What qualifies soldiers to receive a clasp?

[AprilHTS]

My 2nd Great grandfather John Scott 3022/3757 served in the Rifle Brigade 2nd Battalion between 1854-56 and appears on the muster rolls. I have recently been sent a Crimea War Medal inscribed around the edge with his name, service number and battalion. There are also 4 clasps. However a researcher noted that when the battalion moved to the Crimea John Scott was listed as sick on the ship from Sept 1854 until in January 1855 he was listed as embarked for England. A personal description in later life states that he had scarred buttocks from bayonet wounds. If he did not take part in the battles would he still have been entitled to receive the medals because he was in the area and prevented by injury?

I have been unable to find any confirmation that he was awarded the medals on Fold3 or Forces War Records. Can anyone suggest other resources I can try?

April

[christanel]

hello Apriland welcome to the British-Genealogy forums
Having come to us from Forces War Recprds this explains the connection'

The National Archives guide about medals and clasps is here and says "Awards for service in a particular battle within a war often took the shape of clasps attached to medal ribbons."

Christina

[Jomot1]

The only John Scott of the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade that I can find who was awarded Crimea medals was service No. 3098. He was a Corporal and is listed for the Crimea medal, with a clasp for Alma.

Added: The General Order announcing the introduction of the medal and clasp was in the London Gazette

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/21648/page/36

[AprilHTS]

Thank you. I've had a look at the information available in the guide, but unfortunately it doesn't give enough specifics to satisfy my query.
April

hello Apriland welcome to the British-Genealogy forums
Having come to us from Forces War Recprds this explains the connection'

The National Archives guide about medals and clasps is here and says "Awards for service in a particular battle within a war often took the shape of clasps attached to medal ribbons."

Christina

[Lesley Robertson]

Don't forget that these records were intended for internal service use, not for historians and other researchers. They rarely contain much detail, when they survive.

[AprilHTS]

Hi
Thanks for posting the link, which was interesting. I know there was another John Scott also serving a similar times to my ancestor, who had a different service number.

I've discovered there is a book available which might well help me, but it's too expensive to justify purchasing. I'm hoping that there might be acopy available in a library somewhere, or perhaps one the forum members has acces to a copy. Rifle Green in the Crimea: An Account of the Rifle Brigade in the Crimean War of 1854-56 with a Full Medal and Casualty Roll and Details of Weapons, Clothes and Equipment Used in the Campaign Hardcover – 1 Jun. 1994
by George Caldwell (Author), Robert Cooper (Author)
April

The only John Scott of the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade that I can find who was awarded Crimea medals was service No. 3098. He was a Corporal and is listed for the Crimea medal, with a clasp for Alma.

Added: The General Order announcing the introduction of the medal and clasp was in the London Gazette

https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/21648/page/36

[Lesley Robertson]

If you go to WorldCat (world dot org), a catalogue of which libraries have have specified books, you have a number of options. I fed it the title of your book and location "Buckinghamshire" (from your tag), and it lists 4 libraries within 100 miles (presumably from the centre of your county).
Oxford Uni - 20 miles
The British Library - 35 miles
Cambridge Uni - 48 miles
Hampshire County Library - 56 miles.
It's also in Middlesbrough and Trinity College Dublin, National Library of Scotland, and Perth & Kinross Libraries. After that, it's Germany and the USA.

Your local library should be be able to get it on inter-library loan.

[wimsey]

out of interest what are the four battle names on your clasps ?

[AprilHTS]

Thats a useful tip, thank you. I didn't know about WorldCat. I'll ask about Inter-library loan locally.
April

If you go to WorldCat (world dot org), a catalogue of which libraries have have specified books, you have a number of options. I fed it the title of your book and location "Buckinghamshire" (from your tag), and it lists 4 libraries within 100 miles (presumably from the centre of your county).
Oxford Uni - 20 miles
The British Library - 35 miles
Cambridge Uni - 48 miles
Hampshire County Library - 56 miles.
It's also in Middlesbrough and Trinity College Dublin, National Library of Scotland, and Perth & Kinross Libraries. After that, it's Germany and the USA.

Your local library should be be able to get it on inter-library loan.

[AprilHTS]

The clasps are Sebastopol,Inkerman,Balaklava and Alma. There is also a twin medal broach with a very dilapidated ribbon, yellow with green edging. No actual medal although the swivel mount remains. Probably either sold or lost.
Apil

out of interest what are the four battle names on your clasps ?