Egypt Medal 1882-89 : Lieutenant W Cope, New South Wales Infantry

Egypt Medal 1882 -1889 with the bar 'SUAKIN 1885'. Engraved around the edge with recipient's details.

Issued to Lieutenant William Cope of the New South Wales Infantry. Cope was born in Windsor, New South Wales, on 26 June 1852. Educated at Sydney Grammar School, Cope became a solicitor in 1874. In 1885 he volunteered for service in the New South Wales Contingent for Sudan. Initially enlisting as a private, he was commissioned as a lieutenant upon arrival and made the transport officer. He returned to New South Wales in June and continued to practice law, until enlisting for service in South Africa in 1900. Serving with ‘A’ Squadron of the New South Wales Citizen’s Bushmen, Cope was involved in a number of engagements including the relief of Mafeking and the siege of Elands River. During the siege, Cope commanded the trenches just north of the hospital. Suffering an eye injury, cope was invalided back to Australia on 27 September 1900.

When the First World War broke out Cope was working in London. Too old for active service, he volunteered as the transport officer and censor to the Australian Voluntary Hospital with the honorary rank of captain. From August 1916 he worked with the Australian Comfort Funds attached to the 1st Australian Division. In June 1918 he started working for the French Red Cross and was awarded the French Croix de Guerre for helping the wounded near Ingelmunster. Cope returned to Sydney after the war, he died on 24 September 1933.