The Royal Niger Company’s Medal was 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 high ...

issued in 1899 by the Royal Niger Company for service in minor military operations in

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

between 1886 and 1897.Captain H. Taprell Dorling. ''Ribbons and Medals.'' page 71. A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London. 1956. The award was approved by the British government and could be worn by British servicemen.

Criteria

The award covered a series of small punitive expeditions in the company’s territory between 1886 and 1897, with only operations where casualties had occurred qualifying. Those involved were locally recruited troops and constabulary employed by the Royal Niger Company, as well as a small number of British army officers and non commissioned officers

seconded In deliberative bodies a second to a proposed motion is an indication that there is at least one person besides the mover that is interested in seeing the motion come before the meeting. It does not necessarily indicate that the seconder favors th ...

to local forces. No

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

units took part. For native forces, only those who were still in service when the medal was issued received the medal. No further awards were made after the Royal Niger Company had its charter revoked in 1899, with any operation justifying an award covered by other campaign medals, including the

East and West Africa Medal The East and West Africa Medal, established in 1892, was a campaign medal awarded for minor campaigns that took place in East and West Africa between 1887 and 1900. A total of twenty one clasps were issued. Awards of the medal covered punitive exp ...

and the

Africa General Service Medal The Africa General Service Medal, established in 1902, was a campaign medal of the United Kingdom. It was awarded for minor campaigns that took place in tropical Africa between 1900 and 1956, with a total of forty five clasps issued. The medal is ...

Appearance

The medal is in diameter. It was awarded in silver to Europeans (about 100 awarded) and bronze to native Africans. All were issued with a single clasp, inscribed "NIGERIA 1886-1897" on the silver medals and "NIGERIA" on the bronze. Otherwise both were of the same design:
Obverse: a left facing portrait of

Queen Victoria Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria; 24 May 1819 – 22 January 1901) was Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until Death and state funeral of Queen Victoria, her death in 1901. Her reign of 63 years and 21 ...

, designed by Sir

Joseph Boehm Sir Joseph Edgar Boehm, 1st Baronet, (6 July 1834 – 12 December 1890) was an Austrian-born British medallist and sculptor, best known for the " Jubilee head" of Queen Victoria on coinage, and the statue of the Duke of Wellington at Hyde Par ...

with the inscription "VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX".
Reverse: the arms of the Royal Niger Company (a shield bearing the words "PAX, JUS, ARS", Latin for peace, justice, skill), with a trophy of arms and flags behind, all surrounded by a laurel wreath.
Naming: Silver medals had the name and rank of the recipient impressed or engraved on the rim. Bronze medals were issued with a number impressed on the rim. The medal was designed and manufactured by

Spink and Son Spink & Son (established 1666) are an auction and collectibles company known principally for their sales of coins, banknotes, stock and bond certificates and medals. They also deal in philatelic items, wine and spirits, and other collectible ...

of London. The wide ribbon has three equal strips of yellow, black and white, with the yellow to the left when facing the wearer.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Royal Niger Company's Medal British campaign medals