East & West Africa Medal clasp, Benin 1897 named REVD E T FYFFE CHAPN HMS FORTE.
Only three Naval Chaplains received the Medal with Benin 1897 clasp.
Ebenezer Thomas Fyffe was born in Cumberworth, Surrey in 1851 and studied Theology at Queens’ College, Cambridge. On being ordained Deacon in 1874, he served as Curate of Newton Blossomville St. Nicholas, near Bedford until December 1876, when he joined the Royal Navy as a Chaplain. He also qualified as a Naval Instructor in the following year. He subsequently enjoyed several seagoing appointments, including service on the Mediterranean and China stations, in addition to a tour of duty in HMS Forte off the West Coast of Africa in 1897, when he was landed with the Naval Brigade in the Benin operations. On finally coming ashore in 1903, he was appointed the Rector of Holy Trinity Landcross, Bideford, Devon, in which capacity he served until 1920. He died at Nailsworth, Gloucestershire in August 1925.
Handwritten paperwork states served HMS Ruby in Med 1877/81, Ganges 1881/83, Sapphire China Station 1883/87, Royal Adelaide 1886/88, Orlando 1888/91, Caledonia 1891/92, Duke of Wellington 1892/95, Forte 1895/97, Vivid 1897/1901, Juno 1901, Excellent 1901/02.
