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". Bars: 'THE NILE 1884-85', 'ABU KLEA'. Inscription on edge: '1000.DRIV:FEDUL HASSEM'. Suspended from a clasp and blue ribbon with two white stripes.

Fedem Hassem was an Aden camel driver with Number 9 Company, Commissariat Transport Corps. He was awarded this medal following his participation in the military Nile Expedition - an unsuccessful attempt to relieve General Gordon, then besieged by Mahdists at Khartoum. Its commander, General Garnet Wolseley eventually decided to divide his force. One part continued to travel by boat along the Nile, while the other took a short cut across the desert by camel from Korti to Metemma, thus avoiding a large bend in the river. The role of the Arab auxiliaries in the Transport Corps was to drive the camels carrying supplies and water. In contrast to the military part of the force who rode their camels and dismounted to fight, the camel drivers were on foot. They each wore a red turban, a blue jersey, a haversack and a brass ticket. One driver was in charge of three camels tied nose to tail. A military rear guard followed the baggage train to discouraged stragglers. The expedition used a route already surveyed in advance of a projected railway line, so they knew the location of the water sources. The British met resistance near the wells of Abu Klea. The men spent the night under sniper fire in a thorn and stone enclosure or Zarifa. They left the baggage, the stores and most of the camels under guard there the following day while the military formed a square and proceeded towards the wells. A few camels carrying water, ammunition and litters for the wounded were placed in the centre of the square. The British came under sustained attack, their machine gun jammed, and the square was broken. The Mahdists who penetrated it, found themselves impeded by the camels and were mown down by fire from the sides of the square. The British, with far fewer casualties, then reached the wells - a few holes in the sand with a couple of feet of water at the bottom.. Although they eventually arrived at Metemma, they were not in time to prevent the fall of Khartoum and the death of Gordon.