| He wears a total of seven medals with the Victoria Cross prominent at the center of his chest. His collar badges are of a star shaped pattern which could be of a number of regiments. An enlarged detail of the medals is shown below: Cabinet Photograph Unknown Photographer Unknown Location, Probably England c. 1890 |
| The first medal appears to be the Victoria Cross but as Mr. Iain Stewart pointed out has a rather odd looking suspender. The next two medals appear the be the pair issued to some veterans of the 2nd Anglo-Afghan War. This would make the second the Afghanistan Medal (with at least four clasps) and the Kabul to Kandahar Star. Three additional campaign medals follow. A previous owner of the photo had identified these on the reverse in pencil as the "Zulu War" medal, the "Burmese"medal and the "Chinese (Boxer)" medal. The medal after the Star could very well be the 1877-79 South Africa Medal and the next one could be the India General Service Medal with three clasps (the IGSM was awarded for service in Burma and no specific medal was ever created for actions in Burma) and the second to the last medal does look like a single clasp 1900 China War Medal. The last medal only adds to the oddness. It looks to be a Long Service & Good Conduct Medal but with the post 1917 ribbon that had white striped edges. The two obvious problems is see are: His possession of the Afghan War group and the Anglo-Zulu War medal - not a highly likely combination. His possession of a post-1917 LS&GC Medal which would place the beginning of his service sometime around 1900 which would negate him having been in the service early enough - by some twenty years - to have earned the Afghan and Zulu War medals. Who knows. |