Crimea 1854-1856 Medal


Crimea Medal with Clasps

Physical Description - The medal consists of a 36 millimetres (1.4 in) silver disc with, on the obverse, the diademed head of Queen Victoria and the legend VICTORIA REGINA with the date 1854 below. The reverse has a depiction of a standing Roman warrior about to receive a laurel crown from a flying figure of victory, the word CRIMEA appearing on the left.

Queen Victoria’s intention to issue a Crimea Medal was announced by the Duke of Newcastle (Secretary for War) to Lord Raglan (Commander-in-Chief) on 2 December 1854. It was to be conferred on all officers and men who served in the war. Each medal bore the clasps of those actions in which the recipient had been involved.

Clasp To The Crimea Medal

Five clasps were authorised:[1]

  • Alma – for the battle of 20 September 1854.
  • Balaklava – for the battle of 25 October 1854.
  • Inkerman – for the battle of 5 November 1854.
  • Sebastopol – for the siege that lasted from 11 September 1854 to 9 September 1855. Anyone who received the Balaklava or Inkerman clasps was also awarded this clasp.
  • Azoff – for the Naval expedition in the Sea of Azoff from 25 May to 22 September 1855. It was awarded only to Royal Navy personnel.

    • The Alma and Inkerman clasps were authorised in December 1854 at the same time as the medal, with that for Balaklava on 23 February 1855, Sebastopol on 13 October 1855 and Azoff on 2 May 1856. No person received more than four clasps.

    The following local people were awarded the Crimean Medal.

    Worledge
    John Pooley  b. before 1825