Baltic Medal, 1856

Baltic Medal, 1856

Obverse, a bust of Queen Victoria

Baltic Medal, 1856

Reverse, Britannia seated with a trident, a cannon at her feet, before two distant fortresses

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Baltic Medal, by W. Wyon & L. C. Wyon, 1856

Although the Crimean War is mainly remembered for the fighting in the Black Sea area, there were also several naval engagements in the Baltic Sea between Anglo-French and Russian forces. Naval stalemate supervened before very long, as the inferior Russian fleet stayed close to its fortresses, which the Anglo-French commanders usually considered too well-defended to approach.
Service in this theatre entitled the crew of the British fleets there to this medal, which was issued unnamed except in exceptional cases. This medal, which is named to Captain Campbell, a pilot, is one such exception. Lester Watson purchased it from the dealer Gifford at some point before 1928.