The Java Medal is a
campaign medal
A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of an armed force who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater. Campaign medals are very similar to service medals but carry a hi ...
awarded by the
Governor-General of India
The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the emperor o ...
to soldiers of the
armies of the Honourable East India Company (HEIC) who participated in the
Invasion of Java in August and September 1811, during the
Napoleonic Wars
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Napoleonic Wars
, partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
, image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg
, caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
.
Criteria
The medal was authorised in February 1812 by
Lord Minto
Earl of Minto, in the County of Roxburgh, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1813 for Gilbert Elliot-Murray-Kynynmound, 1st Baron Minto. The current earl is Gilbert Timothy George Lariston Elliot-Murray-Kynynm ...
, the
Governor-General of India
The governor-general of India (1833 to 1950, from 1858 to 1947 the viceroy and governor-general of India, commonly shortened to viceroy of India) was the representative of the monarch of the United Kingdom in their capacity as the emperor o ...
, who had accompanied the expedition to Java. It was awarded to more senior officers in gold (133 awarded) and other ranks in silver (6,519 awarded).
Recipients of the silver medal included both native Indian (5,761 recipients) and European (about 750 recipients) soldiers in HEIC service.
Members of the
British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
and
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
present did not receive the medal. Army officers of the rank of Major and above qualified for the
Army Gold Medal
The Army Gold Medal (1808–1814), also known as the Peninsular Gold Medal, with an accompanying Gold Cross, was a British campaign medal awarded in recognition of field officer, field and general officers' successful commands in campaigns, predom ...
,
while surviving British officers, soldiers and sailors qualified for either the
Military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. Militaries are typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with their members identifiable by a d ...
or
Naval General Service Medal with clasp 'Java', when these medals was established in 1847.
[
]
Description
The medal was struck at the Calcutta Mint[Dr K. G. Klietmann. ''The Medal for Java of the H.E.I.C. of 1811''. Orders & Medals Research Society Journal, Winter 1976, pages 208-210.] in gold and in silver. Both types were in diameter with the following design:
The obverse depicts the storming of Fort Cornelis, which British and HEIC troops captured on 26 August 1811, with the word ''CORNELIS'' above.
The reverse has the Persian
Persian may refer to:
* People and things from Iran, historically called ''Persia'' in the English language
** Persians, the majority ethnic group in Iran, not to be conflated with the Iranic peoples
** Persian language, an Iranian language of the ...
inscription ''This medal was conferred in commemoration of the bravery and courage exhibited by the Sepoys of the English Company in the capture of the Kingdom of Java, in the Hijri year
The Hijri year () or era () is the era used in the Islamic lunar calendar. It begins its count from the Islamic New Year in which Muhammad and his followers migrated from Mecca to Yathrib (now Medina) in 622 CE. This event, known as the Hij ...
1228'' with, around the edge, the English wording ''JAVA CONQUERED XXVI AUGUST MDCCCXI''.
The medal was issued unnamed.
The suspension is a flattened loop, pinned at the base, through which passes a suspension cord allowing the medal to be worn around the neck.
The Hijri year 1228 cited on the medal's reverse commenced on 4 January 1813. This is the year the medals were minted, not the year of the campaign, and appears to be an error.[
]
References
{{Campaign medals of the Honourable East India Company
British campaign medals
Medals of the Honourable East India Company
Awards established in 1811
British military medals of the Napoleonic Wars
Invasions of the Dutch East Indies