- Time Period: Pre-WW1
- Year of Institution: July 1811
- Country: Great Britain
The Medal of Egypt 1801 (also known as the 1801 East India Company’s Egypt Medal) was issued by the Honourable East India Company to British and Indian troops from India who formed a Division under Major General Baird.
In July 1802 the EIC authorized a medal for service in Egypt, although it wasn’t issued until 1811. The medal was produced by the Calcutta Mint, and warded in gold (126 of them have been awarded) and silver (some 2200 medals were given).
The Medal of Egypt 1801 was not given to British troops.
The Medal of Egypt 1801 Design
The medal is struck in gold or silver. The obverse illustrates a standing sepoy, holding a large ensign, an attack upon a fortified position in the distance, inscribed below in Persian “This medal has been presented in commemoration of the defeat of the French armies in the Kingdom of Egypt by the great bravery and ability of the victorious army in England“.
The reverse is a starboard quarter view of a full rigged ship under sail approaching land, four pyramids and an obelisk in the distance at the right, Roman numeral dated “MDCCCI” (1801) below.
The silver medal measures 51.7 mm.
