Sydney Marow Eardley-Wilmot

Rear Admiral Sir Sydney Eardley-Wilmot wearing his medals: Canadian General Service Medal (left), Egypt Medal with Suakin clasp (centre), and the Khedive's Bronze Star (right).

The Egypt Medal (first version and without the Suakin clasp). Rear-Admiral Sir Sydney Marow Eardley-Wilmot (3 October 1847 – 27 February 1929) was a Royal Navy officer who took an active part in the Suakin Expedition and who lost a hand as the result of an explosion at the torpedo school . He had a specialism in naval gunnery and was Superintendent of Ordnance Stores at the Admiralty during the period of the Anglo-German naval arms race when the Dreadnought Fleet was developed. He advocated for the construction of the largest guns possible. He wrote a number of works of naval history as well as two novels that feature near-future naval warfare.

Early life and family Sydney Eardley-Wilmot was born at Mortlake, Surrey, on 3 October 1847, member of Parliament, judge, and author. He was educated at the academy of the Reverend W. Foster at Stubbington, Fareham. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in 1869. In January 1870, he joined in the Pacific on which he served for three years and about which he later edited an account of the voyage given by the officers. He was then posted to HMS Excellent to train as a gunnery lieutenant where he served under and was influenced by Commander John Fisher, later Lord Fisher, with whom he became close friends. He consistently advocated for the construction of the largest naval guns possible. In 1908, he was knighted for his service at the Admiralty. His memoirs, An Admiral's Memories: Sixty-five years afloat and ashore were published by Sampson Low, Marston & Co., in 1927.

Death and legacy Eardley-Wilmot died on 27 February 1929. He left £5,991 net, including £100 to the Royal United Service Institution for a gold medal to be awarded every five years for the best essay by a member on the subject of "Changes in naval warfare owing to new and modified weapons", to be known as the "Eardley-Wilmot" medal. Life of Vice-admiral Edmund, Lord Lyons. Sampson Low, Marston & Co., London, 1898. Our Navy for a Thousand Years. Sampson Low, Marston & Co., London, 1899. Our Fleet To-day, and its Development During the Last Half-century. Revised edition of "The development of navies during the last half-century.". Seeley, London, 1900. Our Flags: Their Origin, Use and Traditions. Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., London 1901. The Battle of the North Sea in 1914. Hugh Rees, London, 1912. (as "Searchlight") (second edition in own name, 1913) An Admiral's Memories: Sixty-five Years Afloat and Ashore. Sampson Low, Marston & Co., London, 1927.