Description
Ghuznee Medal, For the Storming of the Fortress at Ghazni, 23rd July 1839, unnamed as issued.
Good preserved condition, especially for its age.
An original medal, still fitted with the original suspension post, the typically fragile hinged silver suspension bar being replaced by a later silver suspension.
The second ever official Campaign Medal, the first having been the Waterloo Medal back in 1815, being an interesting part of the history of medals as they are today, to award this medal to British Soldiers, required the permission of Queen Victoria, who gave them a special sanction, which brought about the issue of more medals by precedent, the upcoming “China 1842” and other Campaign Medals followed, the tradition is still upheld today.
The idea behind the medal actually came from Shah Shujah Durrani, Ruler of the Durrani Empire, who never got to see it through. He had by way of this campaign being fought been re-established as the ruler of Afghanistan, although he was technically a pawn of the British Colonial Empire, he was shortly after assassinated by his own people, having been extremely unpopular as once he got back into power he became hungry for vengeance on those who wronged him, which lead to his ambush and killing on 5th April 1842.
About 8,371 medals are noted to have been issued to the force, who took part in the storming.
