Item number: M198

Year: AD 1902

Material: Bronze

Size: 93.7 x 36.2 x 2.9 mm

Weight: 32.85 g

Provenance: Morton and Eden 2023

This China War Medal (1901) was awarded by the British government in AD 1902 to individuals who participated in the Boxer Rebellion of AD 1900 as part of the Eight-Nation Alliance. Based on the participants’ roles and affiliations, British and British Indian regular forces were awarded silver medals, while the civilian personnel involved in the preparations and Imperial Service Troops from the Indian princely states received bronze medals. This bronze medal was awarded to Bunniah. Mula, a member of the 24th Punjab Infantry provided by the princely states.

The obverse of the medal features a half-length portrait of Queen Victoria, the reigning monarch of Britain at that time. It was designed by the British medalist George William de Saulles. Surrounding the portrait is a Latin inscription that translates to “Victoria Queen and Empress.”

On the reverse side of the medal, the design follows the pattern of the previous two “China War Medals” (AD 1842, AD 1861). It was designed by William Wyon, who served as the Chief Engraver at the Royal Mint. The design depicts a central oval shield with the royal coat of arms, symbolizing the joint protection of the army’s cannon and the navy’s anchor. Behind the shield is a palm tree as a backdrop.

The bottom edge of the medal is of contemporary naming in English running script with the recipient’s name and unit number: “Bunniah. Mula, 24th Pjb: Infy:”.

The medal has a swivel straight bar suspension with claw which connects to the ribbon and the clasp, with the disk of the medal secured to the claw by a rivet. The ribbon has a crimson red base color with yellow stripes on each side for decoration. Depending on the battles participated in, there are three types of clasps: “Relief of Pekin,”“Taku Forts,” and “Defence of Legations.” According to the relevant regulations, the medal is limited to two clasps. The 24th Punjabis Infantry was awarded the “Relief of Pekin” clasp for their participation in the final stages of the conflict.

Total number of clasps:

Contrary to the stereotypical belief that the British forces in the Eight-Nation Alliance were composed entirely of white soldiers, a significant portion of the troops came from British India. During the Boxer Rebellion, while the British regular army was deeply embroiled in the Second Boer War in South Africa, Britain relied heavily on soldiers from British India and the semi-autonomous princely states to provide the approximately 3,000 troops needed for the China campaign. The 7th Rajput Infantry from India was among the first units to arrive and relieve the besieged foreign legations, which had been under siege for 56 days.

The 24th Punjab Infantry’s origins date back to AD 1857, when it was initially recruited from princely state forces to help the British suppress the Indian Mutiny. Subsequently, the regiment participated in various British campaigns on the northwest frontier of India and in Afghanistan. In AD 1900, the regiment was deployed to northern China to take part in the Boxer Rebellion as part of the Eight-Nation Alliance. It continued to serve the British Empire during both World Wars. After the British ended their rule in the Indian subcontinent in AD 1947, the 24th Punjab Infantry became part of the newly independent Pakistani Army.

物件編號: M198

年代: 公元 1902 年

材質: 青銅

尺寸: 93.7 x 36.2 x 2.9 mm

重量: 32.85 g

來源: 莫頓與伊登 2023

這一枚獎章是公元1902年，英國政府頒予參加公元1900年八國聯軍一役相關人士的「第三次中國戰爭獎章」。按照參與者身分和部隊歸屬，英國和英屬印度的正規軍獲得銀質獎章，籌備行動的文職人員和印度土邦的軍隊則是銅質獎章。該枚銅質獎章得主布尼亞·穆拉，正是來自土邦提供的第24旁遮普步兵團一員。

獎章正面是時任英國維多利亞女王的半身像，由英國的獎牌製造師：喬治·威廉·德·索雷斯設計。獎章周圍環繞的拉丁銘文意思是「維多利亞女王暨女皇」。獎章背面的圖案沿用前兩次頒發的「中國戰爭獎章」(1842、1861)設計，由曾擔任皇家鑄幣廠首席雕刻師的威廉·維恩設計，象徵陸軍的大砲和海軍的船錨共同護衛中央刻有皇室家徽的橢圓盾牌，背後以一株棕梠樹作為襯托。於下緣以英文刻有「中國 1900」，上緣則是拉丁文銘文「透過武力訴諸和平」。

獎章下緣以當時代英文草寫字體鐫刻得獎者姓名和部隊番號「布尼亞·穆拉 第24旁遮普步兵團」(Bunniah. Mula, 24th Pjb: Infy:)。

獎章上方以帶有鉚釘的帶爪旋轉直桿懸掛連接著其綬帶和銘牌，綬帶是赤紅為底色，兩側各有一道黃色條紋作為裝飾。依據參與的戰役差異，分別有「解圍北京」、「大沽口要塞」和「保衛使館」三種銘牌，按照相關的法規該獎章以兩個銘牌為限。第24旁遮普步兵團獲頒戰事最後階段的「解圍北京」銘牌。

銘牌的總數量:

不同於外人的刻板想像，以為八國聯軍中的英軍是白人組成的軍隊，來自英屬印度的殖民地士兵為此次行動的大宗。八國聯軍之役的同時，英國本土的正規軍正陷入南非第二次布爾戰爭的泥淖，僅能倚重英屬印度和半獨立狀態的土邦們提供中國行動所需之3000人左右的兵力。來自印度的第7拉傑普特步兵團，更是首批抵達遭包圍長達56天的外國使館區的解圍部隊。

第24旁遮普步兵團的建制能上溯至公元1857年，起初是協助英國鎮壓印度兵變而招募成立的土邦軍隊。此後參與英國在印度西北邊境和阿富汗的大小戰事。公元1900年，調度至華北參與八國聯軍之役，後續更投入兩次世界大戰替大英帝國效力。公元1947年，英國結束在南亞次大陸的統治後，第24旁遮普步兵師成為新獨立的巴基斯坦軍隊一份子。