The Sea Gallantry Medal for Foreign Services
The Sea Gallantry Medal (SGM) for Foreign Services, originally named The Board of Trade Foreign Service Medal, dates from 1841. It was designed by Benedetto Pistrucci, (1783-1855), Chief Medalist of the Royal Mint, and approved by Queen Victoria for issue in gold (rare), silver or bronze to foreigners or to British seamen serving on foreign ships, who render assistance to British ships and/or British seamen in distress. After the creation of the Marine Department of the Board of Trade in 1850, the medals were still approved in the name of the Board of Trade, but issued through the Foreign Office until 1905. The cost of the medals was financed by the Civil Contingencies Fund. After 1882, the medals were ordered directly from the Royal Mint and paid for by the Board of Trade. After 1903 during the reign of Edward VII, recommendations by the Board of Trade were reviewed and approved by the Sovereign.
Large 56mm SGM Foreign Service with Obverse Inscription, VICTORIA D:G: BRITTANNIARUM REGINA F. D. and No Cipher. Reverse Inscriptions: PRESENTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT inside the wreath and Around the Edge the Unique Inscription, FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY IN SAVING THE CREW OF THE BARQUE NORFOLK OF NEWCASTLE NOVEMBER 1858
The Pistrucci version was 56mm in diameter, without suspension and not intended for wear. This table top SGM Foreign Service was issued between 1841 and 1854, but apparently longer based on the above example. The obverse bore the bust of the reigning monarch, Queen Victoria. The curved inscription on the obverse reads, VICTORIA D:G: BRITTANIARUM REGINA F. D. Each had an oak leaf wreath, tied with a ribbon at the bottom and a Tudor crown at the top. The medals issued for gallantry (risk of life involved) had the words PRESENTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT on four straight lines inside the wreath.
Others had FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT on four straight lines. The large medal had five types of reverse inscriptions curved around the edge outside of the wreath.
Post-1853 33mm Standard Obverse of the Victoria SGM-Foreign Service and SGM - Foreign Service with Unique Reverse Inscription
The five inscriptions and the periods in which they were used:
1. A unique reverse inscription providing the details of the specific incident (1841-1849);
The above example of the 33mm SGM - Foreign Service has a unique inscription which reads: PRESENTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO BRIGADIER ALTIERI OF THE SARDINIAN NAVY in the center of the wreath and around the edge, the curved inscription, FOR HIS EXERTIONS IN ASSISTING THE BRITISH BRIG JON CUNNINGHAM OF BELFAST with the date AUG:1847 on the bottom edge.
2. FOR SAVING THE LIFE OF A BRITISH SUBJECT (1849-1854);
3. FOR ASSISTING A BRITISH VESSEL IN DISTRESS (1849-1854);
4. FOR SAVING THE LIVES OF BRITISH SUBJECTS (1850-1854); and
5. FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY (1854-Current)
The four inscriptions two through five, curved around the outside of the wreath, were used for the 33mm wearing medals. FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY eventually became the sole standard after 1854. A sixth version used the Latin inscription inside the wreath, VICTORIA REGINA CUDI JUSSIT MDCCCXLI but only for the large specimen medals.
Victoria Version with FOR SAVING THE LIFE OF A BRITISH SUBJECT and Victoria Version with FOR ASSISTING A BRITISH VESSEL IN DISTRESS
Victoria Version with FOR SAVING THE LIVES OF BRITISH SUBJECTS and Victoria Version with FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY
Bars were approved for the foreign service medal, but only one was ever issued and it remains a mystery. In 1854, the medal size was reduced to 33mm and a cusped or scrolled suspension added for wear from a solid crimson ribbon, which was used between 1854 and 1922. In 1922, George V changed the crimson ribbon to its present style (red with two white stripes near each edge), which is identical to the ribbon used for the domestic SGM. He also altered the inscription inside the wreath to read, FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT on four straight lines.
Rare Triple QV Sea Gallantry Group - Foreign Service (Two gold, one with a standard reverse: "FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY" and one with a special reverse: "FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANE SERVICES TO THE CREW OF THE SCHOONER BRITISH QUEEN 1858" and one bronze with the standard reverse: "FOR SAVING THE LIVES OF BRITISH SUBJECTS". Also, inside the wreath are the inscriptions: PRESENTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT on the bronze medal and FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT on both gold medals. These 33 mm, wearable medals with crimson ribbons were awarded to a Portuguese Naval Officer, Patrao Joaquin Lopes.
The name of the recipient, date and place of the incident were rim inscribed for the 33mm wearable specimens utilizing the four standard reverses (two through five above).
