Khedive's Star For The Egypt War 1882

Obverse: A five pointed star. Within a band, head of the Sphinx, three pyramids in the background. Legend: "EGYPT 1884". Below: "Khedive of Egypt" (in Arabic letters). Reverse: the monogram of the Khedive, a crown above. Awarded by the Khedive to all those who received the Egypt Medal. Fitted with a ring and bar, with floral scroll and a crescent and star in relief upon it, and blue ribbon. Mounted on a bar with one other medal.

Vice-Admiral Robert Wilbraham Stopford (1844-1911) was born in London, the son of Captain Robert Fanshawe Stopford RN. He began his naval career as a cadet in the training ship ‘Illustrious’ in 1857. The following year, he moved the ‘Marlborough’, the flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet. On 7 January 1860 he was made Midshipman. He was in ‘Ariadne’, in the Channel until 19 March 1864 and was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 20 April 1864. Then he joined HMS ‘Revenge’, stationed in the Mediterranean. He remained in the Mediterranean transferring to the newly-completed ironclad HMS ‘Caledonia’. He was promoted to Lieutenant whilst in ‘Phoebe’ on 18 September 1865, still serving in the Mediterranean. Then in ‘Zealous’ from September 1866, permanently based at Esquimalt on the West Coast of Canada until February 1869. Stopford returned to England in ‘Revenge’ in early 1870. Briefly back in home-waters during 1870, he then served on the West Coast of North America in ‘Royal Alfred’ returning to Britain in ‘Vestal’ in 1871. He then served in ‘Spartan’ in the West Indies from 10 August 1871 to 3 July 1875 when she was paid off in Portsmouth. He was then employed carrying mail, in the Channel in the wooden paddle dispatch vessel HMS ‘Helicon’ from January 1876 to February 1879. During a spell on half pay he was promoted to Commander on 31 December 1878. He was reemployed in HMS ‘Arab’ from February 1881. During the war with Mahdist forces in Sudan. he led a naval brigade on shore during 26-28 March 1884 during the defense of the Red Sea port of Suakin. Stopford was promoted to Captain on 30 June 1885. He afterward commanded ‘Curacoa’ on the Cape and Australia stations from March 1888 until November 1901. On his return home he was captain of the Royal Naval College Greenwich for three years. From 8 February 1895 he commanded the battleship HMS ‘Howe’, again in the Mediterranean. In 1897 he was appointed assistant to the Admiral Superintendent of Naval Reserves. He retired on 24 June 1899 but had reached the rank of Vice-Admiral (retired) by the time of his death.
He married Etheldreda Grenville in 1883 and the couple had two children – a son and a daughter.