Abyssinian War Medal : Private R McClelland, 1st Battalion, 4th Regiment

Abyssinian War Medal with a top crown and ring suspender. Obverse: A small veiled and coroneted bust of Queen Victoria surrounded by an ornate nine-pointed star, between each point of which is one of the letters of the word 'ABYSSINIA'. Reverse: Within a beaded circle, surrounded by a wreath of laurel, tied at the base, the recipient's name and regimental details are struck in relief. A piece of 38 mm wide white ribbon with a broad red band down the centre is threaded through the ring suspender.

Awarded to Private R McClelland, 1st Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment who served during the Abyssinian campaign between 4 October, 1867 and 19 April, 1868. This war was caused by the imprisonment of British subjects including Captain Cameron, the British Consul and foreign missionaries by King Theodore who had them sent to the City of Magdala in chains. Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Napier led 12,000 army and 2,000 naval troops 300 miles on a rescue mission and fought the Battle of Arrogie on 10 April, 1868. Magdala was entered on 13 April, 1868 and burnt to the ground four days later. King Theodore committed suicide to avoid being captured. The British casualties were only two killed and twenty seven wounded. The medal is said to be the most expensive of all the British general issues, on account of the fact that the recipients' details were embossed, thus necessitating a separate die for each medal. 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 of 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.