BENGAL LANCERS 1895 BRITISH INDIA ARMY GENERAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN MEDAL PRE WW1

36mm wide circular silver medal with ornate scrolled swivel ribbon suspension bar with ‘PUNJAB FRONTIER 1897-98’, ‘SAMANA 1897’ and ‘TIRAH 1897-98’ clasps; the face with the crowned veiled head of Queen Victoria facing left, circumscribed ‘VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX’ (Victoria Queen and Empress); the reverse with the full-length figures of British and Indian soldiers holding a standard, circumscribed ‘INDIA’ to the left and ‘1895’ to the right; engraved named to rim 628 Dafdr Sant Singh 18th. Bl. Lcrs., naming somewhat polished, light wear overall. Medal retains its original silken ribbon.

The medal was instituted in 1896 and replaced the existing India General Service Medal which had been in use since 1854. Like its predecessor, it was awarded for minor actions where no specific campaign medal was created. The ‘Relief of Chitral 1895’ clasp was awarded to those who between 7 March and 15 August 1895 were part of the relief columns that fought their way through to Chitral to relieve the besieged garrison, the ‘Punjab Frontier 1897-98’ clasp for action in that area between 10 June 1897 and 6 April 1898 and the ‘Tirah 1897-98’ clasp for action in that area between 2 October 1897 and 6 April 1898. A very good example.