IDENTIFIERS
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id:	141212
accession number:	CM.1118-2009

DATE AUDIT
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created:	Saturday 6 August 2011
updated:	Monday 15 January 2024

DESCRIPTIVE DATA
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object type: The Abyssinian War Medal was awarded to those involved in a 1867-1868 expedition to Abyssinia to secure the release of British labourers sent to the country at the request of King Theodore, but imprisoned on their arrival. Though 43,000 men were involved in the campaign (only 14,683 being soldiers) and vastly outnumbered, total casualties were only 2 killed and 27 wounded, and the King committed suicide when his city of Magdala fell to the British.
This medal was awarded to Able Bodied Seaman T. Simpkin, whose vessel, HMS Spiteful, despite only being a paddle-steamer single-handedly quelled piracy in the Arabian Gulf during the campaign, in a month's cruise in 1868 in which she captured 6 vessels and rescued 200 slaves. Simpkin was presumably part of this effort, and Lester Watson purchased the medal awarded for it at some point before 1928.
The Museum is glad to acknowledge the help of Mr G. M. Stein with the history of this medal.
title:	Abyssinian War Medal

NOTES
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type: history note
value: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt before 1928


LICENSING
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text license status:	CC0
image license status:	CC-BY-NC-SA

OWNERSHIP
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instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum
department: Coins and Medals
collection:	Lester Watson Collection
creditline: Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

STABLE URL
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url:	https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141212





TECHNIQUES
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struck

CATEGORIES
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category: medal

DATING
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creation date:	1869 - 1869
creation date earliest:	1869
creation date latest:	1869

CREATORS
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maker: London
maker: Jones, Owen
maker: Wyon, Joseph Shepherd
maker: Victoria (1837-1901)

DIMENSIONS
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dimension: Diameter
units: mm
value: 32.5

dimension: Weight
units: g
value: 31.15



CITATIONS
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British Battles and Medals 7th edn
British and other Campaign and Gallantry Medals From the Collection of Lester Watson (d. 1959)
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