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Africa General Service Medal
(1902 - 1956)
Era: 1902 - 1956
The Africa General Service Medal 1902-1956 was sanctioned
in 1902, to replace the East and West Africa Medal to which
twenty-two bars had been awarded. It was a campaign
medal of the Commonwealth. It was awarded for minor
campaigns in tropical Africa, it was still current in 1914 and
nine later clasps were issued. The medal was never seen or
issued without a clasp and some are very rare, most being
granted to local forces like the King’s African RiNes.
The medal remained in use for 54 years, the longest running
British service Medal.
Description:
Materials:
The majority of the British medals and
clasps are made of solid silver, though some were
issue in bronze versions, mainly to Indian noncombatants. The majority of the British campaign
awards are circular, usually 36mm in diameter.
Ribbons:
Medals are worn suspended from their
own speciUc ribbons. These were Urst made of silk
but cotton was increasingly used as the nineteenth
century developed. Their own colours often have a
symbolic signiUcance: the equal stripes of the ‘1939
to 1945 Star,’ for example, are dark blue to represent
the service of the Royal and Merchant Navies, red, to
represent that of the Armies and light blue to
represent that of Air Forces.
Ribbon width can vary slightly though it is generally
32mm wide.
Ribbon – 32mm, Yellow edged with black and with two
green stripes towards the centre. (Jokingly called the
Colorado beetle)
Africa General Service Medal ribbon
Type – Campaign medal
Eligibility – British and African Forces
Awarded for – Campaign Service
Campaign – Africa
Established – 1902
Designer – G. W. De Saulles.
Naming – In thin impressed block capitals
Suspender – Straight (plain)
Clasps – 34 awarded in the reign of Edward VII, 10 awarded
in the reign of George V, and only one Elizabeth II
Description – 36mm diameter, Obverse: 1st issue: King
Edward VII in uniform, facing left and the legend “EDWARDS
VII REX IMPERATOR”, 2ND issue: King George V in military
uniform, facing left and the legend: “GEORGE IVS V BRITT:
OMN: REX ET IND: IMP” 3RD Issue: Queen Elizabeth II, facing
right and the legend: “ELIZABETH. II. DEI. GRATIA. REGINA. F:
D+” Reverse: Except for wording in the exergue it is the same
as the East and Central Africa medal. A standing Ugure of
Britannia holding a palm branch and scroll in her extended
left hand and trident in her right. In the exergue is the word
“AFRICA”.
The bronze issues are rare, as are medals awarded during
the reign of George V. This medal was not issued to British
units on the whole, the exception being for the Somaliland
campaign between 1902 & 1904 and the campaign against
Mau Mau insurgents in Kenya between 1952 & 1956. It was
superseded by the General Service Medal 1962
Clasps:
Clasps are commonly, though not strictly correctly,
also referred to as ‘bars’. They are single-faced
metal bars carried on a ribbon attached to the
medal, indicating service in a particular campaign or
battle. The clasps carry side Nanges to enable them
to be attached to the medal and riveted to each
other, so that new ones can be attached as earned.
Usually the Urst earned Clasp is borne nearest to the
medal, so that the latest earned should be at the top,
though they can be found in the wrong order.
N. Nigeria
(July, 1900-Sept,
1901)
Awarded to members of the Northern Nigeria
Regiment for service in any of the following
operations. (a) operations against the forces of Bida
and Kontagora, (b) expedition against the Chief of
Tawari, (c) operations against the Emir of Yola.
N. Nigeria
(1st Feb – 16th
May & 15th Jun – 30th Nov 1902)
Awarded to members of further expeditions to Bornu.
N. Nigeria
(29th Jan – 27th
July, 1903)
Awarded for member of an expedition to Kano and
Sokoto, and those who operated between Sokoto and
Birni.
N. Nigeria 1903-04
(23rd Dec, 1903
– 12th March, 1904)
Awarded to members of the Bassa Expedition.
