Africa General Service Medal 1902 - 1956 : Ordinary Seaman C O'Leary, HMS Hyacinth

Africa General Service Medal 1902 - 1956 (first issue) with the bar 'SOMALILAND 1902-1904'. The recipient's rank, name and ship are impressed on the edge. Obverse: The bust of King Edward VII in Field Marshal's uniform with the legend, 'EDWARDVS VII REX IMPERATOR'. Reverse: The standing figure of Britannia holding a trident in her right hand and in her left hand, which is extended, an olive branch and a scroll. Behind her stands a lion and in the right background is the rising sun. In the exergue is the word 'AFRICA'. The medal is fitted with a fixed straight suspender and a single rectangular bar. A piece of 32 mm yellow ribbon edged with black and with two narrow green stripes down the centre is attached to the suspender.

Awarded to Ordinary Seaman C O'Leary who served in the 11-gun twin-screw Hermes class cruiser HMS Hyacinth. In 1904 the Hyacinth, was at the head of a squadron of three ships which took part in the long-running Somaliland campaigns (1901-1910). On 20 April Hyacinth together with HMS Fox arrived off the Gulluli River after dark, and on the following day a small landing party went ashore under Flag-Captain Hood. One hundred and twenty five men of the Hampshire Regiment accompanied the sailors. The brigade advanced upon Fort Illig in face from a brisk fire from rifles, and two old fashioned cannon loaded with mixed iron, and finally carried the place at the point of the bayonet. The brigade subsequently cleared the village and some caves at the bottom of the cliffs. The enemy left between 60 and 70 dead, and the British re-embarked with a loss of 3 killed and 11 wounded. Fort Illig was then reduced, and the British ships withdrew. There were three issues of this medal. The second with the obverse of King George V in 1916 and the third with Queen Elizabeth II in 1955. A total of forty five different bars were issued with the medal over fifty four years. 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.