IDENTIFIERS ----------- id: 141221 accession number: CM.1127-2009 DATE AUDIT ---------- created: Saturday 6 August 2011 updated: Monday 15 January 2024 DESCRIPTIVE DATA ---------------- object type: After the initial British success against Amir Sher Ali in Afghanistan in 1878, a British resident was installed in Kabul in 1879, the Amir being sworn (and paid a considerable subsidy) to behave friendlily towards him. This proved no protection against the Resident's murder along with other British residents in September 1879, whereupon war was rejoined. While battle raged around Kabul, the British forces at Kandahar were felt dangerously exposed and orders were given to remove them to join those at Kabul. This journey involved a defeat of Afghan forces at Ahmed Khel. In July 1880 Sher Ali's nephew Abdur Rahman was proclaimed Amir by the British, whereupon his cousin Ayub Khan, brother of Sher Ali's son Yaqub Khan who had been proclaimed by the Afghans in the previous year, rebelled and defeated a British force sent to oppose him at Maiwand. The remains of this force retired back to Kandahar where they were heavily besieged for a month before relief could arrive from Kabul, in a memorable march that was considered to merit a second medal. This medal bears clasps for participation in both the battle of Ahmed Khel and the final taking of Kandahar. It was awarded to Bugler R. Harris of the 2nd Battalion, 60th Foot, who must also have been eligible for the Kabul to Kandahar Star. It is not impossible that the unnamed example of that piece in the Watson Collection also belonged to Harris. Lester Watson purchased this one at some point before 1928. title: Afghanistan Medal NOTES ----- type: history note value: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt before 1928 LICENSING --------- text license status: CC0 image license status: CC-BY-NC-SA OWNERSHIP --------- instutition: The Fitzwilliam Museum department: Coins and Medals collection: Lester Watson Collection creditline: Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009 STABLE URL ---------- url: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141221 TECHNIQUES ---------- struck CATEGORIES ------ category: medal DATING ------ creation date: 1881 - 1882 creation date earliest: 1881 creation date latest: 1882 CREATORS -------- maker: London maker: Boehm, Joseph Edward, Sir maker: Caldecott, Randolph maker: Victoria (1837-1901) maker: Victoria regina et imperatrix DIMENSIONS ---------- dimension: Diameter units: mm value: 36.2 dimension: Weight units: g value: 42.63 CITATIONS -------- British Battles and Medals 7th edn British and other Campaign and Gallantry Medals From the Collection of Lester Watson (d. 1959) --- IMAGES surrogate: large format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0010_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 143 pixels surrogate: mid format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0010_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 143 pixels surrogate: original format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0010_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 143 pixels surrogate: preview format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0010_281_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 143 pixels surrogate: large format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0010_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 141 pixels surrogate: mid format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0010_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 141 pixels surrogate: original format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0010_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 141 pixels surrogate: preview format: jpeg location: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/imagestore/cm/cm15/LW_0010_282_29.jpg height: 365 pixels width: 141 pixels