The Abyssinian War Medal was awarded for service between 4 October 1867 and 19 April 1868 to those who participated in the

1868 Expedition to Abyssinia The British Expedition to Abyssinia was a rescue mission and punitive expedition carried out in 1868 by the armed forces of the British Empire against the Ethiopian Empire (also known at the time as Abyssinia). Emperor Tewodros II of Ethiopia, t ...

. This

punitive expedition A punitive expedition is a military journey undertaken to punish a political entity or any group of people outside the borders of the punishing state or union. It is usually undertaken in response to perceived disobedient or morally wrong beh ...

, led by Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Napier, was carried out by the armed forces of the British Empire against the Ethiopian Empire. Emperor

Tewodros II , spoken = ; ''djānhoi'', lit. ''"O steemedroyal"'' , alternative = ; ''getochu'', lit. ''"Our master"'' (pl.) Tewodros II ( gez, ዳግማዊ ቴዎድሮስ, baptized as Gebre Kidan; 1818 – 13 April 1868) was Emperor of Ethiopi ...

of Ethiopia imprisoned several missionaries and two representatives of the British government. The punitive expedition launched by the British in response required transporting a sizable military force hundreds of miles across mountainous terrain lacking any road system. About 14,000 medals were awarded, 12,000 to the

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and

Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...

armies and 1,981 to the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against Fr ...

. In addition to members of the Naval Brigade which accompanied the expedition, awards were made to the crews of the ships on duty off the Ethiopian coast during the campaign.

Description

The medal is silver and in diameter. It was designed by

Joseph Joseph is a common male given name, derived from the Hebrew Yosef (יוֹסֵף). "Joseph" is used, along with "Josef", mostly in English, French and partially German languages. This spelling is also found as a variant in the languages of the m ...

and Alfred Wyon, and struck at the

Royal Mint The Royal Mint is the United Kingdom's oldest company and the official maker of British coins. Operating under the legal name The Royal Mint Limited, it is a limited company that is wholly owned by HM Treasury, His Majesty's Treasury and is un ...

. The medal is unique in that the recipient's name and unit were embossed on the reverse. This feature required that the dies for the reverse had a removable centre, so each recipient's name and unit could be impressed, with each medal minted individually. However, most medals awarded to Indian troops had impressed naming. The obverse bears the left facing effigy of a

diadem A diadem is a type of crown, specifically an ornamental headband worn by monarchs and others as a badge of royalty. Overview The word derives from the Greek διάδημα ''diádēma'', "band" or "fillet", from διαδέω ''diadéō'', " ...

ed Queen Victoria. Around the edge is a stylised border with indentions, between the indentions are the letters ''ABYSSINIA''. The bust is similar to that on the

New Zealand Medal New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created. New or NEW may refer to: Music * New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz Albums and EPs * ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013 * ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...

issued in the same year. The reverse has a blank central space for the recipient's name and unit, surrounded by a laurel wreath. The medal is held by a ring suspension attached to a crown surmounting the medal. The medal is borne upon a crimson ribbon wide, with white borders.

References

{{British campaign medals British campaign medals 1869 establishments in the United Kingdom British Expedition to Abyssinia Awards established in 1869 Awards disestablished in 1869