Medal bar

When used in conjunction with decorations for exceptional service, such as gallantry medals, the term "and bar" means that the award has been bestowed multiple times.

It was awarded to British Army and Honourable East India Company soldiers who fought in the First Anglo-Sikh War between 1845 and 1846.

If the recipient had participated in multiple engagements, silver bars bearing the name of each additional battle were attached to the medal's ribbon.

The creation of bars led to the development of 'General Service' medals, which would be presented to any soldier serving in a general region or time frame.

The British Naval General Service Medal, was authorised in 1847 with some 231 clasps (of which about 10 were never issued) for actions ranging from relatively minor skirmishes to certain campaigns and all full-fledged battles between 1793 and 1840.