The Indian Meritorious Service Medal (for Europeans of Indian Army) was a medal to recognize long and meritorious service by European non-commissioned officers in service of the

East India Company's Army The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southe ...

History

Established by the East India Company in 1848, the Indian Meritorious Service Medal was established along the same lines as the Meritorious Service Medal for non-commissioned officers in the British Army. Even after the

Indian Rebellion of 1857 The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...

brought the end of company rule, the medal continued to be awarded to those eligible European personnel serving in the British Indian Army. This practice continued until 1873 when it was decided that European personnel would be awarded the same Meritorious Service Medal as was awarded to the members of the British Army.Mayo, 473

Appearance

The medal was designed by William Wyon, with the dies for the medal executed by 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 His Majesty's Treasury and is under an exclus ...

. The medal was circular, made of silver, and 1.4 inches in diameter. The obverse of the medal bears a left facing effigy 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 ...

wearing a diadem. To the left of the effigy is the word ''VICTORIA'' to the right of the effigy is the word ''REGINA''. The reverse depicts the arms, motto, and crest of the East India Company in the center surrounded by an outer ring. Upon the ring is the inscription ''FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICE''. The medal is mounted from a silver scrolled bar with a claw attachment to the medal. The ribbon for the medal was not spelled out by regulation, but by convention used a 1.25 inch wide crimson ribbon, the same as the British Army's Meritorious Service Medal.Mayo, 474

References

Works cited

* {{Efficiency and long service decorations and medals Military awards and decorations of the United Kingdom Long and Meritorious Service Medals of Britain and the Commonwealth Awards established in 1848 1848 establishments in India