India General Service Medal (1854)
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| India General Service Medal | |
|---|---|
   Obverse (top left) and reverse (top right) of the medal. Ribbon: 32mm, three crimson and two dark blue stripes of equal width. |
|
| Awarded by United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland | |
| Type | Campaign medal |
| Eligibility | British and Indian forces. |
| Awarded for | Campaign service. |
| Campaign | India 1852–1895. |
| Description | Silver or bronze disk, 36mm diameter. |
| Clasps |
|
| Statistics | |
| Established | 11 March 1854 |
 Example of medal with Perak clasp. |
|
The India General Service Medal (1854 IGSM) was a campaign medal approved in 1854, for issue to officers and men of the British and Indian armies.
The 1854 IGSM was approved on 1 March 1854. It was awarded for various minor military campaigns in India, during 1852 to 1895. Each battle or action covered by the medal was represented by a clasp on the ribbon; 24 were sanctioned,[1] the maximum awarded to one man is thought to be seven.[2] The medal was never issued without a clasp.
The medal was initially awarded in silver to all ranks, regardless of race or branch of service. However, starting from 1885 (with the Burma 1885–7 bar) both medal and clasp were issued in bronze to native support personnel such as bearers, sweepers, and drivers.[1]
[edit] Clasps
- Pegu
- Persia
- North West Frontier
- Umbeyla
- Bhootan
- Looshai
- Perak
- Jowaki 1877–78
- Naga 1879–80
- Burma 1885–87
- Sikkim 1888
- Hazara 1888
- Burma 1887–89
- Chin Lushai 1889–90
- Lushai 1889–92
- Samana 1891
- Hazara 1891
- NE Frontier 1891
- Hunza 1891
- Burma 1889–92
- Chin Hills 1892–93
- Kachin Hills 1892–93
- Waziristan 1894–95
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b Medals Yearbook 2005, p. 143.
- ^ This was General Sir AW Lockhart, although there have been unsubstantiated claims that some native Indian soldiers had up to ten bars. See British Battles and Medals, p. 120.
[edit] Bibliography
- Mackay, J and Mussel, J (eds) - Medals Yearbook - 2006, (2005), Token Publishing.
- Joslin, Litherland, and Simpkin (eds), British Battles and Medals, (1988), Spink
