EGYPT and Medals of the SUDAN

[Guest Darrell]

Well, since I (for the most part) have completed the QSA / KSA series, I recently came into Possession of my first EGYPT Medal + KHEDIVE'S Star Group.

Named to a 4618 Private Maurice Murphy of the 3rd Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps.

Private Murphy is shown as being 'dead' at Suakin. Reference WO16/1869 'Effects and Credits' he is further confirmed as having died at Suakin on 5 May 1884.

Obverse of Egypt Medal:

Edited September 29, 2009 by Darrell

[Guest Darrell]

Closeup of Clasps:

[Guest Darrell]

Obverse Closeup:

[Guest Darrell]

Reverse:

[Guest Darrell]

Closeup of Reverse:

[Guest Darrell]

Naming 1:

[Guest Darrell]

Naming 2:

[Guest Darrell]

Naming 3:

[Guest Darrell]

Khedive's Star Obverse:

[Guest Darrell]

Closeup of Obverse:

[Guest Darrell]

Reverse:

[Guest Darrell]

Closeup of Reverse:

[Guest Darrell]

Entitlement to the Egypt Medal:

[Guest Darrell]

Entitlement to the Egypt Medal Clasps:

[Guest Darrell]

Entitlement to the Khedive's Star:

[Guest Darrell]

Effects and Credits where Mr. Murphy is listed as "Died" at Suakin in May 1885:

[Brian Wolfe]

Very nice pair Darrell, two of my favourite medals.

I've always thought this to be one of the most interesting periods in British Empire history.

Thanks for posting them.

Regards

Brian

[Guest Darrell]

Thanks Brian. I've always wanted a pair of these guys.

I was very much thinking about collecting all 13 clasps of the Egypt medal and the 4 variations of the Khedive's Star. I'm likely not to do that unless I win the lottery. Too many nice Victorian Medals I'd like to collect to get carried away again like I did with the QSA's. Then again after my first one of those I had no idea what would happen either :whistle:

[Mervyn Mitton]

Darrell. British Campaigns and Medals - May 25th. - Egypt Campaign 1882. I posted two Vanity Fair prints of the Khedive and his infamous Prime Minister - who caused all the trouble. They would make a fine centre piece for the proposed new collection. Which I think is an excellent idea - not that many collectors.

[Ulsterman]

whoa- NICE group. I have never seen an Egypt dead group before.

Did he die of disease?

[Guest Darrell]

whoa- NICE group. I have never seen an Egypt dead group before.

Did he die of disease?

Mervyn, not sure. My research source says that it's likely a long shot to find his service records intact due to his death (one way or the other). I guess they were typically destroyed when these guys died during these years?

Edited October 1, 2009 by Darrell

[Michael Johnson]

Mervyn, not sure. My research source says that it's likely a long shot to find his service records intact due to his death (one way or the other). I guess they were typically destroyed when these guys died during these years?

I suspect that they are still at National Archives at Kew. Findmypast.com has listings of Army deaths, but since I'm out of credits I couldn't check out the result of my search.

More research is indicated, as he may have served with the 2/60th in Afghanistan, or with the 3/60th in the Zulu War. One of my first medals was a Tel-el-Kebir to the 3/60th, and I actually found a listing of his Afghan Medal (gone, of course).

[Mervyn Mitton]

As Michael indicated the 3rd Bn. of the 60th. did take part in the 1879 Zulu War. They were in some strength as 1064 medals were awarded.

This was a time of confusion - the Zulu and Afghan Campaigns overlapped - in 1881 the first Boer War happened and in 1882 - the start of the Egyptian Campaign. The 3/60th. were in all three. The 1879 Roll shows only one Murphy - unfortunately, not Maurice...

[Guest Darrell]

As Michael indicated the 3rd Bn. of the 60th. did take part in the 1879 Zulu War. They were in some strength as 1064 medals were awarded.

This was a time of confusion - the Zulu and Afghan Campaigns overlapped - in 1881 the first Boer War happened and in 1882 - the start of the Egyptian Campaign. The 3/60th. were in all three. The 1879 Roll shows only one Murphy - unfortunately, not Maurice...

Thanks for the info Mervyn.

[Guest Darrell]

As an interesting followup, I recently acquired a nice Sudan / South Africa Trio to a Private in the Northland Fusiliers.

His name was William Hume (regimental number 3120). He was born at St. Nicholas, Newcastle and was 18 years old when he attested for service with the Northland Fusiliers in 1891. He was discharged in 1907.

He served in the Sudan and later in South Africa, even being mentioned in Dispatches by Lord Roberts on 4 September 1901 and was promoted with distinguished gallantry in the field.

He re-enlisted for service in the Labour Corps in WW1.

He was entitled to a KSA, but this is not part of the grouping.

+++++++++

First up the Queen's Sudan Medal:

Obverse: