Egypt Medal

 

The Anglo-Egyptian War & The Mahdist War 1882 - 1889 (Combined).

 

Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.

 

 

The Egypt Medal was a British Empire campaign medal presented for service during both the Anglo-Egyptian War and the Mahdist War. The medal was instituted in October 1882 and was initially awarded to those who served in the Egyptian campaign of the same year, but this was later extended to include those who had participated in the later Egyptian campaigns, up to 1889.

 

Recipients of a medal awarded for the first campaign, who also served in a later campaign could return their medal for the addition of any further bars that they were entitled to.

 

Any medals returned had the whole set replaced, hence genuine multiple bar medals always have uniformed rivets.

 

Description

 

The medal is circular, 36mm in diameter and was struck in silver. The obverse of this medal bears the head of Queen Victoria and the inscription; ‘VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX’.

 

The reverse depicts a sphinx facing left with the inscription; ‘EGYPT’ above and the date; ‘1882’ below. Post 1882 awards were identical but with the ‘1882’ date being omitted.

 

The ribbon suspender is of the plain, straight and swivelling style, attached to the medal by a claw mount.

 

The recipient's details are found on the medal's rim. Those with the 1882 date are usually engraved in sloping capitals while undated examples have impressed sloping capitals or large upright serif capitals for those issued to the Royal Marines or Royal Navy.

 

Indian troops had their medals engraved in small running script while those to Egyptian troops were either un-named or named in Arabic.

 

 

 

 

The ribbon is 32mm wide and is blue in colour with two white stripes.

 

 

This medal was issued with the following bars:-

 

 

NB: Recipients of no bar dated medals at all, would be eligible for a 1882 dated Khedive's star. Recipients of no bar undated medals would be entitled to either a 1884 Star or a 1884-6 star depending which of the two relevant qualifying periods he served in.

 

Additionally, medals issued with the bar ‘ABU KLEA’ or ‘KIRBEKAN’ should always be accompanied with ‘THE NILE 1884-5’ and those with ‘TOFREK’ must always be accompanied by ‘SUAKIN 1885’.

 

Further relevant historical context can be found at the foot of this entry.

 

 

 

* It should be noted that the values quoted above reflect the average price that a medal dealer may expect to sell this medal for - please see the ‘things you should know’ web page for more details about valuing medals.

 

** The individual medal value will vary considerably based on the recipient’s details.

 

*** Due to the large number of clasps available for this medal, the value for medals which contains certain clasps will vary considerably.

 

 

This section contains information on:-

 

- The Anglo-Egyptian War.

- The Bombardment Of Alexandria.

- The Battle Of Tel el-Kebir.

- The Suakin Expeditions.

- The Mahdist War.

- The Battles At El-Teb.

- The Battle Of Tamai.

- The Siege Of Khartoum.

- The Nile Expedition.

- The Battle Of Abu Klea.

- The Battle Of Kirbekan.

- The Battle Of Tofrek.

- The Battle Of Gemaizah.

- The Battle Of Toski.

 

The Anglo-Egyptian War - In 1878, an Egyptian army officer, Colonel Orabi Pasha, initiated a coup against Tewfik Pasha, the Khedive of Egypt and Sudan, because of grievances over disparities in pay between Egyptian and European employees, as well as other concerns. In January 1882 the British and French governments sent the 'Joint Note' to the Egyptian government, declaring their recognition of the Khedive's authority.

 

On 20 May 1882, British warships arrived off the coast of Alexandria. France had withdrawn at the last minute. On 11 June 1882, a riot occurred in Alexandria that killed 50 Europeans, though Colonel Orabi ordered his forces to put down the riot. On 11 July 1882, after confused orders, British warships began their bombardment of Alexandria.

 

The British fleet bombarded Alexandria from 11-13 July followed by British marines occupying it. The bombardment was very one sided, the British did not lose a single boat. Much of the city was destroyed by fires that broke out as a result of the bombardment. Orabi had his men start these fires to ruin the city that the British were taking over. The British then installed the Khedive Tawfiq, who declared Orabi a rebel and took away his political rights.

 

Orabi then counteracted by obtaining a fatwa, which was authorised by Al Azhar Shaykhs which stated that Tawfiq was a traitor who brought on the occupation of Egypt by a foreign nation and stated that he betrayed his religion. Orabi also ordered conscription and he declared war on the United Kingdom.

 

The British army tried to reach Cairo through Alexandria but was stopped for five weeks at Kafr-el-Dawwar. In August, a British army of over 40,000, commanded by Garnet Wolseley, invaded the Suez Canal Zone. He was authorised to destroy Orabi's forces and clear the country of all other rebels.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Bombardment Of Alexandria - The Bombardment of Alexandria, in 1882, by the British Mediterranean Fleet took place on 11-13 July 1882. Admiral Sir Frederick Beauchamp Seymour was in command of a fleet of fifteen Royal Navy ironclad ships which sailed to Alexandria.

