16792 Regimental Sergeant Major
FRANK EDWARD STEEDS
Royal Engineers
by
Ó Fred Larimore, 1999.
All Rights Reserved.
Service Period 1880-1906.
26 years service in the British Army.
Served 7 years 7 months as a Sergeant Major of Royal Engineers.
1. Born: 1 July 1861.
2. Enlistment: 29 November 1880.
3. Rank Service:
Service number : 16792
18 years 116 days. His last rank before appointment to Sergeant Major appears to have been that of Quartermaster Sergeant.
4. Date of appointment to Sergeant Major of Royal Engineers: 25 February 1899.
Quarterly Army List shows:
Jan. 1902, p.1380. 8th on the list of Royal Engineer Sergeant Majors.
Jan. 1903, p.1380. 5th on the list of Royal Engineer Sergeant Majors.
Jan. 1904, p.1380. 4th on the list of Royal Engineer Sergeant Majors.
Jan. 1905, p.1380. 3rd on the list of Royal Engineer Sergeant Majors.
Jan. 1906, p.1380. 2nd on the list of Royal Engineer Sergeant Majors.
Jul. 1906, p.1381. 1st on the list of Royal Engineer Sergeant Majors.
Steeds not listed in the Oct. 1906 Quarterly Army List.
Served 7 years 7 months as a Sergeant Major of Royal Engineers.
5. Service and Campaign Awards:
Egypt 1882 Campaign:
Received dated Egypt Medal without clasp. Medal named as 2nd Corporal, Field Park Royal Engineers. Steeds was one of 32 Royal Engineers of the Field Park to receive the medal.
Sudan Campaign 1884:
While serving with the 26th Field Company of the Royal Engineers Steeds earned the clasps for "Suakin 1884" and "El-Teb -Tamaai". 100 men of the 26th Field Company were present at the Battle of El-Teb on the 29th of February 1884. The 26th Field Company was present for the Battle of Tamaai on the 13th of March 1884. This is the only Field Company entitled to these two clasps to the Egypt Medal.
Victorian Army Long Service and Good Conduct Medal:
Awarded to Quartermaster Sergeant Steeds by Army Order 67, April 1899. Awarded without a gratuity. Steeds had probably been recommended for the LSGC sometime before his promotion to Sergeant Major on the 25th of February 1899. Did his promotion to Sgt. Maj. disqualify him from receiving a gratuity with his LSCG?
6. Retirement: On 2 July 1906. Still listed as retired in the January 1916 Army List.