George V Silver SGM Foreign Service
FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT Inside the Wreath
The Sea Gallantry Medal (SGM) for Foreign Services, originally named The Board of Trade Foreign Service Medal, dates from 1841. It was designed by Benedetto Pistrucci, (1783-1855), Chief Medalist of the Royal Mint, and approved by Queen Victoria for issue in gold (rare), silver or bronze to foreigners or to British seamen serving on foreign ships, who render assistance to British ships and/or British seamen in distress. After the creation of the Marine Department of the Board of Trade in 1850, the medals were still approved in the name of the Board of Trade, but issued through the Foreign Office until 1905. The cost of the medals was financed by the Civil Contingencies Fund. After 1882, the medals were ordered directly from the Royal Mint and paid for by the Board of Trade. After 1903 during the reign of Edward VII, recommendations by the Board of Trade were reviewed and approved by the Sovereign.
Large 56mm SGM Foreign Service with Obverse Inscription, VICTORIA D:G: BRITTANNIARUM REGINA F. D. and No Cipher. Reverse Inscriptions: PRESENTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT inside the wreath and Around the Edge the Unique Inscription, FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY IN SAVING THE CREW OF THE BARQUE NORFOLK OF NEWCASTLE NOVEMBER 1858
The Pistrucci version was 56mm in diameter, without suspension and not intended for wear. This table top SGM Foreign Service was issued between 1841 and 1854, but apparently longer based on the above example. The obverse bore the bust of the reigning monarch, Queen Victoria. The curved inscription on the obverse reads, VICTORIA D:G: BRITTANIARUM REGINA F. D. Each had an oak leaf wreath, tied with a ribbon at the bottom and a Tudor crown at the top. The medals issued for gallantry (risk of life involved) had the words PRESENTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT on four straight lines inside the wreath.
Others had FOR THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT on four straight lines. The large medal had five types of reverse inscriptions curved around the edge outside of the wreath.
Post-1853 33mm Standard Obverse of the Victoria SGM-Foreign Service and SGM - Foreign Service with Unique Reverse Inscription
The five inscriptions and the periods in which they were used:
1. A unique reverse inscription providing the details of the specific incident (1841-1849);
The above example of the 33mm SGM - Foreign Service has a unique inscription which reads: PRESENTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT TO BRIGADIER ALTIERI OF THE SARDINIAN NAVY in the center of the wreath and around the edge, the curved inscription, FOR HIS EXERTIONS IN ASSISTING THE BRITISH BRIG JON CUNNINGHAM OF BELFAST with the date AUG:1847 on the bottom edge.
2. FOR SAVING THE LIFE OF A BRITISH SUBJECT (1849-1854);
3. FOR ASSISTING A BRITISH VESSEL IN DISTRESS (1849-1854);
4. FOR SAVING THE LIVES OF BRITISH SUBJECTS (1850-1854); and
5. FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY (1854-Current)
The four inscriptions two through five, curved around the outside of the wreath, were used for the 33mm wearing medals. FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY eventually became the sole standard after 1854. A sixth version used the Latin inscription inside the wreath, VICTORIA REGINA CUDI JUSSIT MDCCCXLI but only for the large specimen medals.
Victoria Version with FOR SAVING THE LIFE OF A BRITISH SUBJECT and Victoria Version with FOR ASSISTING A BRITISH VESSEL IN DISTRESS
Victoria Version with FOR SAVING THE LIVES OF BRITISH SUBJECTS and Victoria Version with FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY
Bars were approved for the foreign service medal, but only one was ever issued and it remains a mystery. In 1854, the medal size was reduced to 33mm and a cusped or scrolled suspension added for wear from a solid crimson ribbon, which was used between 1854 and 1922. In 1922, George V changed the crimson ribbon to its present style (red with two white stripes near each edge), which is identical to the ribbon used for the domestic SGM. He also altered the inscription inside the wreath to read, FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT on four straight lines.
Rare Triple QV Sea Gallantry Group - Foreign Service (Two gold, one with a standard reverse: "FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANITY" and one with a special reverse: "FOR GALLANTRY AND HUMANE SERVICES TO THE CREW OF THE SCHOONER BRITISH QUEEN 1858" and one bronze with the standard reverse: "FOR SAVING THE LIVES OF BRITISH SUBJECTS". Also, inside the wreath are the inscriptions: PRESENTED BY THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT on the bronze medal and FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT on both gold medals. These 33 mm, wearable medals with crimson ribbons were awarded to a Portuguese Naval Officer, Patrao Joaquin Lopes.
The name of the recipient, date and place of the incident were rim inscribed for the 33mm wearable specimens utilizing the four standard reverses (two through five above).
George V Silver SGM Foreign Service
FROM THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT Inside the Wreath
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