Description
Egypt Medal, dated 1882, no bar, 1648 Corporal John Ernest Foster, 1st Bn Shropshire Light Infantry.
John Ernest Foster born in Chester, Cheshire, circa 1860, first attested for service with the 53rd (Shropshire) Regiment at Manchester on 22nd July 1880 having been a Saddler Dresser and member of the 1st Denbighshire Rifle Volunteers.
Promoted to Lance Corporal on 4th April 1882 and Corporal on 15th June 1882.
He served overseas in Egypt from 10th August 1882 until 17th February 1883.
Upon returning home he was found medically unfit at Netley Hospital on 10th April 1883 and had to have his left hand, middle finger amputated.
The Medical Report states he was at Cairo in December 1882 and whilst folding up his barrack bed he abraded and squeezed his middle finger.
The result was intense inflammation and Ankylosis, on arrival at Netley, the Doctors ordered the amputation, the inflammation being “Partly due to an unhealthy state of system arising out of Military Service in Egypt”.