IDENTIFIERS
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id:	141342
accession number:	CM.1248-2009

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 Army of India Medal's issue in 1849 having marked the previous half-century's combats in the region, further conflicts in the 1850s led in 1854 to the design and issue of a General Service Medal for the theatre, for which bars would be issued as each new campaign merited.
Diplomatic relations between the Burmese Kingdom of Ava, in and beyond modern-day Myanmar, and the British in India deteriorated during a Burmese succession crisis in 1879, and increasing Burmese dealings with French interests led to confrontation over border issues by the British. Corresponding Burmese sanctions against British trade interests led to an ultimatum and finally war in 1885.
The British, having learnt from the difficult jungle warfare of previous campaigns in Burma, chose this time to move directly on the Burmese capital by means of the River Irrawaddy (Ayeyarwady), and the advance was so rapid that Burmese resistance was entirely uncoordinated. Burmese court divisions further weakened their deployment, and King Thibaw of Ava was taken prisoner in Mandalay a mere fortnight after war had been declared. Many of the Burmese forces were however only now massing, and in the absence of leadership took to the country to mount guerilla campaigns against what was now the annexation of Ava and its Burmese territories to British India. British campaigns against such insurgents continued until 1892, and bars were awarded to the India General Service Medal for them in 1889 and 1892.
This medal, which bears bars for the initial campaign of annexation and the first two years of fighting against the resistance, was awarded to Private J. Stockton of the 1st Rifle Brigade. Lester Watson purchased it at some point before 1928.
title:	Indian General Service Medal (1854-95)

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/141342





TECHNIQUES
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struck

CATEGORIES
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category: medal

DATING
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creation date:	1887 - 1895
creation date earliest:	1887
creation date latest:	1895

CREATORS
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maker: London
maker: Wyon, William
maker: Wyon, Leonard Charles
maker: Victoria (1837-1901)
maker: Victoria regina

DIMENSIONS
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dimension: Diameter
units: mm
value: 36.2

dimension: Weight
units: g
value: 48.01



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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