[3] In 1806 a special gold medal was presented to British Army majors and above who had taken a key part in the Battle of Maida.

This medal, 1.5 inches (38 mm) in diameter, shows the profile of King George III on the obverse with a reverse design incorporating Britannia and the Sicilian triskeles.

Behind her, the head of a lion can be seen.Reverse: A laurel wreath surround, with the name of the battle engraved in the centre, although that for Barrosa was die struck.

Worn around the neck, it is an ornamental cross pattée 1.5 inches (38 mm) across, with a proud lion at its centre and the four qualifying actions embossed on its arms.

Any further actions were marked with a clasp.The medal was worn around the neck with the ribbon attached via an ornate loop on top of the cross which passes through a smaller simpler ring below a straight suspender.The designer was Thomas Wyon.

[10] Following the Peninsular War, award of the gold medals and Crosses was discontinued when would-be recipients became eligible for Order of the Bath on its restructuring to three classes.

[11] In 1847 the Military General Service Medal (MGSM) was authorised, to be retrospectively awarded to all surviving veterans of the campaigns, irrespective of rank.