South Africa Medal 1877-79

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. Inscription on edge: 'REV.A.NICHOLLS, CHAPN & N1 INSTR. R.N. H.M.S. BOADICEA'.

Alexander Nicolls (c.1844-1925) was born in Enniskean, County Cork and studied at Dublin University in preparation for ministry in the Anglican Church. In 1871-72, he was curate in the parish of Westborough and Dry Doddington, Lincolnshire, then served as a naval chaplain and instructor from 1872 - initially on HMS ‘Audacious’, the guard ship at Hull. During that year, he moved to HMS ‘Immortalite’, part of the detached squadron which took part in a series of world cruises undertaken for training purposes and to display British sea power. During 1872-4 she visited the West Indies and Mediterranean and in 1874-1877 India and the Far East. ‘Boadicea’ his next ship, served in the Zulu War with some of her men in a shore-based naval brigade. In ‘Dido’ from 1879-82, Nicolls was on the West Africa station and from 1881 on the North America and the West Indies station. He ended his career in a training ship HMS ‘St Vincent’ and from 1992 was chaplain at Pembroke Dock. In 1890, he married Laura Cockborn at Portsmouth. By 1901, the couple were resident in Bedford where Alexander remained until his death.