Admiral Nelson's victory against the French in the Battle of the Nile was celebrated in England and secured his reputation. The Nile medal was a privately issued by Nelson's prize agent Mr Alexander Davison to all British officers and men present at the battle which took place at Aboukir Bay on 1 August 1798. The medal was struck in gold, silver, bronze gilt and in bronze, and was apparently the first time a medal had been issued to every participant in a naval action. All of the medals have the name of the donor impressed on the edge, but were issued unnamed, but some hand names privately engraved.

This medal in gilt bronze indicates that the recipient was a petty officer, and unusually is named on each side. On the obverse face is the name "William Haley" and on the reverse to "Hy Smith THESEUS", indicating the recipient served on the vessel Theseus.

See Laurence Brown, British Historical medals 1760-1960, Volume 1, catalogue number 447, page 107

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