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: 'F.W. HYDE. LG.SEA. H.M.S. AGINCOURT'. Suspended from a clasp and blue ribbon with two white stripes.

Frederick William Hyde (1858-1914) was born in Weymouth, Dorset, the son of Henry Hyde, Able Seaman RN and later a commander in the coastguard. He joined the navy as a boy 1st class on 1st August 1873 from school at Greenwich. He completed twenty years’ service from 19 June 1876 when he finished training and was rated Ordinary Seaman. He was then serving in HMS ‘Raleigh’. She was part of the ‘Detached Squadron’ until February 1876 when she left at Bombay. ‘Raleigh’ with ‘Invincible’ and ‘Osborne’ then accompanied the Prince of Wales, returning to the United Kingdom in HMS’ Serapis’ following a tour of India. The ‘Raleigh’ carried part of a menagerie of exotic animals including two tigers, one bear and three leopards destined for London Zoo. The ‘Raleigh’ was then stationed in the Mediterranean, Hyde was promoted Able Seaman in August 1877 and left the ship in January 1878. His next overseas posting was in the newly-recommissioned ‘Inconstant’ then in the detached squadron, which left in October 1880 to sail round the world. On 1 September 1881, he was promoted Leading Seaman. On the way home, the ship was diverted to Egypt during the Anglo Egyptian War, arriving after the bombardment of Alexandria. Hyde moved to ‘Agincourt’ on the 15 August 1882, four days before she left Alexandria. The ship joined the Channel Squadron, Hyde being made Petty Officer 2nd class on 1 June 1884. He then served in the gunnery schools ‘Cambridge’ and ‘Excellent’ until April 1886 when he joined ‘Penelope’, guard ship at Harwich. During the same year he joined the coastguard. He served as a boatman at Walton, Thorpe, Orfordness, the Isle of Grain, Kent, Saltburn and Brightlingsea, where the 1911 census lists him as Chief officer HMS Coastguard station. He served there from 1907-1913. He had married Louisa Jane Chaffey at West Lulworth, Dorset on 2 January 1890 and the couple had two children. Frederick Hyde died at Blandford, Dorset in 1914.