Қырым соғысы үшін түрік медалі

Turkish medal for service in the Crimean War

The Turkish Crimean War Medal (Kırım Harbi Madalyası) is a campaign medal issued by Sultan Abdulmejid I of the Ottoman Empire to allied military personnel involved in the Crimean War of 1854–56. It was only awarded to those who survived the war and not to next of kin. There are three different issues of this medal for British, French, or Sardinian personnel. The medal was designed by James Robertson. British recipients also qualified for the British Crimea Medal.

The medal is silver and in diameter. The inscription in the exergue reads "Crimea 1855" for British issue, "La Crimee 1855" for French issue, and "La Crimea 1855" for Sardinian issue. Over the years many have mistakenly believed the flags and cannon to be the obverse of this medal, and many of the recipients wore it that way. The side with the Sultan's cypher or tughra is the correct obverse, although most collectors today continue to mount the medal with the flags and cannon as the obverse. The general quality of these medals was poor and some British officers had copies of superior quality made in 925 silver with plain or scroll suspenders. These have clearer detail and are generally thicker and heavier; they are often seen in groups mounted by Messrs. Hunt and Roskill. The British versions of this medal are also generally believed to have a slightly higher silver content than the French or Sardinian versions. Queen Victoria gave permission for the medal to be worn in uniform. France ordered only 1,500 medals for award to French troops who had served in Turkey. The French commander in the Crimea, Marshal Pélissier, described the medals as poorly made and of “little attraction”. There was no Imperial Decree permitting its wear in uniform, in contrast to the British Crimea and Baltic Medals, both of which were authorised by Imperial Decree for wear by French recipients. Sardinia accepted 5,000 Turkish medals, which were awarded to selected officers and men of their forces who distinguished themselves in the campaign. As many British recipients were finally issued with the medal designed for Sardinian – and sometimes French – troops, the number received by each country does not indicate the number awarded of each design.

Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin, British Battles and Medals. Published by Spink, London. 1988. David M. Goldfrank, The Origins of the Crimean War. Published by Routledge. 1993. Winfried Baumbart, The Crimean War, 1853 1856. Published by Bloomsbury Academic. 2020. Guy Arnold (Editor), John Worronoff (Editor), Historical Dictionary of the Crimean War. Published by Scarecrow Press. 2002. Ulrich Keller, Ultimate Spectacle: A Visual History of the Crimean War. Published by Routledge. 2002. George Frederick Dallas, Michael Hargreave Mawson (Editors), Eyewitness in the Crimea : The Crimean War Letters of Lt. Col. George Frederick Dallas. Published by Greenhill Books. 2001. ERMAN, M. Demir, (2023) Osmanlı Türk Madalya ve Nişanları 1801 1923 The Ottoman Turkish Medals and Orders