Baltic Medal, 1856

Obverse, a bust of Queen Victoria

Reverse, Britannia seated with a trident, a cannon at her feet, before two distant fortresses

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Baltic Medal, by W. Wyon & L. C. Wyon, 1856

Although the Crimean War is mainly remembered for the fighting in the Black Sea area, there were also several naval engagements in the Baltic Sea between Anglo-French and Russian forces. Naval stalemate supervened before very long, as the inferior Russian fleet stayed close to its fortresses, which the Anglo-French commanders usually considered too well-defended to approach.
Service in this theatre entitled the crew of the British fleets there to this medal, which was issued unnamed except in highly unusual cases. As a result it is not known to whom this medal was issued. Lester Watson purchased it at some point before 1928.