Obverse, a laurel wreath around the cipher of the Sultan of the Ottoman Empire |
Reverse, a cannon and mortar left and right before four standards of Crimean Allies, French flag to the front |
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 1856, and so British troops often obtained themselves copies of the Sardinian or sometimes the French issue instead. This is a fine imitation of the Sardinian issue, with the Sardinian standard given pride of place in the field.
It is engraved to Private Arthur Connor of the 48th Regiment. Lester Watson acquired the medal at some point before 1928.