in hand by Major-General Graham, and the army with which he proceeded
towards Tokar included 13 officers and 150 sailors, with 6 machine
guns, under the command of Commander Rolfe, likewise about 400 marines
and marine artillerymen under Colonel Tuson. At El-Teb on the morning
of February 29th, 1884, the British force advanced in square, over the
sickening area where the previous battle had taken place, to attack
the Mahdists, who had entrenched themselves upon a narrow ridge about
a mile in length. The Arabs opened fire, but the guns of the seamen
and artillerymen proving too warm for them, they came forward to meet
the advancing square, upon which they fell in their fanatical manner,
which was as mad as it was grand. The fire of the naval machine guns
stopped their rush, and then their position was taken, but the brunt of
the fighting had fallen upon the naval brigade--as well as the "Black
Watch" and the "York and Lancasters"--"who contributed materially to
the success of the action," in which they lost an officer and 3 men
killed, but one naval officer gained the V.C. when the Mahdists almost
penetrated the corner of the square and attempted to spear some of the
seamen; Captain A. K. Wilson's sword was broken in his gallant effort,
and himself would have fallen but for the timely action of some of the
65th (York and Lancasters). The British lost 4 officers and 26 men
killed, and 160 officers and men wounded, ere the village of El-Teb had
been taken, and the enemy made off in the direction of Tokar, which
was taken next day. Those who took part in this action had the bar
for EL-TEB added to their Egyptian medal, or, if this was their first
experience of Egyptian warfare, the medal without the date, but with
the bar for El-Teb, was awarded.
=Tamaai.=--This battle, which took place on March 13th, 1884, again
afforded the "handymen" an opportunity of demonstrating their worth.
Undismayed by what should have been a salutary lesson at El-Teb, the
Mahdists began to preach a strenuous crusade against the infidel. It
became necessary, therefore, to again set in motion the force which
had returned to Suakin, and to march on Tamaai, where the Arabs had
concentrated their forces. On the evening of the 12th the army, in
two squares, halted a couple of miles from Tamaai, and it was thought
there was little possibility of a night attack, but at 1 a.m. the enemy
began to fire upon the British camp, and continued to do so all through
the night, until at 8 o'clock the army, arranged in two brigades,
advanced--the first under General (later Sir) Redvers Buller, and the
second under General Davis, in which the naval brigade and marines were
included. The latter, after the skirmishers had fallen back, met the
enemy with a rattling fire from their machine guns and rifles, and then
the "Black Watch," charging the enemy with considerable impetuosity,
left a gap in the formation through which the tribesmen rushed, and
all was soon confusion--friend and foe being so mixed, and all so
closely packed together, that they could hardly use their weapons; and
when they had extricated themselves, hand-to-hand fighting of a most
ferocious character took place. In this unfortunate episode the naval
guns had to be abandoned for a time, with the loss of 3 lieutenants
and several men. Buller's brigade coming up turned the tables, and the
guns were retaken and turned upon the fleeing Mahdists. The troops
then marched upon Tamaai, took possession of the place next day,
and destroyed it together with Osman Digna's camp. In this battle 5
officers and 101 men were killed, and 8 officers and 103 men wounded,
but the Mahdists had lost over 3,000 killed.
For this engagement a bar inscribed TAMAAI was issued, and to those
who had also taken part in the previous battle of El-Teb one inscribed
EL-TEB--TAMAAI.
=Suakin, 1884.=--Undaunted Osman Digna still managed to preach his holy
war, and secure thousands of adherents to his banner. Within four miles
of the disastrous defeat which he had suffered he successfully got
together, at Tamanieb, about 2,000 fighting men, but General Graham did
not give him much rope, and immediately set out to meet him. Leaving
Suakin on March 25th, he marched with a force which included marines
to meet the Mahdists. To guard Suakin in the absence of General Graham
and his troops, a force of 200 seamen was landed; the enemy did not,
however, come to close grips, and after driving them off on March 27th,
and destroying their camp, the troops returned to Suakin, after a very
trying time, in which owing to the intense heat many fell victims to
sunstroke. Suakin was then garrisoned with a small body of troops,
including a battalion of marines, and after the rest of the troops
had retired to Cairo, or returned to England, they had to defend the
place for several months, during which time the officers and crews of
the "Albacore," "Briton," "Coquette," "Myrmidon," "Sphinx," "Tyne,"
and "Woodlark" were kept busy in assisting the defenders. For these
services a clasp inscribed SUAKIN 1884 was issued.
