Date
Instituted: 1879.
Campaign: South Africa 1877-79.
Description: The obverse of this medal bears the head of Queen Victoria
with the inscription 'VICTORIA REGINA' while the reverse depicts
a crouching lion drinking from a waterhole in front of a protea
bush with the words 'SOUTH AFRICA' above and a native shield and
spears below. The swivelling suspender is of the ornate scroll type.
Metal: Silver.
Size: 36mm.
Clasps: '1877', '1877-8', '1877-9', '1877-8-9', '1878', '1878-9'
and '1879'.
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Naming: Impressed
Roman capital letters or engraved.
Comments: Awarded for various campaigns in South Africa between 1877
and 1879 the most important of which was the Zulu War in 1879. The
most sought after medals of this type are those awarded to members
of the 24th Regiment who were either annihilated at the Battle of Isandhlwana
or defended Rorke's Drift in January 1879. Eleven VC's were awarded
for the Rorke's Drift action.
Only
one clasp was allowed per medal but at least two examples exist
with two clasps both being genuinely awarded including that to Assistant
Commissary J. L. Dalton VC of Rorke’s Drift fame. Both the ‘1877-8’ and ‘1878-9’ clasps are
considered scarce while the ‘1877’ clasp is very rare and highly
collectable. The most common clasp is that of ‘1879’ for the Zulu
War. An unofficial bar ‘ULUNDI’ exists with the 1879 date being erased
and ULUNDI then engraved on medals awarded to members of the 17th Lancers. |
