Medal, Award: The Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape Colony Clasp of Gunner Harry Nicholson

Object/Artifact

-

Bytown Museum / Musée Bytown

Name/Title

Medal, Award: The Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape Colony Clasp of Gunner Harry Nicholson

Entry/Object ID

1998.013.01

Description

One circular, silver campaign medal from the South African War, complete with silk ribbon, claw mounting and Cape Colony clasp. The medal shows a crowned and veiled effigy of Queen Victoria, facing left, with "VICTORIA / REGINA / ET / IMPERATRIX" around the face. The reverse depicts Britannia holding the Union Flag in her left hand with a laurel wreath in her right hand. The background shows troops marching to the coast and two men-of-war, with "SOUTH / AFRICA" around the top. The ribbon consists of five stripes: red, dark blue, orange, dark blue and red, and the mounting is a plain, straight suspender with a double-toe claw. The first medals, awarded to the Lord Strathcona's Horse, bore the dates 1899 - 1900. The dates were removed from subsequent medals because the war continued beyond 1900. Some medals still show the "ghost" of 1899 - 1900.

Made/Created

Date made

1900

Notes

Country of origin: CANADA Additional create date: 1900, 1902

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Notes

Clasp: "CAPE COLONY". Medal, Front: "VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX"; medal, back: "SOUTH AFRICA". On both sides near bottom edge:"G.W. DeSaulles" EDGE: "235 GR: H. NICHOLSON, R. CANDN: ART:".

Lexicon

Nomenclature 4.0

Nomenclature Tertiary Object Term

Medal

Nomenclature Secondary Object Term

Decoration of Honor

Nomenclature Primary Object Term

Award

Nomenclature Sub-Class

Achievement Symbols

Nomenclature Class

Personal Symbols

Nomenclature Category

Category 08: Communication Objects

Search Terms

Award, Award, Communication Artifacts

Legacy Lexicon

Object Name

Medal, Award

Dimensions

Height

10.5 cm

Width

3.9 cm

Length

10.5 cm

Diameter

3.6 cm

Dimension Notes

Medal diameter.

Material

Textile, Silk, Sterling silver

Research Notes

Notes

Gunner Harry Nicholson, born in Yorkshire, England in 1876, enlisted with the Royal Canadian Field Artillery on December 29, 1899 and served with D Battery in Cape Colony until he was discharged in January of 1901. For his service, Nicholson received the Queen's South Africa Medal with Cape Colony clasp.