United Kingdom. An Egypt Theatre Group with Photograph, to James W. Upton, H.M.S. Inconstant
Egypt Medal 1882-1889 with 1882 reverse (J.W. UPTON. CAP: MIZn. TOP. H.M.S. INCONSTANT.); Royal Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (JAs W. UPTON, BOATMAN, H.M. COASTGUARD.); and Khedive's Star. Naming is officially engraved in italic capitals on the EM and impressed in large capitals on the RNLSGCM. Mounted to a swing bar pinback, as worn by the veteran, both the EM and RNLSGCM exhibiting edge nicks and wear, along with pitting overall, original ribbons, very fine. Accompanied by a Photograph of Upton in his Naval Uniform and Wearing his Medals: in black and white, faded to a sepia-toned look, the image area of the photograph measuring 200 mm (w) x 295 mm (h), matted and housed under glass in a maroon-finished wooden frame, the frame measuring 375 mm (w) x 480 mm (h), with a wire strung across the back for wall hanging. Accompanied by original Certificate of Wounds and Hurts, dated 27th October 1880.
Footnote: The British conquest of Egypt (1882), also known as Anglo-Egyptian War occurred in 1882 between Egyptian and Sudanese forces under Ahmed 'Urabi and the United Kingdom. It ended a nationalist uprising against the Khedive Tewfik Pasha. It established firm British influence over Egypt at the expense of the Egyptians, the French, and the Ottoman Empire, whose already weak authority became nominal.
In regards to H.M.S. Inconstant, she was the fifth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy and was laid down on November 27, 1866 at Pembroke Dockyard, Wales and was launched on March 25, 1872. Inconstant was transferred to Portsmouth Dockyard to finish fitting out and was commissioned on August 12, 1869 by Captain Elphinstone D'Oyly D'Auvergne Aplin for duty with the Channel Squadron. He was relieved by Captain Charles Waddilove on September 13, 1870. The following year the ship was assigned to the Detached Squadron, commanded by Rear-Admiral Frederick Seymour, which visited ports in Scandinavia after Inconstant joined them at Gibraltar, finally arriving at Spithead on October 11, 1871. The ship was paid off in 1872 and spent the next eight years in reserve.
She was recommissioned in 1880 and was commanded by Captain Lord Walter Kerr from February 5th to March 11th. During this time, Inconstant served as the flagship of Vice-Admiral Seymour of the Mediterranean Fleet as she ferried replacement crews to that fleet. From August 1880 to October 1882, Inconstant was assigned to the reconstituted Detached Squadron, this time as the flagship, first of Rear-Admiral Richard Meade, 4th Earl of Clanwilliam until he was got sick in Hong Kong, and then from December 6, 1881 to October 17, 1882 of Rear-Admiral Sir Francis Sullivan, led by Captain Charles Penrose-Fitzgerald. The Detached Squadron left Spithead on October 17, 1880 to circumnavigate the world and returned two years later.
It is claimed that on July 11, 1881 (or June 11, 1881), Prince George of Wales (later King George V of the United Kingdom) sighted a phantom ship whilst aboard Inconstant between Melbourne and Sydney. Two other ships, Tourmaline and Cleopatra, also reported seeing the phantom ship. Just after arriving in the Falkland Islands, the squadron was ordered to Simonstown, South Africa, for possible service in the First Boer War of 1880-1881, but hostilities had already ended by the time that it arrived. On the return voyage, the frigate caught fire; it was stopped by flooding all of the after compartments. Shortly afterward, the squadron was diverted to Egypt after the start of the Anglo-Egyptian War of 1882; they arrived after the Bombardment of Alexandria on July 11th and some of Inconstant's crew were landed to participate in operations ashore.
The ship was reduced to reserve again after their return on October 16, 1882. She became an accommodation ship for the overflow from the barracks at Devonport in 1897. Inconstant was taken out of service in 1904 and became a gunnery training ship in June 1906, assigned to the boy's training establishment Impregnable. She was renamed Impregnable III in 1907, then Defiance IV in January 1922 after she was transferred to the torpedo training school at Plymouth, Defiance, and then Defiance II in December 1930. The ship was sold for scrap in September 1955 and arrived at the breaker's yard in Belgium on April 4, 1956 for demolition, when she was the second-to-last Welsh-built naval vessel afloat.
The ship was reduced to reserve again after their return on October 16, 1882. She became an accommodation ship for the overflow from the barracks at Devonport in 1897. Inconstant was taken out of service in 1904 and became a gunnery training ship in June 1906, assigned to the boy's training establishment Impregnable. She was renamed Impregnable III in 1907, then Defiance IV in January 1922 after she was transferred to the torpedo training school at Plymouth, Defiance, and then Defiance II in December 1930. The ship was sold for scrap in September 1955 and arrived at the breaker's yard in Belgium on April 4, 1956 for demolition, when she was the second-to-last Welsh-built naval vessel afloat.