Orders, Decorations and Medals

Military General Service 1793-1814, 1 clasp, Egypt (Fredk. Crofton, Lieut. 24th Foot) polished, therefore nearly very fine £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Choice Collection of Medals and other items to the 24th Foot (South Wales Borderers).

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Collection

Ex Elson Collection 1963.

Frederick Crofton was born in Guernsey, Channel Islands, on 5 April 1782, son of Captain John Crofton, Company of Invalids. He was appointed Ensign in the 24th Foot on 26 May 1796, and promoted to Lieutenant on 1 June 1797. He joined his regiment in Canada in August 1796, aged 14 years, and served in Nova Scotia until December 1800. In June 1801 he joined the Army in Egypt and took part in the siege of Alexandria until the capitulation on 2nd September 1801. The 24th Foot left Egypt at the end of October 1801 for Malta when the gold medals presented by the Sultan of Turkey to the British officers were distributed by Lord Hutchinson.

In March 1803, Lieutenant Crofton exchanged into the 64th Foot and joined that regiment in St Lucia, where he was present at the storming and capture of the fortress of Morne Fortunee in June 1803. In the following year he became a Captain in the recently formed York Light Infantry Volunteers and served in that regiment in the West Indies until he returned home in January 1817. He subsequently held commissions as Major in the 2nd Royal Veteran Battalion, the 39th Foot, and the 22nd Foot, finally retiring from the service by the sale of his commission in 1835. He died in London on 16 March 1854, aged 71 years. Only five officers of the regiment lived to claim the clasp for service in Egypt.