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36mm wide circular silver medal on claw and foliated swivel suspender; the face with the young head of Queen Victoria, inscribed ‘VICTORIA REGINA’ and dated 1854; the reverse with a winged figure of Victory crowning a Roman soldier, inscribed ‘CRIMEA' and signed ‘H. WYON’; some surface wear and edge nicks; on replaced correct ribbon with original ‘SEBASTOPOL’ clasp of oak-leaf form. Pte. Ed. Gregory. No.1824. 11th. P.A.O. Hussars.), engraved in large upright serif capitals, with some edge knocks/bruises to rim. The 11th Hussars charged as part of the Light Brigade at Balaclava in 1854, though Private Gregory was not amongst those who charged.

The medal was sanctioned by Queen Victoria on 15 December 1854 and awarded to all military who disembarked in the Crimea prior to 8 September 1855 (that is, prior to fall of Sevastopol). The 'Sebastopol' clasp was authorised on 13 September 1855 to be awarded to those who participated in the siege of that city between 11 September 1854 and 9 September 1855. The Crimean war of 1854-56 between Imperial Russia and a Franco-British-Sardinian-Ottoman alliance had the aim of drawing a limit to Russian advances towards the Mediterranean and also British India.