EGYPT MEDAL 1882-89 CAMPAIGN PAIR (WITH UNOFFICIAL “FANTASY” TOSKI 1888 CLASP ON THE EGYPT MEDAL) TO PTE A. TIMMINGS, KING’S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS (LATE 1ST CITY OF LONDON ARTILLERY & 2ND BN WEST RIDING REGT), WHO ALSO SAW SERVICE IN WW1 WITH THE KOSB

THE EGYPT MEDAL 1882-89 CAMPAIGN PAIR (WITH UNOFFICIAL “FANTASY” TOSKI 1888 CLASP ON THE EGYPT MEDAL) TO PRIVATE A. TIMMINGS, KING’S OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS (LATE 1ST CITY OF LONDON ARTILLERY AND 2ND BATTALION WEST RIDING REGIMENT), WHO ALSO SAW SERVICE WITH THE KINGS OWN SCOTTISH BORDERERS IN WW1. Two: Egypt Medal 1882-89, 2 clasps, Toski 1888, Gemaizah 1888 (officially engraved: 1333 Pte. A. TIMMINGS. 2/K.O. SCO: BORD:) Khedive’s Star, undated, reverse impressed with regimental number “1333”. Overall surface contact marks to the Egypt Medal from the Star, otherwise generally Very Fine to Good Very Fine and mounted loose style, as worn.

The Toski 1888 clasp on the Egypt Medal in this group was never authorised for issue (see below).

Group accompanied by copied extracts from births index, census returns for 1871 and 1911, along with copied service papers for Alfred Timmings two periods of service, and copied extracts for the rolls for the Egypt Medal 1882-89 and Khedive’s Star.

Alfred Timmings was born at Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, in 1864. He originally enlisted into the 2nd Battalion West Riding Regiment at London, on 13/3/1885, but transferred to the 2nd Battalion King’s Own Scottish Borderers on 16/6/1885. At the time of enlistment Timmings was 18 years and 8 months old, gave his trade as chimney sweep, and stated that he had previously seen service with the 1st City of London Artillery. Timmings was promoted Lance Corporal, 13/2/1890, transferred to the Army Reserve on 21/1/1893 and discharged on 12/3/1897.

Medal rolls confirm the award of the Egypt Medal 1882-89 with Gemaizah 1888 clasp and Khedive’s Star. The clasp “Toski 1888” was never authorised. I can find no record of any military activity at Toski (modern day Toshka?) in 1888, and although an action was fought at Toski in 1889, no men from the King’s Own Scottish Borderers were present at that action and Timmings was not entitled to the Toski 1889 clasp for service with any other regiment or unit. The K.O.S.B. landed at Suakin on the Red Sea i 1888, immediately prior to the action at the nearby fortress of Gemaizah, and with Toski being some 400 miles inland across the desert from Suakin, there can be little likelihood of Timmings having seen action there in 1888. Why he would have added such a clasp to his medal is therefore a mystery.

Timmings re-enlisted following the outbreak of WW1 at Kingston-upon-Thames on 19/7/1915. At the time of re-enlistment he was 48 years and 18 days old and gave his trade as that of chimney sweep. Timmings enlisted “for home service only”, and as a result there would appear to be no Medal Index card for him and no medals awarded to him for WW1 service. Timmings joined the K.O.S.B. at the Regimental Depot, Berwick-on-Tweed, on 20/7/1915, being allocated a new regimental number, 20884, and appointed Private. Timmings was promoted Lance-Corporal, 22/9/1915, but was stripped of his Lance Corporal’s stripes on 26/5/1917 as a result of “drunkenness”. He was re-appointed Lance Corporal 27/6/1918 and promoted Corporal 6/1/1919. Timmings was discharged on demobilisation, 31/3/1920. Service papers confirm 4 years and 256 days service at home during WW1. In 1921, Timmings appeared before a medical board, as a result of a respiratory illness contracted whilst serving during WW1, but he does not appear to have been granted a pension.