Forces employed.Officers.Men.K.W.K.W.Royal Artillery-11-10th Hussars214-Royal Highlanders-33-York and Lancaster-37-Gordon Highlanders----Roy. Engineers-11-19th Hussars121320King's Royal Rifles1---Royal Irish Fusiliers-1-7Royal Marines-23-Naval Brigade1229
Casualties at Tamai, March 14, 1884.
Forces employed.Officers.Men.K.W.K.W.10th Hussars----Royal Highlanders146029York and Lancaster113023Gordon Highlanders-11819th Hussars----King's Royal Rifles---5Royal Irish Fusiliers-1-5Royal Marines--315Naval Brigade3-67
DEFENCE OF KIMBERLEY, 1899-1900
This battle honour is borne only by the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. The importance of holding fast to Kimberley, the headquarters of the diamond industry in South Africa, was, of course, early recognized by the authorities at the Cape; but, owing to the extent of territory we had to guard and the paucity of the troops at his disposal, Sir Forestier Walker was only able to spare a half-battalion of regulars for the garrison of this extremely valuable centre. Its command was entrusted to Colonel Kekewich, of the old 47th Foot. His position was one of great delicacy, for the uncrowned King of South Africa, the Right Honourable Cecil Rhodes, judged it his duty to undergo the perils of the siege. The gigantic intellect of Mr. Rhodes and his independence of character did not lend itself to a due appreciation of the military situation. He fretted at the action of the officers in supreme command. At the same time, he showed unexampled generosity in assisting the civilians who were beleaguered with him, and spent money like water in furthering all plans for the defence of the town which met with his approval. The population of the place was upwards of 40,000, of whom no less than 35,000 were natives. To feed these and to guard the long perimeter from attack taxed the slender resources of the brave commander to the uttermost. The force at his disposal consisted of one company of Garrison Artillery, four companies North Lancashire Regiment, Diamond Field Artillery (six guns), Kimberley Infantry,Diamond Field Horse, Kimberley Horse, numbering in all some 1,200 men. From the declaration of war on October 12, 1899, until the relief by General French on February 16, 1900, the town was closely besieged. The civilian element suffered but little from the desultory bombardment, nor were the casualties amongst the garrison abnormally heavy.
Casualties at the Defence of Kimberley.
Forces employed.Officers.Men.K.W.K.W.North Lancashire Regiment13410Other military details171343Civilian population--524
AMBOOR
The distinction commemorates the gallant defence of the Fort of Amboor, in the Carnatic, by a force under the command of Captain Calvert, of the Madras army, when closely besieged by Hyder Ali's army in the year 1767. Calvert's garrison consisted of a sergeant's party of the old 1st Madras European Regiment, now the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, one company of the 4th Madras Infantry, and the headquarters of the 10th Madras Infantry, some 500 strong. On November 15, five days after Hyder Ali's batteries opened fire, Calvert was compelled to abandon the lower fort, owing to the severity of the bombardment and the fact that the siege batteries commanded his outworks. He held the upper fort until the advance of the main army, under Colonel Smith, on December 10, compelled Hyder Ali to withdraw. In recognition of the steady gallantry displayed by the 10th Madras Infantry, it was officially designated the Amboor Regiment, and was authorized to carry a third colour, recording the defence of Amboor. Its casualties during the siege amounted to a native officer and 11 men killed and 23 men wounded. The 10th Gurkhas, which is the lineal descendant of the old 10th Madras Native Infantry, has not yet been authorized to assume this battle honour.