=The Nile, 1884-5.=--The valiant defence of Khartoum by General Gordon
ultimately forced upon the British Government the task of attempting
to relieve him, and his few European comrades. The expedition was
organised to take the field under General Wolseley; and as special
efforts were to be made to use the Nile as a water road for the troops,
300 boats of a special type were built, and 500 Canadian boatmen
(Voyageurs) and 300 Kroomen were recruited to navigate them. It is said
of the Voyageurs that some of them "hardly knew the stern of a boat
from the bow," and "when they saw the Cataracts went sick."
It will be remembered that Lord Wolseley offered a prize of £100 to the
first regiment to reach Debbeh in boats, and the 1st Royal Irish won it.
In this expedition a naval brigade composed of men from the
Mediterranean fleet commanded by Captain (afterwards Admiral) Lord
Charles Beresford was prominently engaged. Of the difficulties that had
to be encountered in navigating the Nile much could be written, for the
work was not accomplished without considerable loss of life, and before
the expedition reached Dongola 10 of the Canadians and 40 of the troops
had been drowned.
[Illustration: SECOND CLASS PRUSSIAN ORDER OF MERIT.]
[Illustration: HESSIAN MEDAL FOR 1814-15.]
[Illustration: AUSTRIAN CROSS FOR 1813-14.]
=Abu-Klea.=--At the beginning of January 1885 Lord Wolseley, becoming
apprehensive for the safety of General Gordon, ordered General Sir
Herbert Stewart to press forward across the desert with about 1,600 men
to Metammeh on the Nile, and from there to make for Khartoum--about
100 miles up the river--in Gordon's steamers. After a march of 100
miles the force rested on January 12th at Jadkul; refreshed, the troops
marched on until on January 16th they fell in with the enemy about
4 miles from Abu-Klea. A zareba was formed, and the men lay down to
rest, which intermittent firing made almost impossible. At 9 o'clock
on the morning of January 17th, leaving the camels and wounded inside
the zareba, the force advanced towards the enemy's position; the naval
brigade under Lord Charles Beresford formed the centre of the near
face of the square: they had with them a Gardner gun. After a march
of 2 miles the skirmishers were forced back on the square by the rush
of thousands of Mahdists, horse and foot, who came up to within 400
feet of the partly formed square. "The terrible rain of bullets poured
into them by the mounted infantry, and the Guards, stayed them not,"
for, as Lord Charles Beresford relates, "they were tearing down upon
us with a roar like the roar of the sea, an immense, surging wave of
white-slashed black forms brandishing bright spears and long flashing
swords; and all were chanting, as they leaped and ran, the war song
of their faith.... These things we heard and saw in a flash, as the
formidable wave swept steadily nearer."
Meanwhile Lord Charles had ordered the Gardner gun to be run outside
the square to the left flank, and he laid the gun himself to make sure.
