HONG KONG PLAGUE MEDAL 1894
Thank you to Denis Grant, who had an ancestor in the K.S.L.I. at this time
(J. Grant, Private 2402), for his assistance with this page

extracted from The Medals Year Book - 1995 Edition
current editions of The Medals Year Book are available from
The Naval & Military Press, 1 Old Bond Street, London W1X 3TD

"This medal, issued by the government of Hong Kong, was awarded to members of the Army and Navy, together with selected civilians, for services during the outbreak of bubonic plague in the colony between May and September 1894. The award was not allowed to be worn when in uniform. Similar in size to many other official campaign awards, the award was issued in gold to officers and senior civilians, and in silver for other recipients. About 45 of the former and 400 of the latter were issued. The obverse shows a man and a woman tending a plague victim, the man fending off an allegorical figure of Death. The reverse contains an inscription in raised lettering. The suspension is by a loop and ring. The main recipients of this award were 300 men of the Shropshire Light Infantry, with in addition a few awards to the Royal Navy and Royal Engineers. There were also awards to civilians, including policemen and nurses. The naming is in impressed capitals which are well-spaced, the recipients' number not being given. The ribbon is of red with yellow edges and two thin yellow stripes in the centre."

There is a book on the Hong Kong Plague (which you may purchase from the link below) entitled:

Whitewash Brigade; Hong Kong Plague of 1894 by Platt, Jerome Joseph, etc.

"[T]he authors would very much like to hear from readers who have named Hong Kong plague medals in their possession, with details of the naming. Similarly, they are especially interested in obtaining copies of other documents that can assist them in their research. All letters will be gratefully acknowledged and the source kept in confidence."

Jerome J Platt, 817 Kennedy House, 1901 J.F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia PA 19103-1506, USA.

"The War Office authorities have intimated that a proposal has been made by the Hong Kong civil power to present medals to men of the Shropshire Light Infantry in recognition of the exceptional services rendered in stamping out the recent terrible plague there, whereby the regiment lost one officer and six men..."

Gold Medals (13 to Officers of the Shropshire Light Infantry)

Major W. McLaughlin
Major A.F.A. Lyle
Capt. G.H.L. Buchanan
Capt. J.G. Forbes
Capt. E. Howell
Capt H.B. Welman
Lieut. R.A.A.Y. Jordan
Lieut E.B. Luard
Lieut. J.A. Strick 
Lieut. J.C. Wilson (QM) 
2/Lt R.T. Carreg 
2/Lt W.J. Robinson 
(The medal awarded to the late Capt. George Colthurst Vesey was despatched to his mother in the UK)

The following list has been compiled from various sources but mainly from an examination of medal catalogues and shows only a small portion of those medals awarded to the 1st Battalion, The King's (Shropshire Light Infantry): 

Pte Battle W. 
Pte Bloxham H. 
Pte Brookfeild H. 
Pte Briggs H.
Pte G. Brown 
Pte Bunker J. 
Pte Chandler G. 
Pte Childs H. 
Pte Corfield J. 
Pte Campbell J. 
Pte Cherrington J. 
Pte Colley W. 
Pte Duncan A. 
Pte Dunn W.J. 
(Rank unknown) Edwards S. 
Pte Edgington J. 
Pte Fletcher S. 
Pte Fletcher J. 
Pte Foktry J. 
Pte Gardiner G. 
Pte Goodall M. 
Sgt Gillier N. 
Pte Griffiths E. 2704 E Company
Pte Hatton F. 
Pte Holland C. 3413 E Company 
Pte Hyde E. 
Pte Heath R. 
Pte Humphreys W. 
Pte Jones A. 1574 E Company
Pte Jones W. 
Pte Jarritt J. 
Cpl Jones G. 
Pte Kenna J. 
Pte Langley W. 
Pte Leech J. 
Pte Lloyd J. 
Pte Merchant W. 
Pte Mooney T. 
Pte Malpas E. 
Cpl Monk G. 
Pte Morgan G. 
Pte Oldfield J. 
Pte Pearce J. 
Pte Philpott W. 
Pte Pugh A. 
Pte Parker J. 
Cpl Phillip R. 
Pte Price J. 
(Later Sgt) Roden J. 
Pte Robinson J.G. 
Pte Russell J. 
Pte Smith A. 
Pte Smith H. 
Pte Smith C. 
Pte Spencer W. 
Pte Talbot H. 
Pte Taylor J. 
Lance/Sgt Thomas G. 
Pte Vale J. 
Pte Ward A. 
Pte Williams J. 
Pte Whittaker J.
Sgt Walker J. 
Pte Weale J. 
Pte Wilson J. 
Cpl Wooley T.