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The Star consists of a five-pointed bronze star coated with a black lacquer which rarely survived the first attempt by a soldier to clean it. On the obverse, the centre of the star shows an image of the sphinx with the pyramids in the background, all within a ring bearing the word "EGYPT" and the appropriate date, above the corresponding Arabic inscription. The reverse has the crowned monogram of Tewfiq Pasha. The suspension bar for the dark blue ribbon bears a crescent and a star. The Star was manufactured by Henry Jenkins and Sons of Birmingham, who also made the Kabul to Kandahar Star of 1880. Four different Stars were awarded, as follows:
A clasp ("Tokar"), also manufactured by Jenkins, was awarded to those who fought in the action at Tokar on 19th February, 1891. It was fitted to whichever Star was already in the possession of the recipient, or was issued fitted to an undated Star if none.
The following extract from Reminiscences of Gibraltar, Egypt, and the Egyptian War, 1882 (From the Ranks), by Sergeant John Philip (pub. D. Wyllie & Son, Aberdeen, 1893) explains why the Stars of men of the 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, for example, are all found to be impressed with their regimental numbers and initials, and may explain why so many other regiments chose to take similar actions:
[Autumn, 1883] "Before we left Ramleh we were presented with the Egyptian medal and star. I remember reading the account of the same presentation made to regiments that had gone home before they received them. It was a glowing account, and, as a contrast, I will in a few words describe our presentation. The day previous the medals, in small boxes (with the name of the soldier they were intended for written on the lid) were carried round the companies in tin dishes - used for carrying rations and making Irish stews. Each man was told to bring a pin on parade with him on the next day. The Khedive of Egypt was to be there to hand over the medals to the officers. "The appointed hour came. The regiment was formed up, and during the time the Khedive pinned the medals on the breasts of the officers we were busy pinning on our own. A speech from the general [Earle?] followed, and then we prepared to march past. The band (which was left behind at Malta had joined us a while ago) struck up a lively tune, and away went the 19th Hussars past the Ruler of Egypt at a slow trot. Then came the two infantry regiments, our regiment [2nd Battalion, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry] and the West Kent [1st Battalion, The Queen's Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment]. There is no doubt we carried our heads high - adorned for the first time with a war medal (a coveted trophy by the soldier), and our pride was pardonable. But the Khedive expressed a wish to see us go past at the trot like the cavalry, so we were marched back to the original starting place, and to the merry music we began to double. One hand had to hold the rifle, the other the bayonet and scabbard, the medals danced on our chests, the pins lost their hold, and, before we got the command to halt, one half of us were minus our medals and stars. It was getting dark ere we got dismissed and back to the parade-ground to gather our lost decorations. Most of the medals were found; and, being made of silver, they were easily seen on the dark brown sand; but the stars, being of bronze, were not so easily detected, and many of them had to lie till morning. A difficulty also arose about the ownership of them, as they bore no distinguishing mark or name and those who were lucky enough to pick up one, it became his property. This was remedied afterwards by each man's initials and regimental number being stamped on them. In the morning they were all picked up, but, had a sand-storm arisen during the night, I am afraid many of the Egyptian stars would have remained buried amongst Egyptian sand for ever." |
