Indian Mutiny Medal 1857-1858 : Corporal J Crowe, 97th Regiment of Foot

India Mutiny Medal (1857-1858) with bar 'LUCKNOW'. The recipient's number, rank, name and unit are impressed on the edge. Obverse: The diademed head of Queen Victoria with the legend 'VICTORIA REGINA' around the circumference. Reverse: A standing helmeted figure of Britannia holding a wreath in her outstretched right hand. Over her left arm is the Union Shield. Behind her is the British lion and above the word 'INDIA'. In the exergue are the dates '1857-1858'. The medal is fitted with a cusped swivel suspension and a fish tail bar which has rosettes on the lower edges. A piece of white 32 mm ribbon with two central 6 mm scarlet stripes is attached to the suspender bar.

Corporal James Crowe of the 97th Regiment of Foot was born at Cappaghwhite, Tipperary, Ireland on 19 July, 1818. In 1840, aged 22, he enlisted in the 88th Regiment of Foot Regiment (Connaught Rangers), transferring to the 97th Foot (Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment) in 1841. Crowe served as a batman to Captain Hedley Shaftoe Vicars in this regiment at Gibraltar, the Ionian Islands, Jamaica and in North America (Canada) until 1853 when he returned to England. While in Canada he married twenty year old Matilda Ann 'Ann' May from Nova Scotia on 3 November, 1852.

From November 1854, Crowe served in the Crimean War. He was actively engaged throughout the siege of Sebastopol as well as the assault on the Redan in September 1855. Mrs Crowe accompanied her husband as far as Constantinople but remained there with other soldier's wives at Scutari Barracks. After the fall of Sebastopol the 97th Regiment was employed in Turkey before returning to England.

In August 1857 Corporal Crowe was despatched with his regiment to India, leaving his wife behind in England, and was present at the capture of Lucknow. After ten years service in India Crowe returned to England and was discharged in 1861 having served 21 years with the British Army. The reunited couple moved to Limerick, Ireland, where their only child, George, was born in December 1862.

Crowe, together with his family, emigrated to The Swan River Settlement in Western Australia with the Enrolled Pensioner Force, as a convict guard in 1863. In 1867 he was appointed warder at the Mount Gambier Gaol, South Australia. He later joined the South Australian Corps of Commissionaires. Crowe died on 13 June 1908 at the age of ninety and was buried with honours at a military funeral. Ann Crowe died at Elsternwick, Victoria on 20 December 1921.