East and West Africa Medal, with bar for 1896-98, awarded to Pvt. D. Bryce 1899
Obverse, a bust of Queen Victoria with veil |
Reverse, a scene of bush fighting around a tree with a fallen African to the fore |
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Obverse, a bust of Queen Victoria with veil |
Reverse, a scene of bush fighting around a tree with a fallen African to the fore |
Peace-keeping operations in the British possessions in Africa, as anywhere else, required a large number of small campaigns, several of which, from 1892 until 1900, were considered to merit this medal, which in terms of design is a continuation of the Ashantee War Medal. Recipients who held that medal already were therefore awarded only extra clasps.
The bar on this medal relates to several expeditions into the Gold Coast area inland from the Gulf of Guinea, roughly equivalent to modern Ghana. The recipient had to have served for the whole period from 27 November 1896 to 27 June 1898, so the bar is rare, as most troops involved qualified for bars for later and shorter periods.
This medal was awarded to Private D. Bryce of the 2nd West India Regiment. Lester Watson purchased the medal at some point before 1928.