Army of India Medal
Encyclopedia
The Army of India Medal was a campaign medal
approved in 1851 for issue to officers and men of the British Army
and the Army of the Honourable East India Company.
The AIM approved on 21 March 1851 as a retrospective award by the Honourable East India Company to survivors of various actions during the period 1803–1826. This period encompassed four wars: the Second Mahratta War (1803–4), the Gurkha War
(1814–16), the Pindaree or Third Mahratta War (1817–18), and the First Burmese War
(1824–26). Each battle or action covered by the medal was represented by a clasp on the ribbon; twenty-one were sanctioned (although the maximum awarded to one man was seven). The medal was never issued without a clasp.
A point to note is that the medal was only awarded to survivors and, as such, there are substantially fewer medals issued when compared with the number of men who served during this period. This was largely due to the extreme lapse of time between the wars commemorated and the issue of the medal—forty-eight years had passed between the first battle commemorated —Allighur in 1803—and the date of issue, 1851. Some 4,500 medals were awarded in total—most with only a single clasp.
This medal followed on from the precedent set by the Naval General Service Medal
and the Military General Service Medal
, as retrospective awards for past campaign service.
Campaign medal
A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of the military who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater...
approved in 1851 for issue to officers and men of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and the Army of the Honourable East India Company.
The AIM approved on 21 March 1851 as a retrospective award by the Honourable East India Company to survivors of various actions during the period 1803–1826. This period encompassed four wars: the Second Mahratta War (1803–4), the Gurkha War
Gurkha War
The Gurkha War , sometimes called the Gorkha War or the Anglo–Nepalese War, was fought between the Kingdom of Nepal and the British East India Company as a result of border tensions and ambitious expansionism...
(1814–16), the Pindaree or Third Mahratta War (1817–18), and the First Burmese War
First Burmese War
The First Anglo-Burmese War was the first of three wars fought between the British and Burmese Empires in the 19th century. The war, which began primarily over the control of northeastern India, ended in a decisive British victory, giving the British total control of Assam, Manipur, Cachar and...
(1824–26). Each battle or action covered by the medal was represented by a clasp on the ribbon; twenty-one were sanctioned (although the maximum awarded to one man was seven). The medal was never issued without a clasp.
A point to note is that the medal was only awarded to survivors and, as such, there are substantially fewer medals issued when compared with the number of men who served during this period. This was largely due to the extreme lapse of time between the wars commemorated and the issue of the medal—forty-eight years had passed between the first battle commemorated —Allighur in 1803—and the date of issue, 1851. Some 4,500 medals were awarded in total—most with only a single clasp.
This medal followed on from the precedent set by the Naval General Service Medal
Naval General Service Medal
The Naval General Service Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1847, for issue to officers and men of the Royal Navy. William Wyon was the designer...
and the Military General Service Medal
Military General Service Medal
The Military General Service Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1847, for issue to officers and men of the British Army.The MGSM was approved on 1 June 1847 as a retrospective award for various military actions from 1793–1814; a period encompassing the French Revolutionary Wars, the Napoleonic...
, as retrospective awards for past campaign service.
Clasps
The following clasps were issued with the medal:- Allighur
- Battle of DelhiBattle of DelhiThe Battle of Delhi took place on 11 September 1803 during the Second Anglo-Maratha War, between British troops under General Lake, and Marathas of Scindia's army under French General Louis Bourquin...
- AssayeBattle of AssayeThe Battle of Assaye was a major battle of the Second Anglo-Maratha War fought between the Maratha Confederacy and the British East India Company...
- Asseerghur
- Laswarree
- Argaum
- Gawilghur
- Defence of Delhi
- Battle of Deig
- Capture of Deig
- Nepaul
- Khadki
- Poona
- Khadki and Poona
- Seetabuldee
- Nagpore
- Seetabuldee and Nagpore
- Maheidpoor
- Corygaum
- Ava
- Bhurtpoor