St Jean D'Acre Medal

St Jean D'Acre Medal. Unnamed as issued. Obverse: The fortress of Acre flying the Ottoman flag, with six five-pointed stars around the top and a commemorative Arabic inscription that translates as 'The people of Syria and the citadel of Acre' below the date 1256 (1840) at the foot. Reverse: The Toughra of the Turkish Sultan within a laurel wreath. It has a single ring top suspender fitted with a small piece of 19 mm red ribbon that has white edges.

The St Jean D'Acre Medal was awarded by the Sultan of Turkey to members of British, Austrian and Turkish army and navalforces under the command of Sir Charles Napier, taking part in the liberation of the City of Acre, on the Syrian coast, after eight years of Egyptian occupation. It was issued in gold for captains and field officers, silver for other officers and warrant officers, and bronzed copper to seamen. The Naval General Service Medal with the bar 'Syria' was also awarded for this action in 1848 to surviving British Navy seamen, soldiers and Royal Marines. This medal is part of a collection assembled by the late Hon. Sir Thomas Hughes, Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales. It was presented to the Memorial in memory of his son, Captain Roger Forrest Hughes, Australian Army Medical Corps, who died of wounds in France on 11 December 1916 and his grandson, Flying Officer Peter Roger Forrest Hughes, 12 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, who was killed on active service while flying in the Northern Territory on 3 October 1942.