Davison's Nile Medal : Royal Navy

Davison's Nile Medal in bronze-gilt. Obverse: The figure of Peace with an olive branch in her right hand. Under her right arm she supports a shield decorated with the portrait of Horatio Nelson with the inscription, 'EUROPE'S HOPE AND BRITAINS GLORY'. Around the circumference is the legend 'REAR-ADMIRAL LORD NELSON OF THE NILE'. Reverse: A view of the fleet sailing into Aboukir Bay with the inscription 'ALMIGHTY GOD HAS BLESSED HIS MAJESTY'S ARMS In the exergue is written 'VICTORY OF THE NILE AUGUST 1 1798'. The edge is engraved in large capitals 'A TRIBUTE OF REGARD FROM ALEXr DAVISON ESQ. ST JAMES'S SQUARE'. The medal has a double ring link suspender and a piece of dark blue 31 mm ribbon.

This medal was a personal award from Admiral Nelson's prize agent Mr Davison, to the British officers and men present at the Battle of the Nile, which took place between the British and the French navies at Aboukir Bay on 1 August 1798. Admirals and captains received it in gold, other officers in silver, petty officers in bronze-gilt and the remainder in bronze. All the medals have the name of the donor impressed on the edge. They were issued unnamed but some can be found with the name of the recipient privately engraved on the face of the reverse.

This medal is part of a collection assembled by the late Hon. Sir Thomas Hughes, Member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales. It was presented to the Memorial in memory of his son, Captain Roger Forrest Hughes, Australian Army Medical Corps, who died of wounds in France on 11 December 1916, and of his grandson, Flying Officer Peter Roger Forrest Hughes, 12 Squadron, Royal Australian Air Force, who was killed on active service while flying in the Northern Territory on 3 October 1942.