ProvenancePresented to Chief Petty Officer Daniel Murphy, HMCS Protector.
The China War Medal 1900 was a British campaign medal approved in 1901 for issue to British and Indian land and sea troops who served during the Boxer Rebellion, between 11 June and 3 December 1900. The medal was donated to the collection by Jack Glasson - the recipient Daniel Murphy was his wife's grandfather. Murphy also received Chichester Training Medal. Daniel Murphy was born in 1859 and died 1915. He arrived in Adelaide on the Gateside in 1874.
In 1900, in what became known as the Boxer Rebellion (or the Boxer Uprising), a Chinese secret organization called the Society of the Righteous and Harmonious Fists led an uprising in northern China against the spread of Western and Japanese influence there.
The Protector was South Australia's colonial warship and the great pride of the colony. When the Boxer Rebellion broke out the people of South Australia insisted on the British Government accepting the assistance of Protector. Eventually Britain agreed and Protector sailed to China as part of a colonial contingent. By the time they arrived there was very little war action left. The ship departed with great public fanfare and was welcomed home the same way.SignificanceThe China War medal was awarded to a member of the crew on South Australia's colonial naval vessel Protector for his service during the Boxer Rebellion, China. The Protector's service in China was the pivotal event in its history and marked the coming of age for the South Australian navy.DescriptionA round silver medal with a protruding bar at the top and a red and white grosgrain ribbon. Embossed on one side of the medal is a portrait of Queen Victoria and the text "Victoria Regina Et Imperatrix". On the reverse side is an embossed coat of arms and the text "Armis Expocere Pacem/ China/ 1900".
Engraved around the edge of the medal is the text "D. Murphy, P.O.1CL., H.M.S. Protector". Date of Creation1900MaterialTextile - unspecified
|Metal - silver or silver alloy Accession NumberHT 1995.0432
