It is curious to note that the reverse bears the date 1799-1826, though the above list of engagements restricts the years to 1803-26. This is due to the fact that the list was revised after the dies had been put in hand, and certain of the earlier battles were deleted on the advice of the Duke of Wellington.
A second Indian General Service medal was issued in 1854 and subsequently as conditions demanded. It should be mentioned that the authorities had grown to view the constant striking of fresh medals for Indian service with a certain amount of disfavour, and the standard design was introduced in order to prevent a multiplicity of patterns. The measure may have proved satisfactory to those in authority, but it certainly had grave disadvantages of a more or less obvious character. The ribbon, for instance, was similar through all the years of the issue, and when worn with undress or civilian clothes conveyed little meaning. The following clasps were issued:—
Pegu; Persia; North-West Frontier; Umbeyla; Bhootan; Looshai; Perak, 1875; Jowaki, 1877; Naga, 1879; Burma, 1885, 1887, and 1889; Sikkim, 1888; Hazara, 1888 and 1891; Chin-Lushai, 1889; Samana, 1891; North-West Frontier, 1891; Hunza, 1891; Lushgai, 1889; Wazeristan, 1894.
The value of the piece varies considerably, according to the clasps provided with it.
The description of the second Indian General Service award is:—
Obverse—Wyon's head of Victoria, with the inscription "Victoria Regina."
Reverse—Victory crowning a naked warrior.
Ribbon—Three strips of red and two of blue, all of equal width.
Another general medal, first issued in the early fifties, was the South African medal. It will be remembered that in 1850-3 certain British regiments were engaged in putting down Kaffir risings. When a decoration was struck for them, Queen Victoria decreed that the soldiers who fought in the earlier Kaffir risings in 1834 and 1846-7 should also receive the award. The design, which was the same for all, bore the Wyon head on the obverse, and a crouching lion with the words "South Africa" and the date "1853" on the reverse. The ribbon was orange, streaked with four blue lines.
For the 1834 campaign, the 27th, 72nd, and 75th Foot regiments were decorated. For the 1846-7 campaign, the recipients were the 7th Dragoon Guards, the Rifle Brigade, the 6th, 27th, 45th, 79th, 90th, and 91st Foot regiments. For the 1850-3 campaign, the following were honoured: the 2nd, 6th, 12th, 43rd, 60th, 73rd, 74th, 91st Foot, the Rifle Brigade, the 12th Lancers, and various Marines. By noting the recipient's regiment, engraved on the medal edge, it is possible, in most cases, to decide for which particular campaign the award was made.
It may be convenient to state here that the South African decoration was re-issued in 1877-9. The design was similar to the original, except that the exergue contained a picture of Kaffir arms instead of the date "1853." With this issue clasps bearing the following years were given: 1877, 1878, 1879, 1877-8, 1878-9, and 1877-8-9.
The next medal was that presented for the Baltic. It was given largely to the Navy, but the Army received its share, as the letter here quoted from Mayo plainly shows:—