Sutlej Medal
Encyclopedia
The Sutlej Medal was a campaign medal
approved in 1846, for issue to officers and men of the British Army
and Honourable East India Company who served in the Sutlej campaign of 1845-46 (also known as the First Anglo-Sikh War
). This medal was the first to use clasps
to denote soldiers who fought in the major battles of the campaign.
The medal was approved on 17 April 1846, authorised for all who served in the Punjab between 7 September 1848 and 14 March 1849. Three clasps were authorised, although no medals were awarded with all three clasps. No unit qualified for both the clasps Mooltan and Chilianwala. The medal was issued without a clasp to those units that were present in the Punjab but did not take part in fighting.
The Sutlej Medal was also awarded for participation in the Battle of Mudki
. There is no clasp, as the first battle the recipient of the medal participated in would be engraved directly onto the medal, with additional battles added by clasp. As there was no battle prior to Mudki, there was no need to produce a clasp for second-battle veterans.
Campaign medal
A campaign medal is a military decoration which is awarded to a member of the military who serves in a designated military operation or performs duty in a geographical theater...
approved in 1846, for issue to officers and men of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and Honourable East India Company who served in the Sutlej campaign of 1845-46 (also known as the First Anglo-Sikh War
First Anglo-Sikh War
The First Anglo-Sikh War was fought between the Sikh Empire and the British East India Company between 1845 and 1846. It resulted in partial subjugation of the Sikh kingdom.-Background and causes of the war:...
). This medal was the first to use clasps
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to denote soldiers who fought in the major battles of the campaign.
The medal was approved on 17 April 1846, authorised for all who served in the Punjab between 7 September 1848 and 14 March 1849. Three clasps were authorised, although no medals were awarded with all three clasps. No unit qualified for both the clasps Mooltan and Chilianwala. The medal was issued without a clasp to those units that were present in the Punjab but did not take part in fighting.
Clasps
- FerozeshuhurBattle of FerozeshahThe Battle of Ferozeshah was fought on 21 December and 22 December 1845 between the British and the Sikhs, at the village of Ferozeshah in Punjab. The British were led by Sir Hugh Gough and Governor-General Sir Henry Hardinge, while the Sikhs were led by Lal Singh.The British emerged victorious,...
- AliwalBattle of AliwalThe Battle of Aliwal was fought on 28 January 1846 between the British and the Sikhs. The British were led by Sir Harry Smith, while the Sikhs were led by Ranjodh Singh Majithia...
- SobraonBattle of SobraonThe Battle of Sobraon was fought on 10 February 1846, between the forces of the British East India Company and the Sikh Khalsa Army, the army of the Sikh Empire of the Punjab...
The Sutlej Medal was also awarded for participation in the Battle of Mudki
Battle of Mudki
The Battle of Mudki was fought on 18 December 1845, between the forces of the British East India Company and part of the Khalsa, the army of the Sikh Empire of the Punjab. The British army won an untidy encounter battle, suffering heavy casualties....
. There is no clasp, as the first battle the recipient of the medal participated in would be engraved directly onto the medal, with additional battles added by clasp. As there was no battle prior to Mudki, there was no need to produce a clasp for second-battle veterans.