N. Nigeria 1904
(Mar – Oct,
1904)
Awarded for services during March, April, July and
October, 1904 against small tribes at the head of the
Benue River around Yola.
N. Nigeria 1906
(14th Feb –
24thApril, 1906)
Given for service in the suppression of the Satiru
Rising.
S. Nigeria
(Mar – May,
1901)
Awarded to members of the Southern Nigeria
Regiment who took part in the Ishan and Ulia
Expedition.
S. Nigeria 1902
(15th Jun –
30th Dec, 1902)
Awarded to members of the Sothern Nigeria
Regiment who took part in one or more of the seven
patrols, which lasted only a few days each.
S. Nigeria 1902-03
(7th July, 1902
– 8th June, 1903)
Awarded to the Southern Nigeria Regiment for
service against the Uris and the people of Omonoha
and Ebima.
S. Nigeria 1903
(4th Feb – 5th
Dec, 1903)
This bar was awarded to members of the Southern
Nigeria regiment for the following expeditions: - (a)
on the Nun River under Col A. F. Montananaro, (b) in
the Eket District between 16th and 25th Sept, (c) in
the Mkpani country from 1st to 5th Dec. (d) in the
Ebegga country in February, (e) in the country west of
Anan in March.
S. Nigeria 1903-04
(24th Dec, 1903
– 15th Jan 1904)
Awarded for the expedition to the towns of Osea, Oriri
and N’doto.
S. Nigeria 1904
(12th Jan – 3rd
June, 1904)
Awarded for Uve small expeditions between 12th Jan
and 3rd June, 1904
S. Nigeria 1904-05
(15th Nov, 1904
– 27th Feb, 1905)
Awarded to Southern Nigeria Regiment for operations
through Ibibio and Kwa Country.
S. Nigeria 1905
(10th – 18th
Oct, 1905)
Awarded to member of the Southern Nigeria
Regiment for operations in the K’wale District.
S. Nigeria 1905-06
Awarded to oocers and men of the columns which
concentrated at Bende and Oka and took part in the
Onitsha Hinterland Expedition.
East Africa 1902
(4th Sept –
25th Oct, 1902)
Awarded to members who formed the Maruka Patrol.
East Africa 1904
(13th Feb –
17th March, 1904)
Awarded to members which operated between 13th
Feb and 17th March, 1904
East Africa 1905
(31st May –
9th Oct.)
Awarded to member of two expeditions; Urst between
31st Mayand 12 july,1905; the second between 1st
September and 9th October, 1905 to Kisii.
East Africa 1906
(18th Jun,
1906 – 19th July, 1906
1906.)
Awarded to members who accompanied Lieut. F W.
O. Maycock to the Embo Territory between 18th June
and 19th July, 1906
West Africa 1906
(9th Jun, 1906
– 17th Feb, 1907)
Awarded to member of the punitive expedition which
operated in the Owa Territory between 9th June and
3rd August, 1906
West Africa 1908
(11th – 31st
December, 1908)
Awarded to members of the Southern Nigeria
Regiment who operated in the Sonkwala district
between 11th and 31st Dec, 1908.
West Africa 1909-10
(2nd Dec, 1909
– 27th May, 1910)
Awarded for operations in the Ogwashi-Oku country
with the Southern Nigeria Regiment.
Somaliland 1901
(22nd May –
30th July, 1901)
Awarded for the Urst expedition against the Mad
Mullah which lasted from 22nd May to 30th July,
1901.
Somaliland 1902-04
(18th Jan,
1902 – 11th May, 1904)
Awarded for one of the three operations against the
Mad Mullah between 18th Jan, 1902 and 11th May,
1904
Jidballi
(10th Jan,
1904)
Awarded to those who took part in the engagement
and to those who formed part of the guard left
behind during the charge of the baggage.
Somaliland 1908-10
(19th Aug,
1908 – 31st Jan, 1910)
Awarded for further services against the rebellious
Somalis.
Uganda 1900
(3rd July – Oct,
1900)
This was awarded for operation in the Nandi country.
