The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1880-05-15 00:00:00

WAR MEDALS.

r, 411 exhibition of medals collected by Lieutenant-
‘-'olonel Eaton, of the Grenadier Guards, has been
r()Pened to the public at 168, New Bond-stteet,
.„,..-+ondon, for the benefit of the Guards' Industrial
40tne. Great interest was shown in this large and
'varied collection by those who were invited to a
Private view on Saturday, the Prince of Wales,
attended by Captain Stephenson, Lord Strathnairn,
Lord Mark Ker, General Sir Richard Wilbraham,
1.1,1.4 General Sir Patrick Grant being among the
rYblitors during the afternoon.—The Times gives the
L°flowing interesting particulars respecting the col-
begun many years ago with the object of preventing
the loss and disappearance through the death of the
owners of honourable decorations granted for good
Bervices, .the collection has grown until now, in the
dozen or more cases on the walls of this exhibition,
there are about 1,000 medals, badges, and other
decorations, which would serve to illustrate very fully
a history of the war medals of this country from 1650
to the preselt time. The memories of events of
tational importance are here associated more
distinctly than in most numismatic museums with
a personal element of interest, for almost every medal
ha the collection bears the name of the soldier
or the sailor to whom it was given, and while it was
Obviously impossible to tell in every case the story of
owner's daring, there is enough recorded in the care-
full
v • Y Plipared and instructive cb,alog-ue compiled by
4-deutenant-Colonel Eaton, "to remind the reader
that brave men are found in all ranks of the Army and
avY• The classification has been judicious, and
Whether to the military or naval officer, the medal-
?ollector, or those who go merely with an untrained
out intelligent curiosity, the exhibition will well repay
a visit.
Afttr two ornamental medals bearing the bust of
1-11,1leerl Elizabeth, and some stamped with portraits of
...;"1,84.1es 1., Henrietta Maria, and Halifax, chronologi-
t;'biY the war medals proper bee-in with one supposed
-ave been struck after the battle of Dunbar. This
euriout relic has on the obverse the head of Cromwell,
with the date September 13, 1650, and on the reverse
rePresentation of the House Commons of in Session.
Another worthy of note is the Culloden gold medal
bearing the head of the Duke of Cumberland, the
Veero_i_ven In this collection having belonged to Briga-
tu General Fleming, who
commanded the 36 Regi-
Meat in
that battle,
The
t°getherv. medals issued from 1793 to 1814 are put
in case 1.
in case 2 are Waterloo medals—one from every
ie tish regiment, and one from each regiment in the
rman Legion present.
'Cue 3 e°ntainsrthe East India Company's medals
given from 1784 to 1857.
,The next
ee • - ease, containing medals granted for ser-
o s in India during the Mutiny and since, also
12 1d s some commemorating the deeds of our troops in
South Africa, China, New Zealand, Abyssinia, and
o
n the West Coast of Africa in the Ashantee cam-
_,The Crimean medals are placed in case 5, and those
", a more immediately personal character, as for long
s_ervice, good conduct, distinguished service in the
held,. the Victoria Cross,..ctc•, in case
Those in case 7 are of a similar kind—regimental
baedals and decorations bestowed in earlier days for
"ThsPiouous daring or exceptional service by the
officers of regiments.
NikrvY war medals fill cases 8 and 9, and, carrying
back the records of our seamen's services to the great
IrietorY of Lord Howe over our good friends across the
IChannel in 1793, come down to 1840. Navy war
liedals from that date, with some for Arctic explora-
'ion, are placed in case 10.
The badges and medals in case 11 have a different
alid additional artistic value. These have been pre-
tented to officers and men of the British Army by
foreign rulers. The last numbered case contains the
distinctions of officers and men who have iained more
than one decoration.