Turkish Crimean War Medal 1854-56, Sardinian issue, awarded to Major (later General) Mark Walker VC, 1st Battalion 3rd (The East Kent) Regiment of Foot (The Buffs)

It had been the intention of the Turkish Sultan to award all survivors of the Crimean Army 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.