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Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal: CM.1161-2009

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Object information

Current Location: In storage

Maker(s)

Mint: London
Ruler: Victoria (1837-1901)
Artist: Saulles, George W. de
Ruler: Victoria regina et imperatrix (With the title of)

Entities

Categories

Description

The British colony on the Cape of Good Hope, now part of South Africa, was run by an independent administration with its own armed forces. Various risings by the African peoples of their territory resulted in a number of military actions which were thought to merit a medal for these troops, of which this was the second. The first had been the South Africa Medal for the campaign that brought the Basotho tribes under the governance of the Cape Colony.
The bar for Bechuanaland (now split between South Africa and Botswana) refers to lengthy fighting in 1896 and 1897 after a large-scale slaughter of cattle, carried out because of disease, had caused the African population there to rise in protest.
This medal is engraved to Trooper W. A. Leach of the Despatch Service. Leach's name is not on the Roll of recipients of this medal; this may be because of the secondary character of his unit. Lester Watson bought the medal from the London dealers Spink on 12 November 1924.

Notes

History note: Gift of L. Hoyt Watson; ex Lester Watson Collection, bt Spink 12 Nov 1924

Legal notes

Given by Lester Watson through Cambridge in America, 2009

Measurements and weight

Diameter: 36.4 mm
Weight: 37.9 g

Place(s) associated

  • London

Acquisition and important dates

Method of acquisition: Given (2009) by Watson, Lester

Dating

Production date: AD 1900

Materials used in production

Silver

Techniques used in production

Struck

Inscription or legends present

Inscription present: Bust of Victoria facing left

  • Text: VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX
  • Location: Obverse
  • Type: Design

Inscription present: Horse and antelope above floriate ornament, supporting either side of coat of arms couped with three rosettes chief and lion rampant base

  • Location: Reverse
  • Type: Design

References and bibliographic entries

Identification numbers

Accession number: CM.1161-2009
Primary reference Number: 141255
Watson Catalogue: 47
Ordering: M-0044
Previous object number: LW.0044
Stable URI

Audit data

Created: Saturday 6 August 2011 Updated: Monday 15 January 2024 Last processed: Monday 15 January 2024

Associated departments & institutions

Owner or interested party: The Fitzwilliam Museum
Associated department: Coins and Medals

Citation for print

This record can be cited in the Harvard Bibliographic style using the text below:

The Fitzwilliam Museum (2024) "Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal" Web page available at: https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141255 Accessed: 2024-04-24 20:13:42

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{{cite web|url=https://data.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/id/object/141255 |title=Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal |author=The Fitzwilliam Museum|accessdate=2024-04-24 20:13:42|publisher=The University of Cambridge}}

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