Egypt War Medal 1882-89

Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria in a diadem and veil (left) Legend: 'VICTORIA REGINA ET IMPERATRIX'. Reverse: the sphinx on an ornamental platform. Legend: 'EGYPT'. Exergue: '1882'. Bar: 'ALEXANDRIA 11TH JULY'. Inscription on edge: 'J. MASKELL A.B. H.M.S. INFLEXIBLE'. Suspended from a clasp.

John Maskell joined the Royal Navy as a boy 2nd class on 20 September 1878, giving his date of birth as 8 April 1862 at St James, Middlesex. However, he cannot be traced in civil records. His previous work is listed as ‘fishmonger’. He briefly served as Ordinary Seaman in HMS ‘Duke of Wellington’ flagship of the Port Admiral at Portsmouth in 1880. He continued in British waters, until in August 1880 he was entered on the books of the recommissioned ‘Inconstant’, flagship of Rear-Admiral Richard Meade, 4th Earl of Clanwilliam. She was part of a flying squadron which set out on a world cruise with diplomatic and training objectives. Maskell left the ship in South Africa in March 1881 and returned to Portsmouth where he was on the books of the iron-clad, turret-ship ‘Inflexible’ from the 5 July 1881. The ship was still the dockyard awaiting completion - the crew joined her on the 26 July, under the command of Captain John Arbuthnot Fisher RN. ’Inflexible’ left port for sea trails on the 17th October and proceeded to the Mediterranean where she joined the squadron commanded by Admiral Sir Frederick Beauchamp Paget Seymour on 3 June 1882. The British Fleet was lying off Alexandria in July 1882. After anti-European riots, nationalist Egyptian forces began strengthening the local batteries. Following the rejection of an ultimatum, Seymour’s forces bombarded the fortifications (not entirely successfully). Some shells missed their intended targets and caused destruction in the city which was subsequently occupied by British forces. ‘Inflexible’ sustained damage to her superstructure and boats and had to be docked. Overall however, it was considered that her innovative long-range guns mounted in rotating turrets, had proved their worth. The ship remained stationed in the Mediterranean, returning to Portsmouth in January 1885 for a refit. Maskell returned to the Mediterranean in HMS ‘Alexandra’ - the flag ship of Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh in February 1886, then between 1887 and 1888 he served in torpedo cruiser HMS ‘Scout’. After a few years in depot ships and shore establishments, he was invalided out of the service in June 1889.