Item number: M437

Year: AD 1826

Material: Silver

Size: 49.2 x 17.7 x 1.6 mm

Weight: 5.95 g

Provenance: J. Collins Medal 2025

This medal was awarded by British East India Company between AD 1824 and AD 1826 to participants in the First Anglo-Burmese War and is known as the Burma Medal. The miniature version was intended for wear with civilian formal dress (such as evening tailcoat attire) rather than with uniform.

The medal is circular in form. On the obverse, an elephant representing Burma kneels in submission before a lion representing England, the lion standing upon a rocky platform so as to appear higher than the elephant. Above the elephant is the fallen peacock banner of the Konbaung dynasty, while above the lion flies the British Union flag. Two palm trees stand between the elephant and the lion. Below, separated by a horizontal line, is a Persian inscription reading “فیلِ آوا مطیعِ شیرِ انگلستان است، سنهٔ ۱۸۲۶.” (Fīl-e Āvā moṭīʿ-e shīr-e Engelistān ast, sane-ye 1826), meaning “The Elephant of Ava is obedient to the Lion of England, AD 1826.” Ava was the capital of the Burmese Konbaung dynasty between AD 1821 and AD 1842. The edge of the medal is encircled by a raised rim. On the official issue, on the horizontal line separating the imagery from the inscription, the left side bears the legend “W. Daniell, R.A. del.”, identifying the designer as William Daniell, a Royal Academician of the Royal Academy of Arts. Daniell travelled extensively throughout India and specialised in finely executed etchings; the commercial success of his works helped to create a picturesque and romantic image of India in Britain, exerting a long-lasting influence.

The reverse depicts the British surprise attack on Rangoon, which laid the foundation for ultimate victory. Beneath the shade of a palm tree slightly left of centre stands the commander, Brigadier Sir Archibald Campbell, raising his hand to direct the British troops around and before him. Behind him are the vessels of the Royal Indian Marine, including HMS Diana and other gunboats, which blockaded the Irrawaddy River and conveyed British forces to the landing at Rangoon. In the upper right appears the Shwedagon Pagoda. Following the surprise assault, the British rapidly occupied the pagoda and strengthened it as a fortress; repeated and fierce Burmese counter-attacks failed, and the heavy expenditure of manpower and resources there ultimately contributed to Burma’s defeat. Below, again separated by a horizontal line, is a Persian inscription reading “مدالِ به‌منظورِ عساکر غالب انگلیسیِ آوا” (Madal-e be-manẓur-e ʿasāker-e ghāleb-e Engelīsī-ye Ava), meaning “A medal presented to the victorious British soldiers at Ava.” On the official issue, the left side of the separating line bears the name “W. Wyon,” identifying the designer as William Wyon, then Assistant Engraver at the Royal Mint, who was promoted to Chief Engraver in AD 1828. Wyon’s relief work, executed in a Neoclassical style, was renowned for both its productivity and technical refinement, and he designed numerous coin and medal portraits of George IV, William IV, and Queen Victoria.

The medal is suspended from a ring by a crimson ribbon with dark blue edges. This ribbon, commonly referred to as the “military ribbon,” was shared with other awards such as the Waterloo Medal and the Military General Service Medal. The ring is attached to a steel clip fixed to the upper edge of the medal, and an alternative suspension type exists in which the ring is connected by a straight bar. The ribbon is secured to the chest by a pin bearing the inscription “SPINK & SON LONDON.” This likely indicates that the pin was produced by Spink & Son of London and may be associated with the company’s involvement in medal manufacture following its acquisition of the Soho Mint from AD 1880 onwards.

The First Anglo-Burmese War (AD 1824–1826) was the first large-scale conflict in the series of three Anglo-Burmese wars fought in the nineteenth century between the British East India Company and the Burmese Konbaung dynasty, and it was also among the longest and most costly military conflicts in the history of British India. The war arose chiefly from Burmese expansion along the north-eastern frontier of India and from disputes with British India over territory, trade, and spheres of influence in regions including Assam, Manipur, Cachar, and Arakan, compounded by British commercial ambitions and British fears of French assistance to Burma. Hostilities began in AD 1824, when Burmese forces under the command of Maha Bandoola advanced into British-held Assam and, benefiting from elite troop concentrations and intimate knowledge of the terrain, initially achieved a series of victories.

The British therefore avoided unfavourable terrain and shifted the main theatre of operations to Burma itself. In May AD 1824, the British Indian naval forces landed at Rangoon, taking the Burmese by surprise. The Battle of Kemmendine on 10 June AD 1824, fought near Rangoon, was the first major engagement between British troops and the main Burmese forces after the landing. At a time when British positions in the Irrawaddy delta were still insecure, the Burmese attempted to force a withdrawal through frontal assaults combined with entrenchment and encirclement. Although outnumbered, the British repelled repeated attacks through superior artillery and disciplined infantry defence, thereby securing their foothold at Rangoon.

