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Auction: 25002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 96

Four: Colonel T. Burnett-Hitchcock, Shropshire Light Infantry, who served as Brigade Major of 4th Brigade during the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War, later earning the Order of the Osmaneih and a 'mention' for his part of the bloody battles of El-Teb and Tamaai

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 2 clasps, Suakin 1884, El-Teb_Tamaai (Capt: Burnett-Hitchcock. 1/Shrops:L.I.); Khedive's Star 1882, unnamed as issued; Turkey, Ottoman, Order of the Medjidieh, 4th Class breast Badge, silver and enamel, with a gold and enamel centre; Order of the Osmanieh, 4th Class breast Badge, silver-gilt and enamel with a gold centre and suspension, the third with a minor chip to the suspension but overall good very fine and rare (4)

Provenance:
Spink, July 1998.

Note the Shropshire Light Infantry did not receive the Suakin 1884 or El-Teb_Tamaai clasps and as such this is believed to be a rare, if not unique combination.

Thomas Burnett-Hitchcock was born at Stoke Newington on 19 June 1844 and lived at Wyke House near Winchester, attending Winchester College. Whilst there he rowed for Winchester before matriculating to Worcester College, Oxford. Commissioned Lieutenant on 15 May 1860 he was first posted to Canada on 4 September 1866. Posted to the West Indies from there on 20 October 1869 and remaining there for a year he returned to Britain in 1870.

Advanced Captain on 12 August 1876 Burnett-Hitchock was posted to serve as Brigade Major of 4th Brigade in 1882 under Sir Evlyn Wood. This unit was kept manning the defences of Alexandria and as such did not take part in the Battle of Tel-El-Kebir. Burnett-Hitchock performed his role well however as he was advanced Major not long later, on 15 May 1884.

He was to return to Egypt and later Sudan in 1884 as part of General Graham's expedition, intended to support the General Charles Gordon's position in Khartoum by advancing from Suakin. Burnett-Hitchock was appointed Brigade Major of 2nd Brigade and as such took part in Graham's advance to the scene of Valentine Baker's recent defeat at El-Teb, where they faced off against the victorious Osman Digna's Hadendoa tribesmen.

The British army formed a single square and advanced on the Mahdists, bypassing their trenches and silencing their captured Krupp guns. The Mahdists attempted a frontal rush however they were unable to break through the wall of rifle and gatling fire. They suffered heavy losses and were finally forced to flee the field, though their strength had not been broken. The British advance allowed them to retake Tokar and recapture much of the equipment lost by the Egyptian Gendarmerie during the First Battle of El-Teb.

Continuing to advance they arrived at Tamaai where they once again found themselves confronted by Osman Digna. Forming into two Brigade Squares the British advanced with the 2nd Brigade leading the advance, as Brigade-Major it is very likely that Burnett-Hitchock was in this formation. When the Mahdists attacked the Yorks and Lancs halted to give fire while the Black Watch were ordered to advance on the enemy to their front, opening a gap in the formation.

The result was that the Mahdist infantry were able to crash into the Square, forcing the gap wider. Bloody hand to hand fighting followed with some British troops facing enemy to their front and rear at the same time. Fortunately the unengaged 1st Brigade was able to advance and open fire on the Mahdists, driving them away and giving the officers of 2nd Brigade a chance to reform the square. Osman Digna's army was again driven off however the British success was short lived, as their political masters ordered the expedition to withdraw from Sudan. For his services in the expedition Burnett-Hitchock was 'mentioned' (London Gazette 6 May 1884, refers).

He was further advanced Brevet Lieutenant Colonel on 21 May 1884 as one of several officers promoted in 'recognition of their services during the recent operations in the Soudan'. The award of the Order of the Osmaneih from the Egyptian Government, again specifically referencing his service in Sudan, followed shortly afterwards. However he was not to serve much longer, retiring and dying in 1899. He was survived by his son Lieutenant-General Sir Basil Burnett-Hitchcock, K.C.B., D.S.O., who won his award at Harcourt for rallying retreating troops and leading them back to the frontline in 1914; sold together with copied research.

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Estimate
£700 to £900

Starting price
£550