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{{short description|Medal of the First Afghan War}}
{{infobox military award
| name = Jellalabad Medal
| image = [[File:Cigarette card. Jellalabad Medal.jpg|128px]][[File:Cigarette card, Jellalabad Medal.jpg|127px]]
| image_size =
| caption = Left: Obverse, first type. Right: Reverse, second type
| presenter = [[File:Flag of the British East India Company (1801).svg|35px]] [[East India Company|British East India Company]]
| country = {{UK}}
| type = Campaign Medal
| eligibility =
| awarded_for =
| campaign = [[First Anglo-Afghan War]]
| status =
| description =
| motto =
| clasps = None
| post-nominals =
| established = 30 April 1842
| firstawarded =
| lastawarded =
| total_awarded = 2,596<ref name=Mayo/>
| total_awarded_posthumously =
| total_recipients =
| precedence_label =
| individual =
| higher =
| same =
| lower =
| related =
| image2 = [[File:Kabul to Kandahar Star ribbon.png|100px]]
| caption2 = Ribbon bar of the medal
}}

The '''Jellalabad Medal''' was a campaign medal issued by the [[East India Company|British East India Company]]. It was established by [[Edward Law, 1st Earl of Ellenborough|Lord Ellenborough]], the [[Governor-General of India]], on 30 April 1842.<ref name=Mayo>{{cite book|last=Mayo|first=John Horsley|title= Medals and Decorations of the British Army and Navy, Volume I|url=https://archive.org/details/medalsdecoration01mayouoft/page/232/mode/2up |pages=232–238|publisher=A. Constable & Co, London |year=1897}}</ref> The medal was awarded for the [[Battle of Jellalabad|defence of Jalalabad]] from 12 November 1841 to 7 April 1842, during the [[First Anglo-Afghan War|First Afghan War]], to the troops under the command of [[Sir Robert Sale]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://webapps.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk/explorer/index.php?qu=Jellalabad&oid=141382|title=Jellalabad Medal (1st issue), awarded to Pvt. Joseph Walker, 1842 |work=Watson Medals Catalogue |publisher=The Fitzwilliam Museum |access-date=18 March 2011}}</ref> About 2,600 soldiers took part, including the [[Somerset Light Infantry|13th Foot]] (the only British Army unit present), the 35th [[Bengal Native Infantry]], as well as detachments from other [[British Indian Army|Indian Army]] units and some loyal Afghan forces.<ref>{{Cite book|author=D.W Collett.|title=Medals Yearbook, 1981.|page=68. 1981}}</ref>

In addition to the medal, the 13th Foot were permitted to show a Mural Crown and the battle honour 'Jellalabad' on its colours and regimental badge.<ref name=Mayo/>

==Appearance==
Two different versions of the Jellalabad Medal were awarded.<ref name=Mussell>{{Cite book|author=John Mussell (ed).|title=Medal Yearbook 2015.|page=138. Token Publishing Ltd. Honiton, Devon}}</ref>

The '''original medal''' was produced by the [[India Government Mint, Kolkata|Calcutta Mint]]. It is silver and {{convert|39|mm|in}} in diameter.<ref name=Joslin>{{Cite book|author=Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin.|title=British Battles and Medals.|page=108. Published Spink, London. 1988}}</ref> 
Obverse: A [[mural crown]] with 'JELLALABAD' above. 
Reverse: The date 'VII APRIL 1842' over three lines. 
Suspension: A straight steel suspender attached to the medal by way of a steel clip. This original suspension was often replaced by a more decorative version. 
Naming: Issued unnamed, the medal was often named privately. The medals awarded to the 13th Foot had the name and regiment of the recipient engraved at their commanding officer's expense.<ref name=Joslin/>

Lord Ellenborough was dissatisfied with the design and execution of this version<ref name=Mayo/> and, although awarded to serving soldiers, insufficient were produced to issue to next of kin of those who had died during the campaign. The East India Company therefore decided to strike a further issue of a new design. Although those in receipt of the original medal could exchange for the new medal, few did so with, for example, only five men of the 13th Foot opting to exchange.<ref name=Joslin/>

The '''second version of the medal''' was designed by [[William Wyon]] and produced by the [[Royal Mint]] in London. It is silver and {{convert|36|mm|in}} in diameter.<ref name=Joslin/> 
Obverse: The [[diadem]]ed head Queen Victoria facing left with the inscription 'VICTORIA VINDEX' (''PROTECTOR'').<ref>Cassell's New Latin-English Dictionary, 5th edition 1968. p. 643. {{ISBN|0304929093}}. Defines Vindex as: 'one who lays claim to or protects, a claimant or protector'</ref> 
Reverse: a winged figure of Victory flying over the fortress at Jellalabad. Above is the inscription 'JELLALABAD VII APRIL' with below the year 'MDCCCXLII'. 
Suspension: A straight suspender attached to the medal by way of a steel clip. Many recipients replaced this with a more ornate silver suspension. 
Naming: The recipient's name and regiment were impressed on the edge in block capitals.

The ribbon of both versions was a [[Moire (fabric)|watered]] rainbow pattern of red, white, yellow, white and blue common to most East India Company medals.<ref>{{Cite book|author=Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin.|title=British Battles and Medals.|page=272 ribbon chart. Published Spink, London. 1988}}</ref> 
No clasp was awarded with either medal.<ref name=Joslin/>

==Anglo-Afghan War==
Four separate campaign medals were awarded to British led forces who served in the [[First Anglo-Afghan War|Afghan War]] of 1839 to 1842:<ref>{{Cite book|author=Edward C. Joslin.|title=Observer's Book of British Awards and Medals.|page=90. Published Frederick Warne & Co, London. 1974}}</ref>
*[[Ghuznee Medal]]. [[Battle of Ghazni|Storming of Ghuznee fortress]], 21–23 July 1839.
*Jellalabad Medal. [[Battle of Jellalabad|Defence of Jalalabad]], 12 November 1841–7 April 1842.
*[[Medal for the Defence of Kelat-I-Ghilzie]]. Defence of Kelat-I-Ghilzie, January–26 May 1842.
*[[Candahar, Ghuznee, Cabul Medal]]. Major operations of 1842, the final year of the war.

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{British campaign medals}}
{{Campaign medals of the Honourable East India Company}}
[[Category:British campaign medals]]
[[Category:Medals of the Honourable East India Company]]

Jellalabad Medals - Revision history

Bot at 10:49, 17 July 2021