Honourable East India Company's Egypt Medal

Instituted:
Granted by General Order issued by the Governor-General on 31st July 1802.

Qualification:
Awarded to the troops who formed part of the expedition from India to Egypt to assist Sir Ralph Abercromby's force against the French in 1801. These medals do not appear to have been distributed until 1811.

Description:
48mm diameter. The obverse carries a Persian inscription in the exergue which translates as "This medal has been presented in commemoration of the defeat of the French armies in the kingdom of Egypt by the great bravery of the victorious army of England". Above the exergue, a jaunty sepoy, with encampment tents visible in the background, supports the union flag. On the reverse a ship sails towards Egypt. The date MDCCCI appears in the exergue.

Ribbon:
Yellow cord

Suspension:
Loop suspension

Naming:
Issued un-named

Clasps:
None

Notes:
Recipients of this medal did not receive the Egypt bar to the Military General Service medal which was subsequently awarded in 1850. British troops serving with the 8th Light Dragoons (one troop), the 10th Foot, 80th Foot, 86th Foot, 88th Foot and Royal Artillery (400 men) were eligible to receive this medal. The 61st Foot, arriving in Egypt on 17th May 1801 arrived too late to qualify for the medal.

16 gold and 760 silver medals were given to Bengal troops, while those from Bombay - officers and men alike - were issued with a total of 1,439 medals.

Acknowledgements:
Image courtesy of Dix Noonan Webb. The Medal Yearbook (Token Publishing Ltd) and British Battles & Medals have been essential in putting together the information.