Central Africa Medal 1891 - 98 (1891 - 94 type).

[leigh kitchen]

Bought this a few days ago, the usual magpie instinct kicking in.
It's got a horrible nylon or similar ribbon, but things get worse - some were issued un-named, but the naming on this one's been very neatly erased.
A lot of the Sudanese troops who qualified for the Central Africa Medal 1891 - 98 "lost" their medals due to mutiny.
I'll try to convince myself that this is a "Sudanese one" that was forfeited & details were erased to facilitate re-issue.

Really, this is a technical question rather than anything else. I've not had a lot of practise at using a blacklight on this sort of thing, I've locked myself away in a dark room with a blacklight, & sure enough some shadow naming around the rim of the medal can be observed, but I can't make out what it says.
I can't help but feel that a stronger blacklight may help.
I'm reuctant to use a blow torch & acid to bring up the naming, is it likely that a stronger blacklight will help?

[leigh kitchen]

.

[Jim Maclean]

Try your local forensics department? I believe erased serial Nos can be brought up, but not sure if this only applies to ferrous metals.

[leigh kitchen]

Yep, I suppose I could go & bother the local SOCOs - trouble is they're the type that would use a blowtorch & acid on the thing - I'll check if they've got a more powerful blacklight - I'm just using one of the little hand held things.

[Tony Farrell]

I've only ever seen one of the ring suspender types that was named - all others encountered have been unnamed. Is this really worth all the bother? Even if you do manage to decypher the erasure, chances are that it'll be to some un-researchable foreign Johnny. I'd accept it for what it is - a scarce medal that's unattributable. It does make one wonder though: why erase a named example if one doesn't intend renaming it? You could be right with your mutiny theory.

[MerchantSeaman]

I'm with you on that Tony,


only seen unnamed examples before and I dont think (if it were mine) I'd try to squeeze a name out of this one when the chances are it'll not be a real win anyway !

[leigh kitchen]

...... Is this really worth all the bother? Even if you do manage to decypher the erasure, chances are that it'll be to some un-researchable foreign Johnny. I'd accept it for what it is - a scarce medal that's unattributable......

It's fun - a bit like trying to sus out insignia shown in old photos. If for the sake of borrowing a lamp I can find out what the details are then it seems worth it to me just for interest's sake. Reading the details isn't an obsession, it's simply a matter of spending a couple of minutes or less squinting at what's revealed. The question is whether a more powerful lamp than the one I've got will show results.
The comment about resorting to a blow torch & acid was a joke - I'll save that process for engines, firearms & bicycles.