Africa General Service Medal, with bar for Nandi 1905-06, awarded to Pvt. Kipowetch, 1906Image["Africa General Service Medal, 1906"]
Obverse, a bust of King Edward VIIImage["Africa General Service Medal, 1906"]
Reverse, Britannia with lion gesturing right to sun on horizon
Africa General Service Medal, 1902-1910
Numerous actions in the British-controlled parts of Africa were felt to merit the award of a medal, but not a distinct one for every action. The Africa General Service Medal replaced the
East and West Africa Medal which had previously been awarded for service in this theatre. Bars were awarded for a variety of small campaigns, sometimes only one expedition and sometimes rather more complex operations.
This medal was awarded for service in a small campaign against the Nandi people of modern-day Kenya, whose ruler Koitalel Arap Samoei was killed in the action, which resulted in the people's final submission to incorporation into British East Africa in 1906.
The medal was awarded to Private Kipowetch of the East African Police Force. Lester Watson purchased it from the London dealers Spink at some point before 1928.