Ghuznee Medal

Instituted:
Authorised by a General Order dated 23rd November 1842 having been sanctioned by HM Queen Victoria in March 1841.

Qualification:
Officers and men involved in the capture of Ghuznee, Afghanistan in March 1839.

Description:
Silver, 37mm diameter. The obverse portrays the fortress of Ghuznee with the word GHUZNEE below. The reverse has the date 23rd July 1839 and a crown within a laurel leaf.

Ribbon:
38.5mm wide, half crimson and half green (a change from the originally intended half yellow and half green).

Suspension:
Fixed straight suspender.

Naming:
Issued unnamed but, as in the image above, examples are found named on the reverse in running script or neat capitals, or engraved along the rim in bold capitals.

Clasps:
No official clasps were issued with this medal but unofficial clasps exist with the following engravings: Ghuznee, Kelat, Mnaher, Montsantonsh, and Ponulla.

Other:
Originally to be given in the name of the Shah Shooja but ultimately given on behalf of the Government of India, the Shah having died and the medals having been minted at the Government Mint in Calcutta. A total of 8,371 medals were issued and there are also tin versions of this same award which were worn by sepoys.

Further reading:
For an account of the battle, see britishbattles.com.

Acknowledgements:
British Battles and Medals for the history of the medal, Dix Noonan Webb for the image used in this post.