Copy of Turkish Crimean Medal (French issue), engraved to Gunner W. Hudson, c. 1860
Image["Turkish Crimean Medal (France), 1856"]Obverse, a laurel wreath around the cipher of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Image["Turkish Crimean Medal (France), 1856"]Reverse, a cannon and mortar left and right before four standards of Crimean Allies, French flag to the front
Copy of Turkish Crimean Medal (French), 1860
The readiness of Great Britain and France, and also Sardinia whose contribution is often forgotten, to aid the Ottoman Empire in the
Crimean War, was recognised by Sultan Abdul Mejid I with the issue of a medal for all the troops of all nations involved, struck to a slightly different design for each country.
The majority of the
medals for British troops were however lost with their ship during carriage to Britain in 1860, and so British troops often obtained themselves copies of the
Sardinian or sometimes the French issue instead. This example is an imitation of the French issue, with the French standard given pride of place in the field.
It is engraved to Gunner W. Hudson of the Royal Artillery. Lester Watson acquired the medal at some point before 1928.