Ashantee War Medal 1873-74 with clasp, 'Coomaassie', awarded to Major General Sir Garnet Joseph Wolseley

Silver, circular campaign medal with, on the obverse (designed by Leonard Charles Wyon), Queen Victoria wearing diadem and veil, with the inscription, 'Victoria Regina'. On the reverse (designed by Sir Edward Poynter), a scene of bush fighting in the Ashanti War (1873-1874). Medal clasp, 'Coomassie', for the Capture of kumasi. The medal is suspended from a yellow ribbon with two black vertical stripes and black edging.

Garnet Joserph Wolseley was first commissioned in 1852, and by 1861 had seen active service in Burma, the Crimea, India, China and Canada. In favour of Army reforms, he gathered together a coterie of able officers known as the 'Wolseley ring'. He wrote a number of books including The Soldier's Pocket Book in 1869, the forerunner of field service regulations. In 1873-1874 he commanded the successful expedition to Ashanti, in reward for which he was promoted major-general. Kumasi was the capital of the Ashanti Confederacy. It was captured in February 1874 and parts of the city, including the Royal Palace, were destroyed by the British.

From a medal group awarded to Field Marshal Viscount Garnet Joseph Wolseley (1833-1913).