British South Africa Company Medal

The British South Africa Company Medal (1890–97). In 1896, Queen Victoria sanctioned the issue by the British South Africa Company of a medal to troops who had been engaged in the First Matabele War. In 1897, the Queen sanctioned another medal for those engaged in the two campaigns of the Second Matabele War: Rhodesia (1896) and Mashonaland (1897). The three medals are the same except for name and date above the lion on the reverse, and the three wordings above the lion denote the campaign for which the medal was issued.

In 1927, the government of Southern Rhodesia issued a medal to commemorate the earlier 1890 Pioneer Column. This medal identical to the prior medals, except that it was struck without any campaign details on the reverse.

Description
The medal is circular, made of silver, 36 mm in diameter. The obverse depicts a left facing effigy of Queen Victoria wearing a diadem and veil. Around the edge is the inscription Victoria Regina.

The reverse is depicts the scene of a charging lion, wounded in the chest with an assegai. In the foreground are native weapons and a shield, in the background is a bush, and below the scene is inscribed: BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY. The recipient's first eligible campaign and date is usually inscribed at the top.

The medal is mounted on an ornate swivelling suspension bar decorated with shamrocks, thistles and roses. The medal hangs from a ribbon of watered silk in orange with three dark blue stripes.

Clasps
Four were issued:
 * 1) Matabeleland 1893 (No clasp issued to those who served exclusively in the First Matabele War)
 * 2) Rhodesia 1896 (No clasp issued to those who served exclusively in the first year of the Second Matabele War)
 * 3) Mashonaland 1897
 * 4) Mashonaland 1890

Notable Recipients

 * Robert Baden-Powell - service in: Rhodesia (1896)
 * Frederick Russell Burnham - service in: Matabeleland (1893) ; Rhodesia (1896)
 * Col. Frank Rhodes
 * Frederick Selous - service in: Mashonaland (1890) ; Matabeleland (1893) ; Rhodesia (1896)