In AD 1825, British forces began systematic operations along the coast and waterways. At the Battle of Syriam on 12 January, British troops seized a key position south of Rangoon, strengthening control over the Irrawaddy estuary. The Battle of Bassein on 24 February further established British naval and logistical superiority along the lower Burmese coast. Thereafter the British advanced on multiple fronts: Arakan was captured on 1 April, severing Burma’s western communications with the Bengal frontier and compelling Burmese withdrawal. The following day, at the Battle of Donabew on 2 April, Burmese forces had constructed formidable defences along the Irrawaddy River, consisting of teak stockades extending for a mile and backed by old brick ramparts. Nevertheless, under sustained British assaults and bombardment, the Burmese commander Maha Bandoola was killed, Burmese morale collapsed, and the position was abandoned, allowing the British to penetrate further inland. At the Battle of Prome on 1 December, after the end of the monsoon season, British forces resumed their advance, defeated Burmese attempts to block their progress, and secured a route towards the core Ava region.

In early AD 1826, the war entered its final phase. At the Battle of Melloon on 13 January, British forces again defeated newly assembled Burmese troops. This was followed by the Battle of Moulmein on 28 January, which consolidated British control of the southern coastline and placed Burma at a disadvantage both on land and at sea. The final major engagement, the Battle of Pagahm Mew on 9 February, saw Burmese forces nominally numbering forty thousand under the command of the new general Nee Woon Breen defeated once more; after retreating to Ava, he was executed on the king’s orders, symbolising the effective collapse of Burmese military resistance.

A succession of defeats compelled the Burmese court to acknowledge its inability to continue the war. British forces advanced towards the former capital of Amarapura, and when they were within four days’ march of the city, the Burmese king accepted British terms. On 24 February AD 1826, a harsh peace treaty was signed at Yandabo. Under its terms, Burma ceded extensive territories in the north-west and south-west, including Assam, Manipur, Arakan, and Tenasserim (now Tanintharyi), relinquished control over frontier regions such as Cachar and Jaintia, paid a large indemnity, opened its ports to trade, and accepted the presence of British diplomatic representatives. The combined burden of war expenditure, population losses, and reparations gravely weakened the Burmese state, and after two further, smaller Anglo-Burmese wars, Burma ultimately fell under British colonial rule.

In April AD 1826, the Governor-General of India, William Amherst, authorised the institution of the Burma Medal. It was awarded solely to members of the East India Company’s forces who had taken part in active combat during the Anglo-Burmese War. Gold medals (approximately 750) were issued to Indian officers and officials, while silver medals (approximately 24,000) were issued to other Indian soldiers; the only European recipient of a gold medal was Sir Archibald Campbell, commander of the Anglo-Indian forces. The medal could also be awarded posthumously to the heirs of those who had been killed in action.

物件編號: M437

年代: 公元 1826 年

材質: 銀

尺寸: 49.2 x 17.7 x 1.6 mm

重量: 5.95 g

來源: 克林獎章 2025

這是一枚公元1824至1826年，由英國東印度公司頒予第一次英緬戰爭之參戰者的緬甸獎章。而該迷你版則是用以著非軍服正裝(例如燕尾服)時配戴。

獎章外觀為圓形，正面為左側代表緬甸的大象跪伏於左側代表英格蘭的雄獅之前，雄獅則立於巖臺之上，使之較大象更高。大象上方為傾倒的貢榜王朝孔雀旗，雄獅上方為飄揚的英國聯合旗。大象與雄獅之間為兩棵棕櫚樹。下方以橫線相隔，有波斯銘文「فیلِ آوا مطیعِ شیرِ انگلستان است، سنهٔ ۱۸۲۶.」(Fīl-e Āvā moṭīʿ-e shīr-e Engelistān ast, sane-ye 1826)，即「阿瓦之象臣服於英格蘭之獅，1826年」。阿瓦即為緬甸貢榜王朝於公元1821至1842年間的首都。章緣為環。於官方版上，相隔章圖與銘文的橫線上，左側有「W. Daniell, R.A. del.」，標示設計者為皇家藝術研究院(Royal Academy of Arts)院士威廉·丹尼爾(William Daniell)，其長年遊歷印度各地，專精細膩的蝕刻版畫。丹尼爾商業作品的成功，為印度在英國本土塑造了如詩如畫的浪漫形象，影響深遠。

背面為英軍奇襲仰光，奠定勝基的場景。中央偏左的棕櫚樹蔭下，為指揮官阿奇博爾德·坎貝爾爵士准將(Brigadier Sir Archibald Campbell)，其面向獎章右側抬手指揮身週及身前的英軍，身後為封鎖伊洛瓦底江，並送英軍登陸仰光港的皇家印度海軍，由黛安娜號與其他砲艇組成。右上方為仰光大金寺。英軍奇襲仰光後迅速占領仰光大金寺並加固為堡壘，緬甸數度發起激烈的反攻未果，於此消耗的人力物力最終釀成緬甸的戰敗。下方以橫線相隔，有波斯銘文「مدالِ به‌منظورِ عساکر غالب انگلیسیِ آوا」(Madal-e be-manzur-e asaker-e ghaleb-e Engelisi-ye Ava)，意為「此章獻予在阿瓦勝利的英軍官兵」。於官方版上，相隔章圖與銘文的橫線上，左側有「W. Wyon」，標示設計者為時任皇家鑄幣廠助理雕刻師(assistant engraver)的威廉·威恩(William Wyon)，後其於公元1828年升任為首席雕刻師(chief engraver)。威廉·威恩的浮雕為新古典主義風格，以多產與工藝精巧而著稱，曾設計多個錢幣與獎章上的喬治四世、威廉四世與維多利亞女王的頭像。