WAR MEDALS
In the reign of Queen Anne medals were struck to commemorate military operations, though it does not appear that these were actually bestowed on the officers who assisted at them. In Boyer's "History of the Reign of Queen Anne" excellent facsimiles are given of the medals enumerated below:
1. The Capture of Kaiserwart, Venloo, and Liège, 1702.2. The Destruction of the Spanish Fleet in Vigo, 1702.3. The Battle of Blenheim, 1704.4. The Capture of Gibraltar, 1704.5. The Battle of Ramillies, 1706.6. The Relief of Barcelona, 1706.7. The Battle of Oudenarde, 1708.8. The Capture of Lille, 1708.9. The Capture of Sardinia and Minorca, 1708.10. The Capture of Tournay, 1709.11. The Battle of Malplaquet, 1709.12. The Capture of Mons.13. The Capture of Douay.14. The Capture of Bethune, St. Venant, and Aire, 1710.15. The Battle of Almancara, in Spain, July 16, 1710.16. The Battle of Saragossa, August 9, 1710.17. The Capture of Bouchain, 1711.
1. The Capture of Kaiserwart, Venloo, and Liège, 1702.
2. The Destruction of the Spanish Fleet in Vigo, 1702.
3. The Battle of Blenheim, 1704.
4. The Capture of Gibraltar, 1704.
5. The Battle of Ramillies, 1706.
6. The Relief of Barcelona, 1706.
7. The Battle of Oudenarde, 1708.
8. The Capture of Lille, 1708.
9. The Capture of Sardinia and Minorca, 1708.
10. The Capture of Tournay, 1709.
11. The Battle of Malplaquet, 1709.
12. The Capture of Mons.
13. The Capture of Douay.
14. The Capture of Bethune, St. Venant, and Aire, 1710.
15. The Battle of Almancara, in Spain, July 16, 1710.
16. The Battle of Saragossa, August 9, 1710.
17. The Capture of Bouchain, 1711.
The East India Company had for many years been in the habit of granting medals or other rewards to officers and men employed in military operations under the orders of the Governor-General. These had been conferred on officers of the King's as well as on those of the Honourable Company's Services, but in the case of King's officers permission was rarely granted for such medals to be worn outside the Company's dominions. It was not until the year 1815 that the Prince Regent,following the example of the East India Company, suggested the bestowal of a silver medal on all officers and men who had been present at the Battle of Waterloo or the engagements of the two previous days.
Prior to this the East India Company had granted gold medals to the British officers and silver to native officers present in the following campaigns:
1. The Campaign in Guzerat in 1778-1782. All ranks.2. The War in Mysore, 1791-1794. Officers only.3. The Expedition to Ceylon, 1796. Officers only.4. The Capture of Seringapatam, 1799. Officers only.5. The Expedition to Egypt in 1801. Officers only.6. The Expeditions to Rodriguez, Bourbon, and the Mauritius, in the years 1809-10. Officers only.7. The Expedition to Java in 1811. Officers only.
1. The Campaign in Guzerat in 1778-1782. All ranks.
2. The War in Mysore, 1791-1794. Officers only.
3. The Expedition to Ceylon, 1796. Officers only.
4. The Capture of Seringapatam, 1799. Officers only.
5. The Expedition to Egypt in 1801. Officers only.
6. The Expeditions to Rodriguez, Bourbon, and the Mauritius, in the years 1809-10. Officers only.
7. The Expedition to Java in 1811. Officers only.
Then came the issue of the Waterloo Medal by the Prince Regent, subsequently to which the East India Company continued the issue of medals at the close of any important campaign. The medals now took a different form, being assimilated to that issued for Waterloo. These smaller medals were granted for—
8. The War in Nepaul, 1814-1817.9. The First Burmese War, 1824-1826.10. The Capture of Ghuznee.11. The Defence of Jelalabad, 1842.12. The Defence of Khelat-i-Ghilzai, 1842.13. A medal for the War in Afghanistan, inscribed with one or more of the following names: Candahar, 1842; Ghuznee, 1842; or Cabool, 1842.
8. The War in Nepaul, 1814-1817.
9. The First Burmese War, 1824-1826.
10. The Capture of Ghuznee.
11. The Defence of Jelalabad, 1842.
12. The Defence of Khelat-i-Ghilzai, 1842.
13. A medal for the War in Afghanistan, inscribed with one or more of the following names: Candahar, 1842; Ghuznee, 1842; or Cabool, 1842.
