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Auction: 24111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 458

Three: Private E. G. West., 1st Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment

Queen's Sudan 1896-98 (3154. Pte. E. G. West. 1/Lin. R.); Khedive's Sudan Medal 1896-1908, 2 clasps (3154 Pte. E. J West 1. Linc. Regt.), note incorrect initial; Delhi Durbar 1911, unnamed as issued, heavy contact wear and edge bruising, nearly very fine (3)

Ernest George West was born at Stoke, Surrey in 1878, the son of Sergeant Edward West. Enlisting as a Boy on 9 July 1892, reaching his majority and the rank of Private on 9 June 1896. He was to serve throughout the British reconquest of the Sudan, being present for the first engagement at Atbara where the Lincolnshire Regiment was at the forefront of the attack, Khartoum by Micheal Asher refers:

'Once again, it was bayonet against sword and spear. But the quality of the British bayonets had improved in the thirteen years since et-Teb and Tamaai. For long minutes there was a bloody hand-to-hand tussle inside the Zariba. The attackers were streaming into it, thousands upon thousands of men, crammed shoulder to shoulder, stabbing, thrusting, firing and gouging.'

Going on to take part in the final action at Omdurman West was posted on from the Sudan to India on 8 November 1898 and being appointed Bandsman the same day. Appointed Corporal in India on 18 March 1905 West was finally discharged in India on 27 January 1906. Given the date of his service it is not clear whether he is entitled to the Delhi Durbar 1911 medal, however there is no record of his returning to Britain; sold together with copied service papers.

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Sold for
£320

Starting price
£80