- Time Period: Pre-WW1
- Year of Institution: 1890
- Country: Great Britain
The Imperial British East Africa Company Medal was established in 1890 and is the rarest of the medals awarded by the chartered companies. It was initially intended solely as a gallantry award, but after the BEA Company was wound up in 1895 further issues were authorised for service in Witu (1890) and the Ugandan civil war (1890-91).
The Imperial British East Africa Company (or IBEAC) was a commercial association founded to develop African trade in the areas controlled by the British Empire. The company was incorporated in London on 18 April 1888, and granted a royal charter by Queen Victoria on 6 September 1888. The IBEAC oversaw an area of about 246,800 square miles (639,000 km2) along the eastern coast of Africa. It granted immunity of prosecution to British subjects whilst allowing them the right to raise taxes, impose custom duties, administer justice, make treaties and otherwise act as the government of the area.
The following campaigns were in the company’s jurisdiction:
- The campaign against the sultan of Witu (1890),
- Uganda Religious War 1891-92.
There are only 29 confirmed medals and post 1895 authorizations.
The Imperial British East Africa Company’s Medal Design
The medal is circular, struck in silver and measures 40mm in diameter.
The obverse shows the company’s arms of a crowned sun and a scroll underneath with the inscribed motto “LIGHT AND LIBERTY“. The Arabic inscription beneath that translates as ‘The Reward of Bravery‘. Around the outer edge, the name of the company is inscribed: “THE IMPERIAL BRITISH EAST AFRICA COMPANY“.
The reverse is plain, except for a lotus flower wreath.
The ribbon is plain dark blue and the suspension is a plain ring suspender (above) or a swiveling scroll suspender (below).