B.C.A. 1899-1900
(Aug, 1899 –
Dec, 1900.)
This bar was awarded for the following operations: (a) operations against Nkwamba from Aug to Oct
1899, (b) operations in North Eastern Rhodesia
against Kazembe from Sept to November, 1899. (c)
operations in central Agoniland, against Kalulu in
December 1900.
Jubaland
(16th Nov, 1900
– 30th Apr, 1901)
This is a scares bar awarded for service against the
Ogaden Somalis, including military forces at Kismayu
and to oocers and men of the Royal Navy and
Marines who landed to supplement the garrison at
Kismayu between 16th November, 1900 and 30th
April, 1901.
Gambia
(Jan – Mar,
1901.)
This was awarded to those who took part in
operations under Lieut.-Colonel H. E. J. Brake who
were under Ure in actions at Dumbutu on 11th
January, 1901.
Aro
(15th Nov, 1901
– 23rd Mar, 1902)
Awarded for with Aro expedition Forces under Lieut.
Colonel A. F. Montanaro.
Lango 1901
(24th Apr –
24th Aug, 1901)
This bar was awarded to member of a punitive
expedition under Major C. Delme-Radcliffe,
Connaught Rangers, against Sudanese mutineers
between 24th April and 24th August, 1901.
Kissi 1905
(27th Mar –
28th June, 1905)
This rare bar was awarded to member of the Sierra
Leone Bn who operated in the Kissi Country between
27th March and 28th June, 1905.
Nandi 1905-06
(18th Oct, 1905
– 6th July, 1906)
Rare bar issued for service in Nandi Country.
Shimber Berris 1914
(19th Nov, 1914
– 9th Feb, 1915.)
Awarded for two small campaigns against Dervishes
from 19th to 25th November, 1914 and again from
2nd to 9th February, 1915.
Nyasaland 1915
(24th Jan –
17th Feb, 1915.)
This bar was awarded to a few members of the 1st
King’s African RiNes and native policeman from
Blantyre and Nchew, who quelled a small rising in the
Shire Highlands between 24th January and 17th
February, 1915.
East Africa 1913
(17th June –
7th Aug, 1913.)
This bar was awarded for operations against the
Dodingas between June and August, 1913.
East Africa 1914
(2nd Apr – 7th
July, 1914.)
This bar was awarded for a punitive expedition
against the Turkhana Tribe.
East Africa 1913-14
(15th Dec,
1913 – 31st May, 1914.)
This bar was awarded for operations against the
Merehan Tribes between 15th December, 1913 and
31st May, 1914.
East Africa 1915
(4th Feb –
28th Marc, 1915.)
This bar was awarded for an expedition against the
Turkhanas between 4th February and 28th May, 1915.
Jubaland 1917-18
(23rd July,
1917 – 24th Mar, 1918.)
This bar was awarded for military operations against
the Northern Aulihan tribe west of the Juba River.
East Africa 1918
(20th Apr –
19th June, 1918.)
This bar, sanctioned by Army order No.460 of 1924,
was awarded for operations against the Northern
Turkhana, Marille, Donyiro and kindred tribes in the
vicinity of the southern boundary.
Nigeria 1918
(11th June –
31st July, 1918)
Awarded under Army Order No. 460of 1924, for
services against the Egba tribe in the area of the
Nigerian Government Railway from Abeokuta in the
North to Lagos in the South.
Somaliland 1920
(21st Jan –
12th Feb, 1920)
Awarded for the Ufth and Unal expedition against the
Mad Mullah. The Bar “ Somaliland, 1901,” was
awarded for the Urst expedition, that worded
“Somaliland 1902-04” for the second, third and fourth
expeditions.
This guide will help you through all the parts and
descriptions of military medals
Sources:
Major L L Gordon ‘British Battles and Medals’
Some of the material on this page was also partially derived from
<en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Africa_General_Service_Medal >
Which are released under the terms of
Creativecommons.org/licenses/by-s/3.0/.
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