East and West Africa 1887-1900, 2 clasps, Gambia 1894, Brass River 1895, edge privately engraved ‘M’wele 1895/6’ (E. H. Rideout, Mid. H.M.S. Raleigh. M’wele 1895/6) good very fine £800-£1,000

Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, February 1997.

Only 4 medals issued with this combination.

Ernest Henry Rideout was born in Mayfair, London, on 8 February 1876, and entered the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet aboard H.M.S. Britannia on 15 July 1890, remaining there until July 1892. He was promoted to Midshipman during February 1893 and subsequently appointed to Raleigh (30 May 1893 to 25 April 1894) and served with the Naval Brigade landed by Rear Admiral Bedford at Bathurst, on the river Gambia, in February 1894, in co-operation with two companies of the 1st West India Regiment, for the punishment of Fodi Silah, a rebellious slave-raiding chief. As Midshipman of St George he served with the punitive expedition against King Koko of Nimby, the chief town of Brass, on the river Niger, in February 1895; and again served in the Naval Brigade landed by Rear Admiral Rawson at Mombassa, accompanied by 60 Soudanese and 50 Zanzibar Askaris, for the punishment of Mburuk, a rebellious Arab chief, resulting in the capture of his stronghold M’weli on 17 August 1895.

After promotion to Sub Lieutenant on 15 February 1897, he spent the next two years studying at the Naval College and on various courses prior to being promoted to Lieutenant on 30 June 1899. He subsequently served aboard Mildura (1900-01), Wallaroo (1901-04), Good Hope (1904-07), Victory (1907-09) and Essex (1909-12) where he was promoted to Commander on 31 December 1911. He was appointed to Ganges, the Boys Training Establishment at Shotley in 1912 and continued to serve at this establishment until 1918, when he was placed on the Retired List on 8 February 1919. He died on 8 January 1923.