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Auction: 24001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 241

Pair: Private F. Wright, 20th Hussars

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, Gemaizah 1888, Toski 1889 (2695. Pte. F. Wright. 20th Hussars.); Khedive's Sudan 1882, the reverse engraved '20H 2695', light pitting, very fine

One of 80 medals to the Regiment with this combination of clasps.

Frederick Wright was born at Stonebridge Farm, Willesden in October 1865, the son of Alfred and Eliza Wright. Enlisted in Bedford on 6 April 1886, he saw service in Britain for the next two years until the Regiment was posted to Egypt in September 1888. From there they were posted to Sudan, arriving at Suakin on 18 December as part of General Grenfell's Anglo-Egyptian Army.

The 20th arrived just in time as two days later, Osman Digna marched his Dervishes towards the port with the intention of placing it under siege. Grenfell had no intention of allowing himself to be boxed in however and he sallied out to meet the Mahdist Army in the Battle of Gemaizah. After an hour and a half of fighting the British managed to drive back the Dervishes with heavy losses at a cost of only 12 men.

The Mahdi was not done with Egypt after this defeat however and ordered another army north the next year which Grenfell again marched to meet in the field. His army was made up almost entirely of Egyptian and Sudanese troops with only a single Squadron of the 20th to form the British contingent. This small unit included Wright along with 80 other men who had been present at Gemaizah the year before. The newly trained Egyptian Army annihilated the Mahdist forces with only 800 escaping alive.

Wright was transferred back to Britian on 2 November 1890 and saw Home Service until April 1893 when he joined the Army Reserve. He was discharged on 5 April 1898; sold together with copied research including medal roll, census data and service papers.

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Sold for
£580

Starting price
£270