Queen Victoria, on being applied to, gave her consent to this medal being worn by officers and men in uniform beyond the dominions of the East India Company. At the same time the young Queen expressed her opinion that there should be but one fountain of honour, and that it should not be left to a company of merchants to award decorations to soldiers of the Crown.
The next occasion on which the East India Company bestowed a medal was for—
14. Sir Charles Napier's Expedition in Scinde, when a medal, inscribed "Meeanee" or "Hyderabad," or, in the case of those present at both battles, withboth names, to all ranks who fought in Scinde.15. For the Gwalior Campaign a bronze five-pointed star was issued; and16. The First Sikh War of 1846 saw the last issue of a medal by the East India Company.17. The Medal for the Punjab Campaign of 1848 being authorized by Queen Victoria.
14. Sir Charles Napier's Expedition in Scinde, when a medal, inscribed "Meeanee" or "Hyderabad," or, in the case of those present at both battles, withboth names, to all ranks who fought in Scinde.
15. For the Gwalior Campaign a bronze five-pointed star was issued; and
16. The First Sikh War of 1846 saw the last issue of a medal by the East India Company.
17. The Medal for the Punjab Campaign of 1848 being authorized by Queen Victoria.
The Duke of Richmond, who had served on the Staff of the Duke of Wellington in the Peninsular War, now moved in Parliament that a medal be bestowed on the survivors of the campaigns fought under the Great Duke. The Duke himself, if he did not actually oppose the motion, at any rate threw cold water upon it. The young Queen, however, was a warm supporter of the idea of rewarding the men who had fought for England long years before, and, after lengthy discussions, it was decided that a silver medal should be bestowed on all survivors, officers and men, of the following battles:
Roleia, August 17, 1808.Vimiera, August 21, 1808.Sahagun, December 21, 1808.Benevente, January 3, 1809.Corunna, January 16, 1809.The Douro, May 24, 1809.Talavera, July 27, 1809.Busaco, September 27, 1810.Barrosa, March 4, 1811.Fuentes d'Onor, May 5, 1811.Albuera, May 16, 1811.Ciudad Rodrigo, January, 1812.Badajoz, March and April, 1812.Salamanca, July 22, 1812.Vittoria, June 21, 1813.Pyrenees, July 28 to August 2, 1813.St. Sebastian, August and September, 1813.Nivelle, November 10, 1813.Nive, December 9-13, 1813.Orthes, February 27, 1814.Toulouse, April 10, 1814.
Subsequently the issue of the medal was sanctioned to the survivors of the following operations:
Egypt, 1801.Maida, 1806.Martinique, 1809.Guadeloupe, 1810.Java, 1811.Fort Detroit, August, 1812.Châteaugay, October, 1813.Chrystler's Farm, November 1, 1813.
Efforts were made, but unsuccessfully, to extend the medal so as to include the capture of the Cape of Good Hope, of Mauritius, and the war in Nepaul. It will be noticed that the medal was granted for services extending from the Egyptian campaign of 1801 to the Battle of Toulouse in 1814; yet the medal bears the dates 1794-1814, and is graced with the head of the young Queen Victoria, who was not born until five years after Toulouse was fought.
In February, 1851, a similar medal was granted to the survivors of the many campaigns waged in India between the years 1798 and 1826; with it were issued the following clasps:
Seringapatam.Assaye.Argaum.Deig.Seetabuldee.Corygaum.Alli Ghur.Assurghur.Gawalghur.Nepaul.Nagpore.Ava.Delhi, 1803.Laswarree.Delhi, 1804.Kirkee.Maheidpore.Bhurtpore.
The issue of the Peninsular Medal inaugurated a new system with regard to the rewards for military services, and henceforth the officers and men of the navy and army have been rewarded with a medal for practically every campaign in which they have been engaged. Times have indeed changed. In the early days of the Peninsular War the Duke of Wellington refused to recommend the issue of the gold medal (which was only granted to field officers) except to those who had been actually under themusketryfire of the enemy. Ninety years later we have seen a medal granted for garrison service in Malta and St. Helena the while a war was in progress in South Africa.
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