Burma Medal facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Burma Medal |
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Obverse and reverse of the medal,
depicted on cigarette cards |
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| Type | Campaign medal |
| Eligibility | HEIC forces |
| Awarded for | Campaign service |
| Campaign(s) | First Burma War |
| Clasps | None |
| Statistics | |
| Established | 1826 |
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The Burma Medal is a special award given to soldiers. It's a campaign medal, which means it was given to people who fought in a specific war. This medal was awarded by the Governor-General of India to Indian soldiers who served in the armies of the Honourable East India Company (HEIC). They received it for their part in the First Anglo-Burmese War, which happened between April 1824 and February 1826.
Contents
What Was the Burma Medal For?
This medal was created to honor the soldiers who fought in the First Anglo-Burmese War. This war was a big conflict between the British East India Company and the Kingdom of Burma. It mainly started because Burma was expanding into parts of north-east India.
The war ended in February 1826 with a peace agreement called the Treaty of Yandabo. In this treaty, Burma gave up some land to the East India Company. They also had to pay a large amount of money and agree to a trade deal.
Who Received the Medal?
The Burma Medal was officially approved by Lord Amherst, who was the Governor-General of India, in April 1826. It was given only to soldiers from the East India Company's forces.
- Gold Medals: About 750 gold medals were given to Indian officers and officials.
- Silver Medals: Around 24,000 silver medals were awarded to other Indian soldiers.
Only one European person received this medal in gold: General Sir Archibald Campbell. He was the commander of the British and Indian forces during the war. The medal was given only to those who were directly involved in the fighting. If a soldier died during the war, their family would receive the medal.
Who Did Not Get the Medal?
European soldiers, including British Army and Royal Navy members, were not eligible for the Burma Medal. However, many years later, in 1851, a different medal called the Army of India Medal was created. European soldiers who fought in the First Burma War could then receive this new medal with a special bar called Ava. Because Indian soldiers had already received the Burma Medal, they did not get the Army of India Medal for the same war.
What Did the Medal Look Like?
The Burma Medal was made at the Calcutta Mint. Both the gold and silver versions were about 1.5 inches (38 mm) wide.
Front of the Medal (Obverse)
The front of the medal was designed by William Daniell. It shows a powerful British lion standing over a crouching elephant, which represents Burma. In the background, the Burmese flag is being lowered while the Union Flag (British flag) is raised, with palm trees nearby.
At the bottom of the medal, there's a message written in Persian. It says: The Elephant of Ava is obedient to the Lion of England, year 1826.
Back of the Medal (Reverse)
The back of the medal was designed by William Wyon. It shows a famous scene: the attack on the Shwedagon Pagoda in Rangoon. On the left, you can see boats on the Irrawaddy River. General Campbell, the British commander, is shown directing the attack from under a palm tree.
At the bottom of the back of the medal, there's another message in Persian. It says: A medal for the victorious British soldiers of Ava.
Other Details
- No Clasps: This medal did not have any special bars or "clasps" to show different battles.
- Unnamed: The medals were given out without the soldier's name engraved on them.
- How it was Worn: The medal was worn on the left side of the chest. It hung from a ribbon that was about 1.5 inches (38 mm) wide. The ribbon was crimson (a deep red) with dark blue edges. This ribbon design was also used for other important British military medals like the Waterloo Medal. The Burma Medal was the first campaign medal from the East India Company to have its own special ribbon. Before this, earlier medals were often worn around the neck with a simple cord.
