East & West Africa Medal 1887-99

Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria in a diadem and veil (left). Legend: 'VICTORIA REGINA'. Reverse: a group of soldiers and Africans fighting in the bush for their fallen comrades. Suspended from a bar, and yellow ribbon with a broad black edge and two narrow black central stripes. Bar: 'BENIN RIVER 1894'. Inscription on edge: 'P. REILLY, STOKER, H.M.S. PHILOMEL'.

Peter Reilly (1871-1909) was born in Birkenhead in the Wirral. He joined the Royal Navy on 14 March 1890, signing up for 12 years’ service as a stoker. His civilian occupation is given as ‘painter’. Between September and December 1890, he was in ‘Malabar’ carrying troops between Britain and India, then in ‘Volage’ in the Training Squadron. In May 1891, he moved to the receiving ship ‘Penelope’ at the Cape of Good Hope with a brief period in HMS ‘Raleigh’ also on that station. From 1 October 1893 to 30 November 1894, he was in ‘Philomel’ during a punitive expedition against Itsekiri Chief, Nana Olumu. Following an attack on a naval cutter, Olumu’s town Ebrohimi, was attacked and occupied by a naval force under Admiral Bedford. Reilly was back in the United Kingdom in December 1894. He briefly served in the new cruiser HMS ‘Grafton’ prior to her commissioning and then in ‘Sans Pareil’ when she was port guard ship at Sheerness. Reilly was invalided out of the Royal Navy on 11 February 1896 and joined the Royal Fleet Reserve in 1903. The 1901 census shows him back in Birkenhead, living with his father, siblings and brother in law, while working as a labourer in the gas works. His burial record shows an affiliation to St Lawrence’s Catholic church, Birkenhead.