該獎章為綬章，以兩側邊緣為深藍色的深紅色綬帶穿過圓環而懸掛。該綬帶通稱「軍用綬帶」，與滑鐵盧獎章、軍事通用服役獎章等共用。圓環扣於一夾於章體上緣的鋼夾上，另有一種由直桿連接的懸掛方式。綬帶則以別針固定於胸前，上有「SPINK & SON LONDON」，可能表示該別針為倫敦斯賓客拍賣行所造，或許與公元1880年起，該公司收購蘇豪鑄幣廠(Soho Mint)後，開始經營獎章製造業務有關。

第一次英緬戰爭(First Anglo-Burmese War,1824-1826)是19世紀英國東印度公司與緬甸貢榜王朝之間三次英緬衝突的第一場大規模戰爭，亦是英屬印度歷史上最長、最昂貴的軍事衝突之一。此戰主要因緬甸在印度東北邊境擴張，與英屬印度在阿薩姆、曼尼普爾(Manipur)、察查與若開等地存在領土、貿易與影響力的摩擦，加以英國工商業對於開拓市場的需求，以及英方對於法國援助緬甸的擔憂，最終引發英緬的全面對抗。戰事自公元1824年爆發，由緬軍由統帥瑪哈·班都拉率軍攻入英屬印度阿薩姆，在精銳的集結與熟悉地利的優勢下，初時連戰皆捷。

英軍於是避開不利地形，改於緬甸本土作戰，公元1824年5月，英國印度海軍登陸仰光，緬軍措手不及。公元1824年6月10日的肯門丁(Kemmendine)之戰，發生於仰光附近，是英軍登陸後首次遭遇緬軍主力的重要戰鬥。英軍在伊洛瓦底江三角洲立足未穩之際，緬軍試圖以正面攻勢與築壕包圍迫使英軍撤離。英軍雖人數居劣，仍憑藉火砲與紀律嚴整的步兵防禦擊退數度攻勢，使仰光據點得以鞏固。

公元1825年，英軍開始沿海與河道展開進攻。1月12日敘里安(Syriam)之戰中，英軍奪取仰光南方要地，進一步控制伊洛瓦底江出海口。2月24日巴辛(Bassein)之戰則確立英軍對下緬甸沿海的制海與補給優勢。隨後英軍分兵行動，4月1日攻佔阿拉干(Aracan)，切斷緬甸西部與孟加拉邊境的聯繫，迫使緬軍後撤。僅一日後的4月2日多納布尤(Donabew)之戰中，緬軍在伊洛瓦底江畔以長達一英里的柚木柵欄與舊磚城牆構築堅固防線，然而在英軍反覆進攻與炮擊下，統帥班都拉戰死，緬軍士氣崩潰，被迫棄守，英軍遂得以深入內陸。至12月1日普羅美(Prome)之戰，英軍在雨季過後重新推進，擊敗試圖阻截的緬軍，確立向阿瓦核心地區進軍的通道。

公元1826年初，戰事進入最後階段。1月13日梅盧恩(Melloon)之戰中，英軍再次擊潰集結中的緬軍新主力。隨後1月28日毛淡棉(Moulmein)之戰，英軍鞏固南部沿海控制權，使緬甸在陸海兩線均處於被動。最終的2月9日帕甘繆(Pagahm Mew)之戰，緬軍由新任統帥尼烏恩·布林(Nee Woon Breen)指揮，號稱四萬人，仍遭英軍擊敗；其敗退返抵阿瓦後即被處死，象徵緬甸軍事抵抗的實質瓦解。

連串戰敗迫使緬甸王廷承認無力再戰，英軍隨即逼近舊都阿瑪拉普拉(Amarapura)。在英軍兵臨城下之際，緬甸國王接受英方條件，並於公元1826年2月24日在延達布(Yandabo)簽署苛刻的和平條約，緬甸需割讓包括阿薩姆、曼尼普爾、若開與丹那沙林(Tenasserim，今德林達依省Tanintharyi)在內的西北與西南等大片領土予英方，放棄對察查與賈因提亚等邊境地區的控制權，並支付巨額賠款、開放通商及准許派駐外交代表等。軍費、人口損耗和賠款拖垮緬甸國力，在其後二次較小規模的英緬戰爭後，緬甸最終未能倖免於英國的殖民統治。

公元1826年4月，印度總督威廉·阿美士德授權設立緬甸獎章，僅授予在英緬戰爭各戰役中，參與實際戰鬥的東印度公司軍隊，授予印度本土軍官和官員的為金質獎章(約750枚)，授予其他印度士兵的為銀質獎章(約24,000枚)，唯一獲得金質獎章的歐洲人是指揮英印聯軍的阿奇博爾德·坎貝爾爵士。獎章也可追授給陣亡者的繼承人。