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Auction: 26001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 65

The rare Egypt and Sudan Medal awarded to Private J. D. Collister, New South Wales Contingent, a native of the Isle of Man and one of only nine casualties to that unit, who died of Typhoid Fever at Colombo while returning from Suakin

Egypt and Sudan 1882-1889, undated reverse, 1 clasp, Suakin 1885 (150, Pte. J. D. Collister, N.S.W. Infy.), sold together with the Special Constabulary Medal awarded to his nephew, nearly extremely fine

Just 9 men of the 546-strong New South Wales Contingent are recorded as having died in service during the Sudan campaign.

John Douglas Collister was born at Douglas, Isle of Man in 1862, the son of Robert and Janetta Collister of St. George Street, Douglas. Whilst still living there he took up work as a joiner and additionally enlisted with the Volunteer Artillery Force. However, the young Collister was apparently afflicted with a wanderlust from a young age, leaving the Isle of Man for Australia at the age of only 19, arriving in Sydney on 15 June 1881.

Whilst in Sydney he took up work as a carpenter and joined the New South Wales Contingent, the first force to be deployed in the pay of a self-governing Australian Colony. The unit comprised 522 men with 24 officers and an artillery battery of 212 men, they sailed on 3 March 1885 and joined the assembling British Army.

They marched on the village of Tamaai, the stronghold of Osman Digna in the region, skirmishing with Mahdist forces the entire way. Digna later proved to have withdrawn from the region so the Imperial force burned the village and withdrew themselves.

The New South Wales Contingent re-embarked on 17 May 1885, stopping at Colombo, Ceylon, on the way. When they moved on Collister was left behind having contracted Typhoid, a disease which was rife in the Australian troops at the time.

Tragically he died on 10 June 1885, Collister is buried at Borella Kanattha General Cemetery, Colombo. When the New South Wales Contingent arrived back in Australia they were surprised to find themselves quarantined to contain the typhoid outbreak which killed nine men in total, sold together with copied research.

Sold together with a Special Constabulary LS. (Sub-Inspr Robert C. Collister), good very fine

Robert Creer Collister was born at Douglas, Isle of Man on 31 January 1897, the son of Catherine and Robert Hartwell Collister.


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Estimate
£1,400 to £1,800

Starting price
£1100