Arctic Medal 1818-55

Arctic Medal 1818-55. Unnamed as issued. The octagonal shaped medal has a beaded rim, surmounted by a nine pointed star (representing the Pole Star) to which a suspension ring is fitted. Obverse: Queen Victoria wearing a small tiara with her hair in a loose chignon secured with a ribbon. The word 'VICTORIA' appears on the left of the head and 'REGINA' on the right. Reverse: A three-masted ship with icebergs in the background and a sledging party in the foreground. In the exergue are the dates '1818-1855'. Around the top is written 'FOR ARCTIC DISCOVERIES'. A piece of 38 mm watered white silk ribbon is threaded through the suspension ring.

Awarded retrospectively to all officers and men engaged in expeditions to the polar regions from 1818 to 1855. It was granted to members of the Royal Navy, civilians, scientists, personnel of the French and US navies and employees of the Hudson Bay Company who took part in both exploration and rescue parties, including the abortive searches for Sir John Franklin and his crew who were lost on the 1845-8 expedition. 1486 medals were awarded of which 1106 were received by officers and men of the Royal Navy. 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.