East and West Africa Medal, with bar for 1900, awarded to Pvt. Mohomadu Imbria 1901

East and West Africa Medal, 1901

Obverse, a bust of Queen Victoria with veil

East and West Africa Medal, 1901

Reverse, a scene of bush fighting around a tree with a fallen African to the fore

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East and West Africa Medal, 1901

Peace-keeping operations in the British possessions in Africa, as anywhere else, required a large number of small campaigns, several of which, from 1892 until 1900, were considered to merit this medal, which in terms of design is a continuation of the Ashantee War Medal. Recipients who held that medal already were therefore awarded only extra clasps.
The bar that this medal carries was awarded for participation in either or both of two expeditions in what is now Nigeria, one into the area around the modern city of Kaduna (which the British founded in 1913) between 20 February and 9 May 1900, and one into the erstwhile Muri Emirate, which in 1900 was a de facto French protectorate from which the pagan Munshi people were in the habit of raiding Hausa trading traffic. As a result of the campaign the British administration in Nigeria placed itself in strategic control of the area, and it was formally annexed to the Protectorate of Nigeria the following year.
This medal was awarded to Private Mohomadu Imbria of the 2nd North Nigerian Regiment. Lester Watson purchased the medal at some point before 1928.