1860 NRA Medal with Mutiny or China War Medal suspender

[zorg]

1860 National Rifle Association Medal with a silver Indian Mutiny or Second China War Medal suspender.

On the Herefordshire Battalion clasp there's a silver duty mark. Strangely a King George III mark?

Naming on the rim: CPL. C.J. SAXBY HEREFORDSHIRE SEPT. 26. 1865.

Was the Herefordshire Battalion a subdivision of the Herefordshire Light Infantry?

Is there anything known about a Cpl. Saxby?

thx zorg

[zorg]

from Wikipedia:

"The 1st Administrative Battalion, Herefordshire and Radnorshire Rifle Volunteers was formed in 1861. It comprised the 1st to 8th Herefordshire Rifle Volunteer Corps and the 1st to 3rd Radnorshire Rifle Volunteer Corps, units of the Volunteer Force formed in the wake of the Crimean War (In this instance Corps refers to a Company-sized unit of around 100 men, not the more modern use of the word.)"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herefordshire_Light_Infantry

so 'Herefordshire Battalion' means 1st Administrative Battalion of the Herefordshire Light Infantry?

[Mervyn Mitton]

Zorg - an interesting medal. Until you can get some further research I would say that there is the possibility of the

suspender having been added. Just doesn't look right - at least to me.

The other problem is the clasp - the style and naming could well be for an earlier issue. I don't think the Duty mark is

the head of King George 3rd. He died in 1820. It could well be for George 4th (1820-1830) or, for King William 4th.

(1830-37) Both of their Marks faced to the right. Queen Victoria assumed the throne in 1837 - so the time difference is

23 years - even if it was issued in the last year of William 4th. - and the medal is for 1860.

Could well be worth contacting the Army Museum in London to see what they have on record. Perhaps a Member here will

be able to give further info. ?

[zorg]

Sure! It's a fiddled medal. Usually there are no suspenders on the 1860 NRA medals.

http://www.historyli.../number2213.asp

Hmmm ...but only the mark of King George 3rd have this prominent plait of hair to the left.

http://www.925-1000....tish_marks.htm

Edited August 12, 2012 by zorg

[paul wood]

Sure! It's a fiddled medal. Usually there are no suspenders on the 1860 NRA medals.

http://www.historyli.../number2213.asp

Hmmm ...but only the mark of King George 3rd have this prominent plait of hair to the left.

http://www.925-1000....tish_marks.htm

It is quite possible that he had served in the regular forces (although not with the 36th Foot (Herefordshire regiment) who had seen no active service since the Peninsular War), probably in the Crimea, subsequent to discharge, as many did, joined his local volunteer force, and presumably attached a similar suspension so he could wear it with his official award. The regulations for wearing medals were much more haphazard than later as can be seen from many photos of soldiers from this period. As for the hallmark on the medal, presumably NRA had some old stock lying around which nobody apart from a silver specialist was going to give a damn about receiving. Medal collectors should always remember that medals were adapted for the recipient not for the benefit of collectors.

Paul

[zorg]

Thank you for your thoughts, Paul.

As for the hallmark on the medal, presumably NRA had some old stock lying around which nobody apart from a silver specialist was going to give a damn about receiving.

That's just what I was thinking.

... maybe Corporal C.J. (Charles James?) Saxby served in India or took part in the Second Opium War?! we're never going to know.