A medal awarded to a Maltese soldier who served with the British Expeditionary Force in Egypt against Napoleon at Alexandria is expected to sell for up to £2, 000 (€2,340) in a sale at Sotheby's conducted by London specialist coins and medals auctioneers Morton & Eden tomorrow week.

Lorenzo Camilleri was among about 500 members of the Maltese Pioneers, an army raised in December 1800. Only six Maltese Pioneers are listed in the Military General Service Medal Roll 1793-1814 by A.L.T. Mullen, Lorenzo Camilleri not being among them, but the total number of medals issued with the Egypt clasp was 41, of which three were to officers. Interestingly, a Francesco Camilleri was Assistant Surgeon with the Pioneers in Egypt in 1801.

The recruitment of Maltese men to serve in a British regiment started in April 1800, with the Maltese Light Infantry serving in Malta against the French, and again abroad, at the evacuation of Elba in 1801. The Pioneers served with Sir Ralph Abercrombie's army at the Battle of Alexandria and subsequent siege of the city and in other parts of Egypt before the corps was disbanded early in 1802.

The medal, which is decorated with the head of the young queen Victoria on the obverse and the Queen presenting a laurel wreath to the kneeling Duke of Wellington on the reverse, will be on view at Morton & Eden's offices at 45 Maddox Street, London W1 on November 25, 26 and 29, from 10am to 4.30pm.