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Auction: 7012 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 780

The Most Interesting Group of Seven to Railway Pioneer Lieutenant-Colonel W.E. Longfield, Royal Engineers, Who Surveyed and Constructed Numerous Railways throughout the Soudan Over a Twenty-Two Year Railway Career, And Was Thrice Honoured For His Work a) 1914-15 Star (Capt: W.E. Longfield. R.E.) b) British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oakleaves (Lt. Col. W.E. Longfield) c) Special Constabulary Long Service Medal, G.V.R. (William E. Longfield) d) Turkey, Order of the Medjidieh, Third Class neck Badge, 78mm including Star and Crescent suspension x 61mm, silver, gold applique, and enamel, with mint mark and silver mark on reverse e) Turkey Order of Osmanieh, Third Class breast Badge, 80mm including Star and Crescent suspension x 65mm, silver, gold applique, and enamel f) Egypt, Order of the Nile, Third Class neck Badge, 93mm including crown suspension x 63mm, silver and enamel, nearly extremely fine, mounted for display together with Royal Engineers cap badge, in glazed frame, together with card boxes of issue for the Great War medals, and a decorative art nouveau style silver plaque, 59mm x 45mm, the reverse engraved ´Le President Stephane Derville au Captaine Longfield en Souvenir du Voyage au Soudan Janvier 1908´, in red leather case, the front embossed ´Captaine Longfield´ (7) Estimate £ 500-550 M.I.D. London Gazette 6.7.1917 Longfield, Local Lt.-Col. W.E. (Capt., Res. of Off.), Special List. M.I.D. London Gazette 16.1.1918 Longfield, Temp. Maj. W.E. (Capt., Res. of Off.), Special List. M.I.D. London Gazette 5.6.1919 Longfield, Maj. W.E., R. of O., R.E., Administrative Services. Lieutenant Colonel William Ebrington Longfield, born 4.6.1874, the sixth and youngest son of the Rev. Canon Richard Longfield, of Curraglass, County Cork; educated at Clifton College, Bristol, and R.M.A. Sandhurst; Commissioned Second Lieutenant, Royal Engineers, 25.7.1893, having graduated in 3rd place out of all the cadets of that year; Promoted Lieutenant, 25.7.1896; attached to Egyptian Army, December 1899. In 1901, with two other officers, Lieutenant Longfield conducted a complicated survey of the Suakin, Berber, and Atbara districts of the Soudan, with the object of establishing whether or not a branch of the railway line could be constructed to serve the cotton and grain trade in that area. Largely due to their survey, instructions were given in 1904 for the work to be carried out, with the Royal Engineers, rather than Civilian contractors, selected to build the line. As a result, Captain Longfield, having been promoted Captain 1.4.1904, was heavily involved with the construction; for this work he was appointed Third Class of the Order of the Medjidieh, 1906, and made Deputy General Manager of Sudan Railways; transferred to the Reserve of Officers, 15.12.1909, to become Assistant Director of Works in the Sudan Government; appointed Third Class of the Order of Osmanieh, 1912. On the outbreak of the Great War Captain Longfield was called up to the Royal Engineers, as Chief Railway Engineer, Alexandria; Served with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, March 1916- May 1917, and was thrice Mentioned in Despatches; Promoted Temporary Major 22.1.1916; Local Lieutenant Colonel 1.6.1917. The War over, he became Deputy Manager of the Sudan Railways; appointed Third Class of the Order of the Nile on his retirement, 1922, after serving the railways for 22 years. He retired to Gloucestershire, where he wrote Sudan Railways, served in the Special Constabulary, and in 1933 was appointed Justice of the Peace. At the outbreak of the Second World War he was Chairman of Gloucestershire County Council Public Assistance Committee. Lieutenant Colonel Longfield died 17.10.1942

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£1,400