QUEEN VICTORIA JUBILEE MEDAL 1897 16TH LANCERS

History: The Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Medal 1897 Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal commissioned to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the coronation of Queen Victoria which took place 28 June 1838. Gold medals were awarded to members of the Royal Family and personal guests. Silver medals went to members of the Royal Household, government ministers, senior officials, certain foreign visitors and naval and army officers involved in the celebrations. Bronze medals went to certain NCOs and other ranks involved in parades of the review at Spithead. A separate medal was awarded to members of the City of London Police, Metropolitan Police, Police Ambulance, St, John Ambulance Brigade and Metropolitan Fire Brigade who took part in the celebrations and parades. Some 73 gold, 3040 silver and 890 bronze medals were issued in total. Police Officers who had already received the Golden Jubilee Medal 1887 were awarded the clasp '1897'. Description: The medal is circular, 30mm in diameter and struck in either gold, silver or bronze. The obverse of this medal bears the crowned bust of Queen Victoria and the inscription; ‘VICTORIA D.G. REGINA ET IMPERATRIX F.D.’. The reverse contains the inscription; 'IN COMMEMORATION OF THE 60TH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF QUEEN VICTORIA 20 JUNE 1897', within a wreath and surmounted with a crown. The ribbon suspender is a plain ring attached to the medal by a small loop that surmounts the medal. The medal in named to the rim "2557 Pte. F.G. REYNOLDS 16TH LANCERS" In regards to the police issue, the medal was also circular, 36mm in diameter and struck in bronze. The obverse of this medal bears the head of Queen Victoria and the inscription; 'VICTORIA REGINA'. There are five different reverses for this award with either the inscription; 'CITY OF LONDON POLICE', 'METROPOLITAN POLICE', 'POLICE AMBULANCE', 'ST JOHN AMBULANCE BRIGADE' or 'METROPOLITAN FIRE BRIGADE'. Within these inscriptions was a wreath encircling the inscription; 'JUBILEE OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA' and the date; '1897' below. The ribbon suspender is of the plain, straight and non-swivelling style attached to the medal via a claw mount.Victorian era: The regiment was dispatched to Ireland in March 1816 where it was re-designated as a lancer regiment in September 1816, becoming the 16th (The Queen's) Regiment of (Light) Dragoons (Lancers). It returned from Ireland in June 1819. The regiment was sent to India in 1822 and saw action, using lances, against the Marathas at the siege of Bharatpur in January 1826. It saw action again at the capture of Ghuznee in July 1839 during the First Anglo-Afghan War and at the Battle of Maharajpore in December 1843 during the Gwalior campaign. It also took part in the Battle of Aliwal in January 1846, when the regiment charged and dispersed a body of Sikhs ten times its size, and also fought at the Battle of Sobraon in February 1846 during the First Anglo-Sikh War. The regiment's title was simplified to the 16th (The Queen's) Lancers in 1861. It served in India between 1865 and 1876 and again between 1890 and 1899.