Awarded to Admiral Sir Frederick Tower Hamilton (1856-1917). Obverse: Head of Queen Victoria with a diadem, hair tied in a knot (left) Legend: 'VICTORIA REGINA'. Reverse: a lion crouching to drink, a bush behind. Exergue: A Zulu ox-hide shield crossed with four assegais. Legend: 'SOUTH AFRICA'.. Fitted with a cusped bar and buff ribbon with two broad blue stripes near the edge and two narrow inner ones. Bar: '1879'. Inscription on edge: 'F.HAMILTON RN'.

Sir Frederick was the son of Captain Henry George Hamilton RN. He entered the Navy as a cadet in 1869. He served in the 'Bristol' in the West Indies, 1870 to 1871, and then in the 'Ariadne' in the Mediterranean, 1872. From 1877 to 1878 he served in the 'Martin' training brig on a cruise to the West Indies. In 1878 he joined the 'Liffey' which sailed to Coquimbo where the crew took over the 'Shah'. On the return voyage Hamilton thus found himself as part of the Naval Brigade in the Zulu War of 1879, for which service he was mentioned in despatches. He was also made a lieutenant in this year. He then served in the Mediterranean in the 'Thunderer' until 1881. In 1892 he was made a commander and appointed to the 'Hood' 1893 to 1896, in the Mediterranean. He was promoted to captain in 1898. In 1905 he became commodore in command of the Gunnery School at Portsmouth. In 1907 he was made rear-admiral and in 1909 commanded the fifth squadron Atlantic Fleet and two years later, the third and fourth divisions of the Home Fleet. In 1912 he became vice-admiral. After the outbreak of war, from 1914 he was Second Sea Lord and was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth in 1916, dying of heart failure there the following year.

Frederick Hamilton married Maria Walpole daughter of Admiral of the Fleet the Honourable Sir Henry Keppel in 1889 and they had four children.