Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part II)

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 3 clasps, Alexandria 11th July, Suakin 1884, El-Teb-Tamaai (J. Hamer, Armr., H.M.S. Hecla) minor official correction to rate, contact marks and edge nicks, otherwise very fine and rare £400-450

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for Services at Sea from the Collection of the Late Oliver Stirling Lee.

View
Collection

A little over 80 men of the R.N. and R.M. received the Medal with this combination of clasps.

Joseph Hamer was born in Manchester in February 1852 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in December 1866. Joining H.M.S. Hecla as an Armourer in May 1882, he went on to witness active service in the Egypt operations of 1882, including the bombardment of Alexandria, and afterwards in the Suakin operations of 1884, when he went ashore with the Naval Brigade and was present at the Battles of El-Teb and Tamaai. Returning home to an appointment at Vernon, he was advanced to Torpedo Artificer in May 1885, but in December of the following year obtained a ‘free discharge for the purpose of entering the service of the Chinese Government.’