Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Grenadier Guards Distinguished Conduct Medal 1855, 35mm, silver, the obverse featuring the regimental cypher of Queen Victoria, ‘Grenadier Guards’ above, the reverse inscribed ‘From Maj. Gen. Bentinck to [blank] in Recognition of the Recipient’s Distinguished Conduct during the Campaign in the Crimea 1854-5’, mounted with post-1873 suspension, nearly extremely fine £100-140

Referenced in Balmer R.132.

Medals were prepared for the three Guards regiments for award to non-commissioned officers and other ranks for distinguished conduct in the Crimea campaign. They were awarded by Major-General Sir Henry Bentinck, K.C.B., who commanded the Guards Brigade and later the 4th Division in the Crimea. In the event medals were only issued to the Grenadier Guards and 3rd Foot Guards, being awarded 13 and 5 (plus one to the 90th Foot) named medals respectively. The Coldstream Guards refused theirs after a inter-regimental ‘squabble’; having discovered that the first issues had gone to the Grenadiers, the Coldstream Guards flatly refused to accept their own, arguing that since Bentinck was himself a Coldstreamer, their medals should have been presented first.

Several of the recipients were also winners of the Victoria Cross, and several of the others appear to have been connected with incidents where a Victoria Cross was won.