Canada General Service Medal

{{Short description|Canadian campaign medal}}

{{Infobox military award

|name= Canada General Service Medal

|image= 148px151px

|caption= Obverse and reverse of medal

|presenter= Canada
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland

|type= Campaign medal

|eligibility= Imperial and Canadian forces

|awarded_for= Campaign service.

|campaign=

|status=

|description= Silver disk 36 mm wide

|clasps=

• FENIAN RAID 1866
• FENIAN RAID 1870
• RED RIVER 1870

|established= 1 January 1899[https://archive.org/details/cihm_55587/page/n7 Canada: General Order (7) 1 January 1899.]

|total_awarded=17,623 [http://www.omsa.org/files/jomsa_arch/Splits/1997/250211_JOMSA_Vol48_7_28.pdf Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America. Volume 48, number 7. Aug-Sept 1997, pp 28-30. ]

|image2= File:Canada General Service Medal BAR.svgRibbon: 32mm: Three equal stripes of red-white-red

}}

The Canada General Service Medal was a campaign medal awarded by the Canadian Government{{Cite book|author=Joslin, Litherland and Simpkin.|title=British Battles and Medals.| pages=146-149. Published Spink, London. 1988}} {{ISBN|0-907605-25-7}} to both Imperial and Canadian forces for duties related to the Fenian raids between 1866 and 1871.{{Cite book|author=William Spencer.|title=Medals - The Researcher's Guide.| page=53. Published by The National Archives, Richmond, Surrey, England. 2006}} {{ISBN|1-903365-63-5}} The medal was initially issued in 1899 and had to be applied for.{{cite web|url=http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/medals-decorations/details/1 |title=War Medals (1866-1918) - Canadian General Service Medal (1866-1870) |publisher=Veteran Affairs Canada |accessdate=6 October 2010}} The application period was later extended to 1907, then to 1928.

With late applications, 17,623 medals were awarded, including 15,300 to members of Canadian units.

The medal, {{convert|1.4|in|mm}} in diameter, is silver and has a plain straight swivel suspender. The obverse bears the head of Queen Victoria with the legend VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX, while the reverse depicts the ensign of Canada surrounded by a wreath of maple leaves with the word CANADA above.
The recipient's name, rank and unit appear on the rim of the medal. A number of different impressed and engraved styles were used, reflecting that the medal was awarded over a long period of time.
The {{convert|1.25|in|mm}} wide ribbon consists of three equal stripes of red, white and red. In 1943 the same ribbon was adopted for the Canada Medal.Captain H. Taprell Dorling, Ribbons and Medals, p 65. Published A.H.Baldwin & Sons, London. 1956.