As he fired, he states, "I saw the enemy mown down in rows, dropping
like ninepins.... I was putting in most effective work on the leading
ranks, and had fired about thirty rounds, when the gun jammed." Then
Lord Charles, with the captain of the gun, William Rhodes, chief
boatswain's mate, "set to work to try and unscrew the feed-plate in
order to clear the barrel, or to take out its lock. The next moment the
enemy were on top of us. The feed plate dropped on my head, knocking me
under the gun and across its trail." Rhodes was instantly killed by a
spear thrust, as was also the armourer, Walter Miller. On struggling to
his feet, Lord Charles was "carried bodily backwards by the tremendous
impact of the rush, right upon the front rank of the men of No. 4
Company, who stood like rocks." So great was the pressure that the
front ranks could not use rifle or bayonet for a few moments; then
the pressure forcing the white men back enabled the rear rank to fire
over their heads into the mass of the Arabs. "The Arabs fell in heaps,
whereupon the front rank, the pressure upon them relaxing, fired, and
fought hand to hand with the bayonet, cursing as the rifles jammed and
the shoddy bayonets twisted like tin." The men of the naval brigade
joined in the furious hand-to-hand fighting--indeed, all round this
was the feature of the fight at Abu-Klea, the heavy Camel Regiment,
Scots Greys, Royals, and 5th Dragoon Guards desperately fighting in the
square, while the Royal Sussex kept the enemy at bay with their steady
fire. Every Arab who penetrated the square was killed; outside their
comrades wavered, and then sullenly retired, until at half-past 2 the
battle was won.
Of the naval brigade 8 were killed and 7 wounded out of the 40 who
went into action. Among the killed were Lieutenants Alfred Piggott and
R. E. de Lisle. Every man handling the Gardner gun outside the square
was killed excepting Lord Charles Beresford, whose providential escape
has enabled us to learn the graphic details of the desperate battle of
Abu-Klea, which, as Colonel the Hon. Reginald Talbot (who commanded the
heavy Camel Regiment at the battle) wrote, "was an Inkermann on a small
scale." I have already described the fight towards the river, and the
fact that the expedition had been undertaken in vain--for Khartoum had
fallen. The bar for ABU-KLEA was issued to all the survivors.
=Suakin, 1885.=--In the fight at Hasheen, 14 miles from Suakin, on
March 20th, 1885, a naval brigade and marines from the fleet in the Red
Sea took part and were awarded the bar for SUAKIN.
=Tofrek.=--At daybreak on March 22nd, 1885, a force again marched
out from Suakin under Major-General Sir John McNeill, V.C.; included
was a naval brigade made up of men from the "Condor," "Carysfort,"
"Coquette," "Dolphin," and "Sphinx," with two Gardner guns, under
Commander Domville, also a battalion of marines. The object of the
force was to construct zarebas, which were to be garrisoned by the
49th Regiment. The troops, having made good progress with their work,
were taking things rather easily--some were breakfasting--when the
sudden appearance of the enemy caused great confusion. Roaring camels,
screaming mules, and frightened camp followers helped to make the
confusion worse confounded as the Arabs hewed their way through the
terrified animals and the helpless camp followers. The soldiers hastily
rushed for their rifles, and endeavoured to form squares, into one of
which, formed by the marines, about 60 Arabs forced their way, but
never got out again. Again the Gardner guns jammed, and the unfortunate
seamen had a bad time, as the howling Dervishes rushed into their
zareba. In half an hour, however, the fight subsided, but not until a
naval lieutenant and 6 men had been killed, and a number wounded. After
this battle the men of the naval brigade returned to their ships, and
the troops evacuated Suakin.
The Egyptian medal, described on page 211, with the bar for TOFREK, was
awarded to the sailors and marines who took part in the battle.
=Bars for Second Sudan War.=--To those who had taken part in the war
in the vicinity of Suakin in the Eastern Sudan the Egyptian medal
was awarded with five bars. Those already in possession of the medal
received the bars to which their services entitled them. All who
served south of Assouan on or before March 7th, 1885, received the
medal with a bar for THE NILE 1884-5, if not already in possession of
one; likewise those who served at Suakin from March 27th, 1884, to
May 14th, 1885. A bar inscribed ABU-KLEA was issued to all who took
part in the fight on January 17th, 1885. A bar inscribed KIRBEKAN was
awarded to those who took part in the action on February 10th, 1885,
in which a small naval brigade was present with a Maxim gun. A bar
with the record SUAKIN 1885 was issued to those who participated in the
operations round that place between March 1st and May 14th, 1885, and
a bar with TOFREK to those who took active part in the action on March
22nd, 1885. It should be particularly noted that no medals bearing
single bars for ABU-KLEA, KIRBEKAN, or TOFREK were issued, and that
these should be in conjunction with either SUAKIN 1885, or in the case
of ABU-KLEA or KIRBEKAN with THE NILE 1884-5. Medals without bars were
issued to the troops who were located in Egypt but did not participate
in any of the engagements. The medals are boldly named in Roman
capitals.
