Medals awarded
- Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George
- India General Service Medal 1854-1895 with North-West frontier clasp
- Ashantee War Medal 1873-1874 with Coomassie clasp
- Afghan War Medal 1878-1880
- Egypt Medal 1882-1889 with Suakin clasp
- Queen Victoria Diamond Jubilee Medal 1897
- Khedive Star 1882-1891
- Medals are shown left to right, as per the bullet point list above.
During the Ashanti War in Ghana in 1873-4, Colonel John Henry Barnard was Mentioned in Despatches. This is the report of a senior officer acknowledging a particular action of merit. In Barnard’s case he was noted for “great discretion and judgment” and later for gallant conduct, leading to the award of the Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.
He served in the Afghan War, 1879-80 as Aide-de-Camp (ADC); the personal assistant to a high ranking officer, to Lieutenant-General Bright.
The Sudan expedition of 1885 saw him awarded the Khedive Star by the Viceroy of Egypt.
By 1890 he was ADC to Queen Victoria, and in 1894 he became a Companion of the Order of the Bath (which is not in the museum’s collection as it has to be returned upon the holder’s death.)
The Ashantee Medal is unusual in being slightly thinner that other campaign medals of the period. The reverse of the medal shows a scene of bush warfare.