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Medal and reward for distinguished service
In the army paybook there is the following brief record:
Distinguished Himself.
Granted an annuity of £10 per
annum from 1st January 1869
xxxxxxxx Major
This reward was in connection with the Meritorious Service Medal (MSM) that John Capper was awarded.
The medal is in good condition, only the ribbon is no longer present.
The rim is inscribed with: SERGT. JOHN CAPPER RYL. ARTY.
For the description of a similar medal at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, UK see Link. According to the description the amount of the annuity for a Meritorious Service Medal was originally set at £20 per annum when the medal was instituted in 1845. However, funding for the annuities was limited, which may explain why Johns award was less.
The official letter from the War Office is much more impressive than the note in the Army Paybook:
Note:
The £10 p.a. represent an additional 30% on top of the army pension John
Capper received otherwise. (See pension.)
Just for completeness, there are signs of something having been written on the reverse side, but I cant decipher it.
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