Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army)

Last updated
Indian Meritorious Service Medal
HEIC MSM.png
Obverse and reverse of the medal
TypeLong and meritorious service medal
Presented by HEIC and the British Raj
EligibilityEuropeans in the British Indian Army
StatusReplaced by Meritorious Service Medal
Established1848
Last awarded1873
LS&GC and MSM early version ribbons.png
Ribbon of the medal
Order of Wear
Next (higher) Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) [1]
Next (lower) Royal Marines Meritorious Service Medal [1]

The Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) was a medal to recognize long and meritorious service by European non-commissioned officers in service of the East India Company's Army.

Contents

History

Established by the East India Company in 1848, the Indian Meritorious Service Medal was established along the same lines as the Meritorious Service Medal for non-commissioned officers in the British Army. Even after the Indian Rebellion of 1857 brought the end of company rule, the medal continued to be awarded to those eligible European personnel serving in the British Indian Army. This practice continued until 1873 when it was decided that European personnel would be awarded the same Meritorious Service Medal as was awarded to the members of the British Army. [2]

Appearance

The medal was designed by William Wyon, with the dies for the medal executed by the Royal Mint. The medal was circular, made of silver, and 1.4 inches in diameter. The obverse of the medal bears a left facing effigy of Queen Victoria wearing a diadem. To the left of the effigy is the word VICTORIA to the right of the effigy is the word REGINA. The reverse depicts the arms, motto, and crest of the East India Company in the center surrounded by an outer ring. Upon the ring is the inscription FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE. [2]

The medal is mounted from a silver scrolled bar with a claw attachment to the medal. The ribbon for the medal was not spelled out by regulation, but by convention used a 1.25 inch wide crimson ribbon, the same as the British Army's Meritorious Service Medal. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army of India Medal</span> Award

The Army of India Medal (AIM) was a campaign medal approved in 1851 for issue to officers and men of the British Army and the Army of the Honourable East India Company. A retrospective award following the precedent set by the Naval General Service Medal and the Military General Service Medal, it served to reward service in various actions from 1803 to 1826.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meritorious Service Medal (United Kingdom)</span> British military decoration

The Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) is a British medal awarded to Senior Non Commissioned Officers and Warrant Officers of the British armed forces for long and meritorious service. From 1916 to 1928, eligibility was extended to cover both valuable services by selected other ranks irrespective of length of service, and for gallantry not in the face of the enemy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Efficiency Decoration (South Africa)</span> Award

The Efficiency Decoration (South Africa), post-nominal letters ED, was instituted in 1930 for award to efficient and thoroughly capable part-time officers in the Citizen Force of the Union of South Africa after twenty years of service. The decoration superseded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Efficiency Medal (South Africa)</span> Award

The Efficiency Medal (South Africa) was instituted in 1930 for award to part-time warrant officers, non-commissioned officers and men after twelve years of efficient service on the active list of the Citizen Force of the Union of South Africa. At the same time, a clasp was instituted for award to holders of the medal upon completion of further periods of six years of efficient service. The medal superseded the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Seringapatam Medal</span> East India Company medal for 1799 Battle of Seringapatam during Mysore Wars

The Seringapatam Medal, or Sri Ranga Pattanam Medal, is a campaign medal that was awarded by the Governor-General of India to all British and Indian soldiers who participated in the British victory in the Battle of Seringapatam in 1799.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration</span> Defunct British award

The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Officers' Decoration, post-nominal letters VD, was established in 1899 as recognition for long and meritorious service as a part-time commissioned officer in any of the organized military forces of the British Colonies, Dependencies and Protectorates. It superseded the Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies in all these territories, but not in the Indian Empire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Central Africa Medal</span> Award

The Central Africa Medal was a British campaign medal awarded for service from 1891 to 1894 in Eastern and Central Africa, and from 1894 to 1898 for service in British Central Africa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Indian Army)</span> Award

The Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Indian Army) was a long and meritorious service medal awarded to Indian non-commissioned officers in the British Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army)</span> Award

The Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) was a medal to recognize long and efficient service by Europeans in service of the East India Company's Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (for Indian Army)</span> Award

The Indian Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was a long service medal awarded to Indian other ranks in the British Indian Army.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volunteer Long Service Medal</span> Award

The Volunteer Long Service Medal was instituted in 1894 as an award for long service by other ranks and some officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. Award of the medal was discontinued when it was superseded by the Territorial Force Efficiency Medal in 1908.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal</span> Award

The Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal was instituted by King William IV in 1830. The medal remained in use for 100 years, until it was replaced by the Medal for Long Service and Good Conduct (Military) in 1930. During that time the reverse of the medal remained virtually unchanged, while the design of the obverse was altered during the reigns of Queen Victoria, King Edward VII and King George V.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope)</span> Award

In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local military forces. The Cape of Good Hope introduced this system in September 1895 and, in 1896, instituted the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Cape of Good Hope).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal)</span> British Colonial Army medal

In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local military forces. The Colony of Natal introduced this system in August 1895 and, in 1897, instituted the Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (Natal).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope)</span> Award

In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to members of their local permanent military forces. The Cape of Good Hope introduced this system in September 1895 and, in 1896, instituted the Meritorious Service Medal (Cape of Good Hope).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meritorious Service Medal (Natal)</span> Award

In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to members of their local permanent military forces. The Colony of Natal introduced this system in August 1895 and, in 1897, instituted the Meritorious Service Medal (Natal).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Meritorious Service Medal (South Africa)</span> Award

In May 1895, Queen Victoria authorised Colonial governments to adopt various British military medals and to award them to their local permanent military forces. The Cape of Good Hope and Colony of Natal instituted their own territorial versions of the Meritorious Service Medal in terms of this authority. These two medals remained in use in the respective territories until after the establishment of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies</span> UK long service medal for volunteer officers

The Volunteer Officers' Decoration was instituted in 1892 as an award for long and meritorious service by officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. In 1894, the grant of the decoration was extended to commissioned officers of Volunteer Forces throughout the British Empire. A separate new decoration was instituted, the Volunteer Officers' Decoration for India and the Colonies, post-nominal letters VD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies</span> UK volunteer long service medal

The Volunteer Long Service Medal was instituted in 1894 as an award for long service by other ranks and some officers of the United Kingdom's Volunteer Force. In 1896, the grant of the medal was extended to other ranks and officers who had served in the ranks of the Volunteer Forces throughout the British Empire. A separate new medal was instituted, the Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies. Awarding of this medal was discontinued in stages when it was superseded in most territories by the Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal in 1899 and in the remainder by the Efficiency Medal in 1930.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Burma Medal</span> Award

The Burma Medal is a campaign medal awarded by the Governor-General of India to native Indian soldiers of the armies of the Honourable East India Company (HEIC) who participated in the First Burma War from April 1824 to February 1826.

References

  1. 1 2 "No. 56878". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2003. p. 3352.
  2. 1 2 Mayo, 473
  3. Mayo, 474

Works cited