India General Service Medal (1854-1895), with bar for Persia, awarded to Pvt. I. Morrow, 1857
Obverse, a bust of Queen Victoria |
Reverse, Victory crowning a seated Classical warrior with a laurel wreath |
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Obverse, a bust of Queen Victoria |
Reverse, Victory crowning a seated Classical warrior with a laurel wreath |
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.
The second campaign for which the India General Service Medal was awarded was a conflict between Britain and Persia (geographically speaking modern-day Iran) over the city of Herat, now in Afghanistan. Persian military occupation of the city in 1856 led to a British response in force, and after a brief but fierce campaign in which city after Persian city fell to the British, Nasser al-Din Shah Qajar made peace in early 1857, conceding Herat to obtain British withdrawal.
This medal was awarded to Private I. Morrow of the 64th Foot. Lester Watson acquired the medal at some point before 1928.