Turkish Crimean War Medal 1855, Sardinian issue

Awarded to Major-General William Fergusson Beatson, Turkish irregular forces, the Bashi Bazouks, Crimean War (1854-1856).

Silver, circular campaign medal designed by James Robertson (1813-1888), with on the obverse, the Ottoman Sultan's monogram and the Muslim calendar year of 1271. On the reverse, a trophy of arms with colours, a cannon, anchor and a mortar, the flags of the allies, and a campaign honour, 'Crimea 1855', in the exergue ('La Crimea 1855', for this Sardinian issue). The medal is suspended on a crimson ribbon with green edges.

Lieutenant-Colonel (later Major-General) William Fergusson Beatson had long experience of commanding native troops in India and, the skill being considered transferable, in 1854 he was given charge of the Bashi Bazouks, Turkish irregulars in British pay. He took part in the Charge of the Heavy Brigade during the Battle of Balaklava as a member of Brigadier James Yorke Scarlett's staff.

The Turkish Crimea Medal is a foreign campaign medal created on the orders of Sultan Abdul Mejid I of Turkey. Three variants were made available to surviving British, French and Sardinian personnel who served in the Crimean War. It had been the intention of the Turkish Sultan to award all survivors of the Crimean War with a silver medal, which he instituted in 1855. Approximately 75,000 medals were claimed by Britain. However not all these reached their destination, owing to a shortfall in production and the loss of a consignment of some 22,000 medals when the SS 'Pomona' sank near Malta on 22 February 1860. The shortage in British medals was made up to a great extent by issuing British soldiers with Sardinian or French versions.

From a medal group awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel William Fergusson Beatson.