An original Egypt War Medal pair awarded to a soldier who served with the 2nd Battalion Duke of Cornwall Light Infantry.
The medals were awarded to 1645 Private Edward Edwards who came from Stedham in Sussex and who later lived with his wife in Stoke Damerel Devon
The Egypt Medal is undated as the clasp for The Nile 1884-85
The Khedives Star is undated
The Egypt medal is correctly named as follows:
1136 PTE. E. EDWARDS. 2/D OF C. L. I.
(The medal roll shows that Edward Edwards has the service number 1645 but the next name on the roll is George Edwards with the service number 1136. Therefore there has been an error with the service number or initial. Both received the same medal and clasp. George Edwards came from Hackney in London and enlisted aged 22 at Bodmin on 30th October 1878. He had previously been a servant).
Both medals and the clasp is confirmed on the medal rolls.
Edward was born in Stedham in Sussex in March 1862 to parents Henry and Emily
The 1871 Census shows Edward aged 9 and a scholar and living with his parents and siblings at Kings Corner, Iping, Midhurst, Sussex
The 1881 Census shows Edward aged 19 and serving as Private with the 32nd Light Infantry at Aldershot
The 1891 Census shows Edward being a laborour aged 29 and living with wife Olivia daughter Olivia aged 6 at Stoke Damerel Devon.
The 1901 Census shows Edward living living in Devonport with his wife Olive who born 1857 in Falmouth.
Edwards service papers survive and show that he enlisted into the 32nd Light Infantry in 1881 at Aldershot when he was 18 and he had the service number 1645. He had been a laborour.
Edward served in the regiment until 26th January 1887, so for 6 years, and he received the Egypt medal with clasp for the Nile 1884-85. He was discharged upon expiration of service. His service record character was 'Very Good'
He had served in Egypt for 3 years and 198 days.
These medals were his only awards during his service.
After leaving the army he married Olivia Gibbons on 13th February 1887 and they were living at 36 Moon Street in Devonport.
Olivia had an interesting life and was in trouble with the law on several occasions including being arrested for being drunk on 13th December 1895 and being charged with assaulting a George Tobin - living at 44 Granby St - in April 1900!
Please see photos for overall condition.
Copies of the medal rolls, census details and other documents shown above can be e-mailed to the purchaser of the medal if required.
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