Abyssinia (battle honour) Abyssinia (battle honour) Abyssinia is a battle honour awarded to units of the British Indian Army and the British Army which participated in the 1868 campaign to free Europeans held hostage in Abyssinia (now known as Ethiopia) by Emperor Tewodros II (known at that time to the British as Theodore). The success of the expedition led to the award of this honour to units of the British Indian Army which had participated in the campaign. The units belonged, with the exception of the Madras Sappers, to the Bengal and Bombay Presidency Armies. A diplomatic contretemps by the British Foreign Office
Migration to Abyssinia taken place in a number of smaller groups rather than two large parties, while the appearance of the two lists reflected the controversies surrounding assignment of priority on official registers during the reign of the second caliph Umar. Events that took place after the emigration are reported by Ibn Ishaq. When the Quraysh learned that Muhammad's companions could safely practice their religion in Abyssinia, they decided to send an embassy to the Negus to demand return of the fugitives. They selected two envoys, ‘Amr ibn al-‘As and Abdullah bin Rabiah, and gave them gifts for the king and his generals.