Crimea War Medal : Serjeant T Drew, 63rd Regiment Accession Number: RELAWM14670

Description

Crimea War Medal with the bars 'SEBASTOPOL', 'INKERMANN', 'BALAKLAVA' and 'ALMA'. The recipient's rank, name and regiment are impressed on the edge. Obverse: The diademed head of Queen Victoria with the date '1854' underneath and the legend 'VICTORIA REGINA' around the circumference. Reverse: A Roman warrior holding a sword in his right hand and a circular shield with his left whilst being crowned by a small winged figure of Victory. The word 'CRIMEA' is written vertically on the left. The medal is fitted with a foliated swivel suspender and four acorn leaf bars. A piece of 27 mm light blue ribbon with yellow edges is attached to the suspender.

Contextual Description

Awarded to Serjeant T Drew, 63rd Infantry Regiment. The 63rd Regiment landed in the Crimea with the Forth, or Cathcart's Division. It was on shore for the Battle of the Alma (20 September, 1854) and in support of the cavalry at Balaklava (25 October, 1854), but not actually engaged on either occasion. The regiment saw some severe fighting at the Battle of Inkermann (5 November,1854) and afterwards served through the long winter siege at Sebastopol (11 September, 1854 to 9 September, 1855). This medal is part of a collection assembled by the late Hon. Sir Thomas Hughes, Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales. It was presented to the Memorial in memory of his son, Captain Roger Forrest Hughes, Australian Army Medical Corps, who died of wounds in France on 11 December 1916, and of his grandson, Flying Officer Peter Roger Forrest Hughes, 12 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, who was killed on active service while flying in the Northern Territory on 3 October 1942.