United Kingdom. A Queen's Sudan Medal 1896-1897

Instituted in 1899. In silver, un-named, measuring 36.3 mm in diameter, dark patina, edge nicks, light contact, replacement ribbon, better than very fine.

Footnote: The Queen's Sudan Medal was authorized in March 1899 and awarded to British and Egyptian forces which took part in the Sudan campaign between June 1896 and September 1898. The campaign reflected the British desire to reverse the defeats of the Mahdist War in the 1880’s, as well as concern that France and other European powers would take advantage of Sudan's instability to acquire parts of its territory. Initially only the Egyptian Army was engaged. British Army units joined from early 1898, with two British brigades being present at the decisive victory at Omdurman on September 2, 1898, in which Winston Churchill took part. Seventeen members of the Royal Navy and twenty-seven Royal Marines who helped man the Nile gunboats also received the medal. The medal was awarded in silver to soldiers of the British and Egyptian armies, and in bronze to a small number of non-combatants, comprising authorized followers, officers’ servants and grooms from the Indian Army. All recipients of the Queen's Medal also received the Khedive's Sudan Medal.