 

This move, had the contrary effect of strengthening Urabi's Nationalist position (supported by the army and with Egyptian popular support), and it inflamed popular resentment. This exploded on 11 June in anti-European riots that killed over 2,000 Egyptians and 50 Europeans.

 

The British hoped that a naval bombardment of Alexandria would topple Urabi. This was done on 11 June 1882, and made Urabi even more of a nationalist hero and put him firmly in control of events. The bombardment lasted 10 and a half hours.

 

Historians argue about whether Admiral Seymour exaggerated the threat from the Egyptian batteries at Alexandria in order to force a reluctant government's hand. Once the British had attacked the city, they proceeded to a land invasion as their next step.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Battle Of Tel el-Kebir - The Battle of Tel el-Kebir or el-Tal el-Kebir was between the Egyptian army led by Ahmed Urabi and the British military fought near Tel-el-Kebir. After discontented Egyptian officers under Urabi rebelled in 1882, the United Kingdom reacted to protect its financial and expansionist interests in the country, and in particular the Suez Canal.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Suakin Expeditions - The Suakin Expedition refers to two military expeditions led by Major-General Sir Gerald Graham V.C. to Suakin in Sudan with the intention of destroying the power of Osman Digna, the first in February 1884 and the second in March 1885.

 

The first expedition, in February 1884, included an Indian contingent. Although it was successful in the two actions it fought (the Second Battle of El Teb and the Battle of Tamai) it failed to change the military situation and was withdrawn. These events temporarily ended British and Egyptian involvement in Sudan, which passed completely under the control of the Mahdists.

 

Following the fall of Khartoum, Graham led a second expedition in March 1885 and although it was successful in the two actions it fought (the Battle of Tofrek and the Battle of Hasheen), it failed to change the military situation and was withdrawn.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Mahdist War - The Mahdist War (also called the Mahdist Revolt) was a colonial war of the late 19th century. It was fought between the Mahdist Sudanese and the Egyptian and later British forces. It has also been called the Anglo-Sudan War or the Sudanese Mahdist Revolt.

 

The British have called their part in the conflict the Sudan Campaign. It was vividly described by Winston Churchill (who took part in its concluding stages) in 'The River War'.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Battles At El-Teb - The First and Second Battles of El-Teb (February 4, 1884 and February 29, 1884) took place during the British Sudan Campaign where a force of Sudanese under Osman Digna won a victory over an 3500 strong Egyptian force under the command of General Valentine Baker which was marching to relieve Tokar on the 4th.

 

A second British force under Sir Gerald Graham arrived on the 29th, engaging and defeating Osman Digna with few casualties.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Battle Of Tamai - The Battle of Tamai (or Tamanieh) took place on March 13, 1884 between a British force under Sir Gerald Graham and a Mahdist Sudanese army led by Osman Digna.

 

Despite his earlier victory at El-Teb, Graham realised that Osman Digna's force was far from broken and that he still enjoyed support among the local population. Accordingly, a second expedition departed from Suakin on 10 March in order to defeat the Mahdists definitively.

 

The force was composed of the same units that had fought at El-Teb: 4,500 men, with 22 guns and 6 machine guns. The Mahdists had roughly 10,000 men, most of them belonging to Osman Digna's Hadendoa tribe (known to British soldiers as 'Fuzzy Wuzzies' for their unique hair).

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Siege Of Khartoum - The Battle of Khartoum, Siege of Khartoum or Fall of Khartoum was the conquest of British-held Khartoum by the Mahdist forces led by Muhammad Ahmad.

 

Not wanting to be involved in the costly suppression of the rebellion led by Mahommed Ahmed, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland ordered Egypt to abandon its administration of the Sudan in December 1883. The British government asked General Gordon, former Governor-General of Sudan, to go to Khartoum and aid in the evacuation of Egyptian soldiers, civilian employees and their families.

 

Travelling from London, General Gordon reached Khartoum on February 18, 1884. He immediately began sending women, children and wounded soldiers back to Egypt as the military situation deteriorated in the Sudan and the south of the country was in danger of being cut off from Egypt by the Islamic Mahdist army. Britain withdrew its troops from the Sudan until Khartoum was the last outpost remaining under British control.

 

Gordon differed with the British government's decision to abandon the Sudan. He thought that the Islamic revolt had to be crushed for fear that it might eventually overwhelm Egypt. He based this on the Mahdi’s claim of dominion over all Islamic lands. Defying orders from the British government to withdraw, General Gordon, leading a garrison of 6,000 men, began the defence of Khartoum.

 

On March 18, 1884, the Mahdist army laid siege to the city. The rebels stopped river traffic and cut the telegraph line to Cairo. Khartoum was cut off from resupply, which led to food shortages, but could still communicate with the outside world by using messengers. Under pressure from the public, in August 1884, the British government decided to reverse its policy and send a relief force to Khartoum.

