LANCE-CORPORAL J. COYLE, 1ST BATTALION YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. Egypt Medal 1882-9, undated reverse, no clasp (officially named, engraved in sloping upper case numbers and letters: 2217 L /CORP: J. COYLE. 1 /YORKS: R.).

LANCE-CORPORAL J. COYLE, 1ST BATTALION YORKSHIRE REGIMENT. Egypt Medal 1882-9, undated reverse, no clasp (officially named, engraved in sloping upper case numbers and letters: 2217 L /CORP: J. COYLE. 1 /YORKS: R.). Attractive old dark tone, couple small edge nicks to obverse rim at 7 o’clock, otherwise Almost Extremely Fine.

Medal accompanied by extract Egypt Medal roll confirm medal with no clasp and Khedive’s Star roll, the latter roll dated War Office 1/8/1885 confirming that by then Coyle had “purchased discharge”.

Awarded for the battle of Ginniss, 30th December 1885, which took place outside the village of Ginniss on a bend in the Nile, within sight of the pyramids. Prior to the battle the men of the Yorkshire regiment were ordered to discard their khaki uniforms and put on their red tunics, the regimental history recording that this was done “so as to look more formidable in the eyes of the Dervishes”. This was the last occasion on which British troops fought wearing red tunics.