Army Gold Medal

• Name — Army Gold Medal and Cross • Presenter — United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland • Type — Campaign medal • Eligibility — British Army field and general officers • Awarded For — Campaign commands (conspicuous service) • Campaign — French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars 1793–1814, Anglo-American War of 1812. • Description — Medal:

Naval Gold Medals had been awarded since 1794 to captains and admirals who had served in specified successful naval actions, with admirals' medals being larger. In 1806, a special gold medal was presented to British Army majors and above who had taken a key part in the Battle of Maida. This medal, 1.5 in in diameter, shows the profile of King George III on the obverse with a reverse design incorporating Britannia and the Sicilian triskeles. A general campaign medal for the Napoleonic Wars, awarded to all British troops irrespective of rank, would only be established in 1847.

The highest award was earned by the Duke of Wellington: a Cross with nine bars for a total of 13 actions. It can be viewed on his uniform in the basement at Apsley House. • Officer — Clasps — Battles • Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington — 13 — Roleia & Vimiera, Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes D'Onor, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse • William Beresford, 1st Viscount Beresford — 7 — Corunna, Busaco, Albuhera, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse • Sir Denis Pack — 7 — Roleia & Vimiera, Corunna, Busaco, Ciudad Rodrigo, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse • Sir Colin Campbell — 6 — Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes D'Onor, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Toulouse • Sir Alexander Dickson — 6 — Busaco, Albuhera, Ciudad Rodrigo, Badajoz, Salamanca, Vittoria, San Sebastián, Nivelle, Nive, Toulouse • Sir George Murray — 6 — Corunna, Talavera, Busaco, Fuentes D'Onor, Vittoria, Pyrenees, Nivelle, Nive, Orthes, Toulouse

The medal came in three styles, laid out below: • Illustration — The Marquess of Londonderry by Thomas Lawrence wearing the Large Gold Medal The Large Gold Medal, was restricted to general officers. The medal was 2.12 in in diameter, and mounted in a gold frame, glazed on both sides. Obverse: Britannia with shield, seated and facing left and holding a laurel wreath in her right hand and a palm branch in her left. Behind her, the head of a lion can be seen. Reverse: A laurel wreath surround, with the name of the battle engraved in the centre, although that for Barrosa was die struck. The medal was worn around the neck. The designer was Thomas Wyon The Small Gold Medal was awarded to officers between the rank of major and colonel. The medal was 1.3 in in diameter, mounted in a gold frame and glazed, and of the same design as the Large Medal. It was worn on the left chest, often from a buttonhole, with the ribbon attached via a wide curved suspender. • Illustration — The Duke of Wellington wearing the Gold Cross with three clasps The Gold (or Peninsular) Cross was awarded to those who earned four or more gold medals, which it replaced. Worn around the neck, it is an ornamental cross pattée 1.5 in across, with a proud lion at its centre and the four qualifying actions embossed on its arms. The obverse and reverse are the same. Any further actions were marked with a clasp. The medal was worn around the neck with the ribbon attached via an ornate loop on top of the cross which passes through a smaller simpler ring below a straight suspender. The designer was Thomas Wyon. The Clasps were of a common pattern for all awards, with the name of the battle within a wide laurel wreath frame. The Ribbon for all the awards was broad crimson with blue borders, 1.75 in wide. This ribbon design had been used for the Maida Gold Medal and would later be used for the Waterloo and the Military General Service Medals and the Distinguished Service Order. Naming. All awards had the name of the recipient engraved on the rim. • Illustration — Portrait of Lord Beresford by William Beechey. Beresford wears the Gold Collar and Cross A Gold Collar and Cross was awarded to Duke of Wellington and to Viscount Beresford. This cross was of a similar design to the Army Gold Cross, but with a winged figure of Victory at its centre, with suspension from a chain of alternate lions and Union Flag oval medallions. The Gold Collar and Cross was a separate and additional award to the Army Gold Cross.

Following the Peninsular War, award of the gold medals and Crosses was discontinued when would-be recipients became eligible for Order of the Bath on its restructuring to three classes. In 1847 the Military General Service Medal (MGSM) was authorised, to be retrospectively awarded to all surviving veterans of the campaigns, irrespective of rank. Holders of the gold medals, crosses or additional clasps were not eligible to claim identical clasps on the MGSM. The eligible battles and campaigns for the MGSM were identical, with the addition of Egypt. The design of the cross is very similar to the later Victoria Cross and is considered to have provided the inspiration.

Awards, both medals and clasps, were made for the following 27 battles and campaigns: • Roleia • Vimiera • Sahagun • Benevente • Sahagun and Benevente (If present at both actions) • Corunna • Martinique • Talavera • Guadaloupe • Busaco • Barrosa • Fuentes D'Onor • Albuhera • Java • Ciudad Rodrigo • Badajoz • Salamanca • Fort Detroit • Chateauguay • Chrysler's Farm • Vittoria • Pyrenees • St Sebastien • Nivelle • Nive • Orthes • Toulouse • Illustration — Gold Medal for the Battle of Maida, (4 July 1806), reverse The Battle of Maida in 1806 was commemorated by a gold medal of different design. On the obverse is depicted the laureate profile of George III, with the legend "GEORGIUS TERTIUS REX" punctuated by a cluster of oak leaves. The reverse features Britannia with shield and spear raised, surrounding Britannia is the name Maida, the date 1806 in roman numerals, a Sicilian Triskel, and beneath Britannia are two crossed spears.