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Auction: 24001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 238

Pair: Private J. Gilbert, 19th Hussars

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 3 clasps, Suakin 1884, El-Teb_Tamaai, Suakin 1885 (2103. Pte. J. Gilbert. 19th Hussars.); Khedive's Star 1884, unnamed as issued, pitting, light edge bruising, very fine (2)

Provenance:
D.N.W. July 1993.

One of 110 Suakin 1885 bars to the Regiment.

James Gilbert was born in approximately 1862 and enlisted with the 19th Hussars at Edinburgh on 7 February 1881. Joining the British Army in Egypt he was not present with the Regiment at the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir, likely being with one of the troops left at either Mahsama or Te-el-Mahuta. However Gilbert did join the Regiment in the Eastern Sudan when they were posted to General Graham's Suakin expedition.

The 19th Hussars was present at the Battle of El-Teb on 29 February where they prematurely charged a fresh Dervish force and found themselves caught in a bloody melee. It was here that Sergeant Marshall of the 19th won the Victoria Cross for his bravery in rescuing his wounded commanding officer Colonel Barrow. The regiment lost 2 men killed and 9 wounded in the action and the column pushed on.

They were again present at Tamaai on 13 March where General Davis' square was breached. The cavalry supported General Buller's square in driving off the Dervishes with steady gunfire, allowing the broken formation to reform. After the expedition the Regiment returned to Cairo, where they were still stationed later in the year when General Gordon assembled his force to relieve Khartoum.

Three Squadrons of the Regiment joined this expedition however one remained in Cairo and was later posted to Suakin on 30 January 1885. Stationed there to defend the important foothold in Sudan from Osman Digna's Dervishes. They remained there until March when they re-embarked for Cairo, where Gilbert was posted to the depot. He was discharged on 11 February 1887; sold together with handwritten research and copied research including medal roll and pension documents.

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Sold for
£400

Starting price
£270