 

However, before the relief force could get there, after a ten-month siege, the Mahdists finally broke into the city, the entire garrison of British and Egyptian soldiers (along with some Sudanese supporters) was killed.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Nile Expedition - The Nile Expedition, sometimes called the Gordon Relief Expedition (1884–85), was a British mission to relieve Major-General Charles George Gordon at Khartoum, Sudan. Gordon had been sent to the Sudan to help Egyptians evacuate from Sudan after Britain decided to abandon the country in the face of a rebellion led by self-proclaimed Mahdi, Mahommed Ahmed.

 

A contingent of Canadians was recruited to help the British navigate their small boats up the Nile River. The Nile Expedition was the first overseas expedition by Canadians in a British imperial conflict, although the Nile Voyageurs were civilians employees and did not wear uniforms.

 

The expedition and its background are vividly described in Winston Churchill's book 'The River War'.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Battle Of Abu Klea - The Battle of Abu Klea took place between the dates of 16 and 18 January 1885, at Abu Klea, Sudan, between the British Desert Column and Mahdist forces encamped near Abu Klea.

 

The Desert Column, a force of approximately 1,400 soldiers, started from Korti, Sudan on 30 December 1884; the Desert Column's mission, in a joint effort titled 'The Gordon Relief Expedition', was to march across the desert to the aid of General Charles George Gordon at Khartoum, Sudan, who was besieged there by Mahdist forces.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Battle Of Kirbekan - The Battle of Kirbekan was a battle in the Mahdist War. It was fought February 10, 1885, when the British Nile Column, about 1,000 strong, under General Earle, stormed the heights of Kirbekan, which were held by a strong Mahdist force, and totally routed them, with heavy loss.

 

The British lost 60, among whom was General Earle, killed. It was the first appearance of the Egyptian Army Camel Corps under Bimbashi Marriott in action. A brass plaque on the North wall of Lichfield Cathedral commemorates the death of Lieutenant colonel Philip Eyre of the First South Staffordshire Regiment in the battle.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Battle Of Tofrek - The Battle of Tofrek was fought between the British forces under the leadership of General Gerald Graham and General John McNeil, against the Mahdist forces led by Osman Digna in the deserts of eastern Sudan.

 

On 22 March 1885, the 49th Regiment, 1st Royal Berkshire with Royal Marines and an Indian Contingent (comprising the Madras Sappers, the 17th Infantry and a few others), marched eight miles towards Tamai, Sudan to build three zaribas (i.e. 'fortified bases'). While still unfinished, they were heavily attacked upon by Arabs of the Hadendoa tribe.

 

After severe fighting enemy were driven off, losing 3000 killed and died of wounds. The Battalion lost 21 killed, 33 wounded

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Battle Of Gemaizah - The Battle of Gemaizah occurred on 20 December 1888 when Francis Grenfell defeated the Mahdi forces near Suakin a chief port of Sudan. After one and a half hours of fighting, the casualties were 12 on the side of the British and Egyptians, and 1,000 on the side of the Arabs.

 

In this battle, three of the swords of the 20th Hussars broke short, an incident which later caused debate in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom.

 

From Suakin, a sortie was launched against Osman Digna and his Dervish forces, who were attempting to capture the Water Forts. The Dervishes advanced on Suakin with an intention to invest it. In the ensuing fighting, Osman Digna lost his arm.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.

 

The Battle Of Toski - The Battle of Toski (Tushkah) took place on 3 August, 1889 in Egypt between the Anglo-Egyptian forces and the Mahdist Sudanese.

 

Since 1882, the British had taken control of Egypt and found themselves involved in the Sudan war. For this reason, they decided to reform and rearm the Egyptian Army. A British general, Sir Francis Grenfell was appointed Sirdar (commander-in-chief) and British officers trained the newly formed units.

 

The Sudanese, on the other hand had not renounced their ambition of spreading the Mahdist faith to Egypt. In 1889, the Khalifa Abdallahi ibn Muhammad sent the Emir Wad-el-Nujumi and an army 6,000 strong into Egypt for this purpose.

 

The Mahdists avoided Wadi Halfa where most of the Egyptian troops were garrisoned, and camped at Toski by the Nile, 76 km within the Egyptian border. Here they were attacked by the Egyptians, who completely annihilated them after a five-hour fight, the Emir being killed trying to rally his men.

 

Apart from the officers commanding the Egyptian units, the only British troops participating were a squadron of the 20th Hussars.

 

This battle effectively ended the Mahdist threat to Egypt.

 

This information was taken from ‘Wikipedia’. The original article and details of the authors can be found here. It is reproduced on this web-site under the ‘creative commons’ licence which can be found here.