Gwalior Star
Gwalior Star | |
---|---|
ribbon bar of the award | |
Awarded by British East India Company | |
Type | Campaign medal |
Eligibility | officers and other ranks |
Awarded for | Battles of Maharajpoor and Punniar |
Campaign | Gwalior Campaign |
Clasps | none |
The Gwalior Star is a campaign award presented to the soldiers of the British Army, by the Honorable East India Company, who took part in the 1843 Gwalior Campaign.
History
On December 29, 1843, the British Army defeated Maharaja Mahadji Rao Scindia, and regained control of Gwalior. The first division of the army, commanded by Sir Hugh Gough, was victorious at the Battle of Maharajpoor. Major-General Grey, on the same day, with the second division, was victorious at the Battle of Punniar.
Description
This medal is a six pointed star made of bronze, from guns captured during the Gwalior Campaign. In the center of the star is a silver disk, which bears the Date 29th Dec, 1843 and the name of one of the Gwalior Campaign battles, either Maharajpoor or Punniar. The reverse of the medal is plain and engraved with the name of the soldier, to whom the medal was awarded, and the soldier's regiment. Manufactured at the Calcutta Mint, this medal was presented by the British India Government originally as a star with a clip on the back to be worn on the breast. Eventually most of these were fitted with a ring so that they could be suspended by a ribbon and worn along with other medals. The ribbon used was the common ribbon used on many East India Company medals, which was a blue-white-yellow-red gradient ribbon such as that found on the Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal.
References
- Gwalior Campaign Star (Maharajpoor), awarded to Cpt. Lawrence Fyler 1843, The Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge, date accessed 2011-03-10.
- Campaign Star (Punniar), awarded to Pvt. George Homeshaw, 1844, The Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge, date accessed 2011-03-10.
- Topic: Gwalior Star Medal (Medal # 112, Medal Yearbook), World of Coins, date accessed 2011-03-10.