Art Funded by you

Military General Service medal

William Wyon, 1847

The Military General Service Medal (MGSM) was a retrospective award approved in 1847 for various actions from 1793 to 1814. This one was awarded to Private Bernard Martin of the 27th Inniskilling Regiment who was discharged after part of his right leg was amputated as a result of an injury at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815.This particular medal is of great significance as the museum already held Martin's Waterloo medal, and very few members of the Regiment earned both medals. The MGSM is a potent reminder of the hardships of soldiering at that time - fatigue, discomfort, hardship lack of medical support and the ever-present danger of death. The designer was the first medallist to become a Royal Academician, in 1838. Purchased by the Art Fund with the assistance of the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation.

More information

Title of artwork, date

Military General Service medal, 1847

Date supported

2006

Medium and material

Silver

Dimensions

Diameter: 3.6 cm

Grant

2750

Total cost

2750

Content note: This object record is part of our archive and has not been updated since it was first published. It may contain inaccurate information or outdated language. Please get in touch if you think this record should be amended.

Art Funded by you FAQs

Why is this object record marked 'archive'?
Where can I see this work of art? Is it on display?
What is Art Fund's purpose?
How is Art Fund funded?
What type of funding do you offer?
What does the acquisition grants programme support and who can apply?
How many works of art has Art Fund helped museums to acquire?
I’m a curator/researcher/arts professional and would like to find out more about this work, how do I get in touch?
I’m a journalist and would like to contact Art Fund about this work, how do I get in touch?
I would like to donate a work of art to a museum. What do I need to do?
I'd like to leave a gift to Art Fund in my will. How can I do this?

Contact us

If you have a question about a work of art in our archive, please contact the Programmes team. We’ll be happy to answer your enquiry.