Awarded to William Evans (1828-1903), HMS 'Dee' for service in the Eighth Xhosa War. 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. Legend: 'SOUTH AFRICA'. Exergue: '1853'. Suspended from a cusped bar and watered silk buff ribbon with two broad blue stripes near the edge and two narrow blue inner ones. Inscribed on edge: 'W. EVANS. CLERK'S ASST'.

William Evans joined the Navy in 1853 as a clerk in the 50-gun frigate HMS ‘Imperieuse’, serving in South Africa and the Baltic. He was then stationed in the Pacific in HMS ‘Monarch’, 84 guns, between 1854 and 1858. He was promoted full paymaster in 1863, serving in the Mediterranean and at Chatham and Sheerness. Continued service saw him on the North America station and in the East Indies. Evans was in HMS ‘Penelope’ at the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882, staying with her for the remainder of his career after she became the drill ship at Harwich. He retired in 1884 with the rank of paymaster in chief.

He married Sarah Eliza Boucher in 1862 at Rochester, Kent and the couple had one son William Boucher Evans. After his retirement William Evans lived in Maidstone, Kent, then moved to Ross, Herefordshire where he died.