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Auction: 7012 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 726

A Scarce Campaign Group of Four to Major H.M. Sidney, 10th Sudanese Battalion Egyptian Army, Late Duke of Cornwall´s Light Infantry, Who Was Mortally Wounded Leading His Men in the Assault on Abu Hamed, 7.8.1897 Egypt 1882-89, undated, one clasp, The Nile 1884-85 (Lieut: H.M. Sidney. 2/D of Corn: L.I.), light pitting from Star; Turkey, Order of Medjidieh, Officer´s breast Badge, silver, gold, and enamel, with arabic stamp marks, minor red enamel damage; Khedive´s Star 1884-86, with Tokar clasp; Khedive´s Sudan 1896-1908, four clasps, Firket, Hafir, Abu Hamed, Sudan 1897, unnamed, otherwise generally good very fine, mounted court style (4) Estimate £ 900-1,100 Major Henry Marlow Sidney, born 1862; Second Lieutenant 2nd Battalion Duke of Cornwall´s Light Infantry, 1883; Adjutant 1886-1890; Captain 1889; transferred Temporary Major Egyptian Army, 1890; appointed Commanding Officer 10th Sudanese Infantry Battalion and posted to the Garrison Port of Suakin on the Red Sea; Sidney led his battalion as part of a task force sent to deal with Osman Digna at Tokar (February 1891), the resulting action was a resounding success with Digna´s forces suffering 700 dead (Order of Medjidieh, 4th Class, London Gazette 18.8.1891); Major 1894. Osman Digna surfaced again in April 1896, with a force of around 3,000 tribesman challenging Anglo-Egyptian Government authority in and around the Port of Suakin area. On the 15th April a force set out to Khor Wintri where Digna´s tribesmen had massed. Captain Sidney set out with 250 men from Tokar and was ordered to rendezvous with the main force under Lieutenant-Colonel G.E. Lloyd before engaging Digna at Khor Wintri. The main force made slow progress and Lloyd sent his cavalry force under Captain Fenwick to warn Sidney of their expected late arrival. The cavalry, however was twice attacked en-route, by superior numbers, and forced to fight a rear guard action back to Teroi. The message did not reach Sidney and he advanced with his small force in ignorance of the delay of the main force, towards the tribesmen at Khor Wintri. When Lloyd arrived, fearing for the fate of Sidney and his men, he discovered that the latter´s Tokar Contingent were in total possession of Khor Wintri. Sidney had taken the position during a surprise attack during the previous day. After the initial shock the Dervish had re-grouped and flung themselves in fanatical fury upon Sidney´s square, resulting in the Arabs suffering 40 killed and many wounded. (Brevet Major; Mentioned in Despatches). Sidney and his 10th Sudanese were in action once again at Abu Hamed during the Dongolan Campaign of 1897. The capture of the fortified town was detailed to Major-General A. Hunter and a combined force of Egyptian and Sudanese troops. On the 7th of August 1897 at 5.30am Hunter´s force was assembled on the outskirts of the town, with Sidney´s battalion deployed on the left flank. Approximately 1,000 Dervish were deeply entrenched within the town and Major Sidney fell mortally wounded whilst leading his battalion´s charge against the enemy´s forward position. Abu Hamed was carried by mid-day, after hand to hand fighting in the town´s narrow streets. Of the original Dervish force only approximately 175 escaped. Hunter´s force lost 2 British Officers, 21 men and 64 wounded. The 10th Sudanese alone lost both officers (including Sidney), 14 men killed and 34 wounded. Group originally purchased from the family, the last two clasps of the Khedive´s Sudan have been subsequently added.

Sold for
£2,800