Queen's Mediterranean Medal | |
---|---|
Type | Campaign medal |
Awarded for | Campaign service |
Description | Silver disk 36 mm wide |
Presented by | United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland |
Eligibility | British Army |
Campaign(s) | Boer War 1899-1902 |
Clasps | None |
Established | 1902 |
Total | 5,000 |
Ribbon bar |
The Queen's Mediterranean Medal was authorised by King Edward VII and was awarded to Militia troops [1] who had replaced their regular British Army counterparts in the various military garrisons across the Mediterranean, in Gibraltar, Malta [2] and Egypt. [3] This allowed regular troops to be available for the Second Boer War. [2]
Troops on the island of St. Helena who guarded Boer prisoners of war in the POW camp were awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal without clasp. [1]
The medal and ribbon are identical to the Queen's South Africa Medal 1899-1902 except the inscription 'SOUTH AFRICA' has been replaced by the word 'MEDITERRANEAN' on the reverse of the medal. No clasps were awarded. [4] The recipient's name and details were impressed on the rim of the medal. [5]
Approximately 5,000 of the Queen's Mediterranean Medal were awarded. They were issued to eligible officers and men in the Third (Militia) Battalions of the: Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Royal Fusiliers, West Yorkshire Regiment, Royal North Lancashire Regiment, Royal West Kent Regiment, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, Seaforth Highlanders and the Royal Munster Fusiliers. [6]
The Lancashire Fusiliers was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that saw distinguished service through many years and wars, including the Second Boer War, the First and Second World Wars, and had many different titles throughout its 280 years of existence. In 1968 the regiment was amalgamated with the other regiments of the Fusilier Brigade – the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers and the Royal Fusiliers – to form the current Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
Lieutenant-Colonel John Frederick MacKay was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
The Highland Light Infantry (HLI) was a light infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1881. It took part in the First and Second World Wars, until it was amalgamated with the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1959 to form the Royal Highland Fusiliers which later merged with the Royal Scots Borderers, the Black Watch, the Highlanders and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to form the Royal Regiment of Scotland, becoming the 2nd Battalion of the new regiment.
The Gordon Highlanders was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that existed for 113 years, from 1881 until 1994, when it was amalgamated with The Queen's Own Highlanders to form The Highlanders. Although the 'Gordon Highlanders' had existed as the 92nd Regiment of Foot since 1794, the actual 'Gordon Highlanders Regiment' was formed in 1881 by amalgamation of the 75th (Stirlingshire) Regiment of Foot and 92nd Regiment of Foot.
The Royal Northumberland Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army. Raised in 1674 as one of three 'English' units in the Dutch Anglo-Scots Brigade, it accompanied William III to England in the November 1688 Glorious Revolution and became part of the English establishment in 1689.
The Seaforth Highlanders was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, mainly associated with large areas of the northern Highlands of Scotland. The regiment existed from 1881 to 1961, and saw service in World War I and World War II, along with many smaller conflicts. In 1961 the regiment was amalgamated with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders, which merged, in 1994, with the Gordon Highlanders to form the Highlanders. This later joined the Royal Scots Borderers, the Black Watch, the Royal Highland Fusiliers and the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to create the present Royal Regiment of Scotland.
The 17th Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army which provided active service in the Second Boer War and both the First and Second World Wars. It was mainly composed of Regular Army battalions.
The 10th Infantry Brigade was a Regular Army infantry brigade of the British Army formed during the Second Boer War in 5th Division, and during both World Wars the brigade was part of the 4th Infantry Division.
The 78th (Highlanders) Regiment of Foot was a Highland Infantry Regiment of the Line, raised in 1793. Under the Childers Reforms it amalgamated with 72nd Regiment, Duke of Albany's Own Highlanders to form the Seaforth Highlanders in 1881.
The Queen's South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to British and Colonial military personnel, and to civilians employed in an official capacity, who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa. Altogether twenty-six clasps were awarded, to indicate participation in particular actions and campaigns.
The King's South Africa Medal is a British campaign medal awarded to all British and Colonial military personnel who served in the Second Boer War in South Africa, and who were in the theatre on or after 1 January 1902 and who had completed 18 months service in the conflict prior to 1 June 1902.
Brigadier General Alfred Edward John Cavendish, CMG was a British Army general who served in the Second Boer War and First World War as a staff officer.
The Territorial Force War Medal was a campaign medal awarded to members of the British Territorial Force and Territorial Force Nursing Service who served overseas in World War I. It is the rarest of the five British Great War medals.
Mediterranean 1901–02 was a battle honour awarded to the following Militia battalions of the British Army for their service during the Second Boer War of 1899–1902, when they performed garrison duty in the Mediterranean, relieving regular Army battalions for active service:
Major General Edward Archibald Beck, DSO was a senior British Army officer who commanded the 9th (Highland) Infantry Division during the early stages of the Second World War.
Colonel Harold Carmichael Wylly, CB was a British Army colonel and military historian.
Colonel Henry Huntly Leith Malcolm was a Scottish officer in the British Army during the Anglo-Egyptian War and World War I.
In the Colonies and Boer Republics which became the Union of South Africa in 1910, several unofficial military decorations and medals were instituted and awarded during the nineteenth and early twentieth century. The Kimberley Star is an unofficial private campaign medal which was instituted by the Mayor of Kimberley in 1900. The medal was awarded to all who took part in the defence of the diamond mining town during the four months in 1899 and 1900 while Kimberley was besieged by Boer Republican Forces during the Second Boer War.
This is a Bibliography of World War military units and formations. It aims to include historical sources and literature about specific unit formations of World War II, such as fronts/army groups, field armies, army corps, divisions, brigades, regiments, battalions, and companies. It also includes air force formations, such as air divisions, air groups, air wings, air squadrons and air force flights. Furthermore, it includes naval formations, such as naval divisions, naval squadrons, flotillas, carrier battle groups, naval task forces and naval fleets.