Type Campaign medal Awarded for Campaign service. | Eligibility British forces. Campaign(s) Crimean War. | |
 | ||
Description Silver disk, 36mm diameter. Clasps Alma
Inkerman
Azoff
Balaklava
Sebastopol | ||
The Crimea Medal was a campaign medal approved in 1854, for issue to officers and men of British units (land and naval) which fought in the Crimean War of 1854–56 against Russia. The medal was awarded with the British version of the Turkish Crimean War medal, but when a consignment of these were lost at sea, some troops were issued with the Sardinian version instead. The Crimea medal was also presented to certain members of allied French forces.
Design
The medal consists of a 32 millimetres (1.3 in), pale blue ribbon with yellow edges and a 36mm silver disk. It is notable for its unusually ornate clasps. Each clasp is in the form of an oak leaf with an acorn at each end, a style not used on any other British medal. The ornate, floriated, swivelling suspender is also unique to the Crimea Medal.
Five bars were authorised for the medal: Alma, Inkerman, Azoff, Balaklava and Sebastopol. Because Azoff was only issued to Naval and Marine personnel, the maximum awarded to one man was four. A five bar specimen is held in the Royal Collection. The medal was issued without a clasp to those who were active in Crimea, but not present at any of the qualifying actions.
The medals issued to members of allied French forces were often issued with unofficial French bars Traktir, Tchernaia, Mer d'Azoff, and Malakof in addition to the five British clasps.