 27,000 trained reserve (part-time) personnel.

Appearance

The medal, designed by William Wyon, was silver and 36 millimetres (1.4 in) in diameter, with the following design: [1]
The obverse shows the diademed head Queen Victoria facing left with the inscription 'VICTORIA VINDEX', Vindex translating as 'Protector'. [2]
Four different reverses were struck, indicating the campaigns in which the recipient served:
'CANDAHAR 1842' within a laurel wreath, surmounted by a crown. For operations around Kandahar from March to May 1842. Slightly over 2,600 were awarded.
'CABUL 1842' within a laurel wreath, surmounted by a crown. For the advance on Kabul, culminating in the city's capture on 15 September 1842. Approximately 12,750 were awarded.
'GHUZNEE' 'CABUL', each within a separate laurel wreath, surmounted by a single crown and with the year '1842' below. For the forces who defeated the Afghans at Ghuznee on 30 August and who then advanced on Kabul. About 1,520 were awarded.
'CANDAHAR, GHUZNEE, CABUL 1842' within a single laurel wreath, surmounted by a crown. For those present at all three campaigns. Slightly over 5,200 were awarded.

William Wyon Chief Engraver of the Royal Mint

William Wyon, was official chief engraver at the Royal Mint from 1828 until his death.

Diadem Ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of royalty

A diadem is a type of crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of royalty. The word derives from the Greek διάδημα diádēma, "band" or "fillet", from διαδέω diadéō, "I bind round", or "I fasten".

Kandahar City in Afghanistan

Kandahār or Qandahār is the second-largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 557,118. Kandahar is located in the south of the country on the Arghandab River, at an elevation of 1,010 m (3,310 ft). It is the capital of Kandahar Province, and also the center of the larger cultural region called Loy Kandahar. In 1709, Mirwais Hotak made the region an independent kingdom and turned Kandahar into the capital of the Hotak dynasty. In 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani, founder of the Durrani dynasty, made Kandahar the capital of the Afghan Empire.

The suspension consists of a straight steel suspender, attached to the medal by way of a steel clip and pin. Some recipients later replaced this with a more ornate silver suspension.

The ribbon is the watered rainbow coloured ribbon common to most East India Company medals, with a pattern of red, white, yellow, white and blue. [3]

The recipient's name and regiment were engraved on the edge for the medal.

While no official clasps were awarded, 'Marzenia 1842' and 'Tazeane 1842' were sometimes privately added to the ribbon of the Cabul medal. [4]

In addition, two erroneous strikings were made. In one 'VICTORIA REGINA' rather than 'VICTORIA VINDEX' appears on the obverse; in the other the reverse reads 'CABVL 1842', 15 of these medals are known to have been issued. [4]

Anglo-Afghan War

Four separate campaign medals were awarded to British led forces who served in the Afghan War of 1839 to 1842: [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin (1988). British Battles and Medals. Spink, London. pp. 106–7.CS1 maint: Uses authors parameter (link)
  2. ↑ Cassell's New Latin-English Dictionary, 5th edition 1968. p. 643. ISBN   0304929093. Defines Vindex as: 'one who lays claim to or protects, a claimant or protector'
  3. ↑ Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin. British Battles and Medals. p. 272 ribbon chart. Published Spink, London. 1988.
  4. 1 2 British Army Medals
  5. ↑ Edward C. Joslin. Observer's Book of British Awards and Medals. p. 90. Published Frederick Warne & Co, London. 1974.
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