Auction: 24111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 104
Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 2 clasps, Suakin 1885, Tofrek (41/2038 Pte. D. Denver. 1/Berks: R.), pitting, edge bruising, nearly very fine
Daniel Denver was born at County Meath, Ireland in 1861 and attested with the 49th Foot at Drogheda on 10 March 1880, just prior to their amalgamation with the 66th Foot to form the Berkshire Regiment. He was present with the 1st Battalion when they disembarked at Egypt in July 1882 for serving in the Anglo-Egyptian War.
The Battalion was posted to General Sir Evelyn Wood's Brigade at Kafr-ed-Daur where they screened the British beachhead at Alexandria from Egyptian troops. Engaging them on several occasions in August 1882 they were issued with dated medals without clasps for this service, although many later added clasps for service in Sudan.
The Battalion landed at Suakin on 30 January 1885 and saw action a little over a month later at Hashin against a Dervish force which was threatening travel between the Red Sea and the Nile. Intending a follow up advance on Tamaai, Graham sent a column under General McNeill to establish a supply base at Tofrek, there they came under attack by a strong Dervish force.
The British had begun the construction of a zariba fence, and half of the Battalion was ordered to occupy the south-western section. The rest were further north and east of the zariba outside the defences when suddenly a patrol of lancers came in reporting a large enemy force on their heels.
On cue a large Dervish force attacked from the desert and stampeded the transport animals grazing outside the zariba. In the confusion a number of them managed to overwhelm the defenders of the south-western redoubt, slaughtering the sailors manning the Gardiner guns. The men of the Berkshires withdrew to the north wall of the redoubt and opened fire, throwing the attackers back in confusion. To the East the other half of the Battalion formed a square and opened fire, halting the attackers as they attempted to push north. Unable to exploit their advantage the Dervishes were forced to withdraw.
After the withdrawal of the British from Suakin the Battalion was ordered to Wadi Halfa on the Egyptian-Sudanese border where an Anglo-Egyptian force was preventing Dervish incursions into Egypt. A force of them attempted to bypass the border guard under General Grenfell however these troops sallied to confront the Mahdists at Ginnis. Notably this was the last battle in which British troops are confirmed to have gone into action wearing red coats.
The Dervishes had occupied the town of Ginnis and constructed a camp on a hill nearby and as such the British formed into two Brigades. The Berkshires were with the first Brigade and had the job of taking the Dervish camp which they did handle, suffering losses of 3 killed and 16 wounded.
Returning to the Nile Reserve Depot in March 1886 he was discharged at Gosport in April, listing his intended place of residence as Hayes Town, Navan, Country Meath, Ireland. Denver appears on the 1901 census living at a lodging house in Yorkshire and as a Forwarding Clerk for the Docks at Liverpool in 1911; sold together with copied research sold together with census data, pay allowance records and medal rolls.
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Sold for
£210
Starting price
£140
