Benin River, 1897.—Those sailors and marines who landed from the following ships were awarded the bar for BENIN RIVER 1897: H.M.S. "Alecto," "Barrosa," "Forte," "Magpie," "Philomel," "Phœbe," "Saint George," "Theseus" and "Widgeon"; about 1,400 officers and men took part.
Sierra Leone, 1898-9.—The bar for SIERRA LEONE 1898-9 was awarded to those who landed from H.M.S. "Alecto," "Blonde," and "Fox," likewise the Colonial boat "Countess of Derby," and took part in the boat expedition up the river and were actually under fire. The men from H.M.S. "Blonde" were engaged in the Sherboro neighbourhood from May 1st to 15th, and with the men from the "Alecto" on the Boom Kittam River next day. Those belonging to the "Fox" and the "Countess of Derby" were engaged on the Brempé River between May 11th and 14th, 1898. This bar is wider than the others previously issued, as the inscription is in two lines.
Mwele, 1895-6.—By an Admiralty Order dated January 1st, 1897, a further grant of the West Africa medal was sanctioned, and the medal awarded to those who had taken part in the operations against Mwele, the stronghold of the rebel chief Sheik Mbarnok Bin Rashid, which was captured on August 17th, 1895. No bar was issued for this affair, the name and date MWELE 1895 being engraved on the edge of the medal in slanting Roman capitals, together with the name, etc., of the recipient. Those already in possession of the medal had MWELE 1895 engraved after their name. The little force comprised men from H.M.S. "Barrosa," "Phœbe," "Racoon," and "Saint George," and the 24th and 26th Bombay Infantry—their medals had MWELE impressed on one side of the claw of the suspender and 1895 on the other side—who also received the medal, while camp followers were given the medal in bronze. This medal is described on page [228].
THE IRON CROSS.
AUSTRIAN ORDER OF THE IRON CROWN.
PRUSSIAN MEDAL FOR DISTINCTION. IN SERVICE, 1825.