To those who were engaged at or to the south of Wady Haifa between
November 30th, 1885, and January 11th, 1886, the medal without bar was
given to those who had not already earned one, and, although the battle
of Ginnis was fought during this period, no bar was issued to those who
were not presented with a medal. The Khedive's star was also given to
those who took part in these operations.
=Gemaizah.=--In 1888 Suakin was once again the centre of warfare, but
the Mahdists were acting on the offensive by endeavouring to invest
the place. General Grenfell therefore decided to march out and attack
them. In the action, which took place on December 20th, 1888, the
navy co-operated by firing from the Nile, H.M.S. "Racer" shelling the
enemy's trenches, and H.M.S. "Starling" the wells; the crews of these
boats were entitled to the bar for GEMAIZAH.
=Tokar, 1890.=--To the officers and men of H.M.S. "Dolphin" and
"Sandfly," engaged in transport duty, and to the British officers
who commanded the Egyptian army, the Khedive's bronze star without
date, but with the record in Arabic characters ~TOKAR 1890~ on the
suspender, was awarded. This is an interesting star, and more valued
than the other Khedive's, because it is the decoration for the services
rendered, no bars being issued for attachment to the silver Egyptian
medal, or medals awarded.
=Burma, 1885-7.=--To the crews of H.M.S. "Bacchante," "Woodlark,"
"Osprey," "Ranger," "Mariner," "Turquoise," and "Sphinx," which took
part in the third Burma War, that resulted in the disposition of
Theebaw and the annexation of Burma, the medal with the bar for BURMA
1885-7, as described on page 138, was granted. Those awarded to the
navy were generally impressed in tall upright Roman capitals.
=West Africa Medal.=--The boats' crews of H.M.S. "Acorn," "Icarus,"
and "Rifleman" co-operated with the 1st W.I.R. in the operations from
November 13th, 1887, to January 2nd, 1888, against the Yonnie tribes
who had raided British territory in the vicinity of Sierra Leone. The
medal, with bar 1887-8, was granted for this expedition.
=Witu, 1890.=--The crews of H.M.S. "Boadicea," "Brisk," "Conquest,"
"Cossack," "Humber," "Kingfisher," "Pigeon," "Redbreast," and
"Turquoise," together with marines who took part in the expedition
under Rear-Admiral D. Freemantle, C.B., to punish the Sultan of Witu
for the murder of nine Germans in his territory, received the medal
with the bar inscribed WITU 1890.
=1891-2.=--The crews of H.M.S. "Alecto," "Racer," "Sparrow," "Thrush,"
and "Widgeon" received the medal with bar inscribed 1891-2 for their
expedition against the robber chief Fodi Cabba, up the Gambia River,
from December 29th, 1891, to February 5th, 1892.
=1892.=--The bar with 1892 was awarded to those bluejackets and
marines who co-operated with the 1st W.I.R. in the expedition against
Tambi from March 8th, 1892, to April 11th, 1892. The naval brigade
consisted of men from H.M.S. "Alecto," "Racer," "Sparrow," "Thrush,"
and "Widgeon." The bar inscribed 1892 was also awarded with the medal
to the naval brigade from H.M.S. "Alecto," "Racer," and "Sparrow,"
who co-operated with the 1st W.I.R. in the expedition which ended in
the capture and destruction of the town and fort of Toniataba. The
operations extended from March 12th to April 30th, 1892.
=Liwondi, 1893.=--A bar inscribed LIWONDI 1893 was awarded to 34 men
of H.M.S. "Herald" and "Mosquito," who with a Nordenfelt gun marched
under Lieutenant-Commander Carr of the latter vessel to the relief of
H.M. Commissioner, Mr. H. Johnston, on the Shire River, Central Africa,
between February and March 1893, when they routed the chief Liwondi.
Only 29 medals were issued.
=Witu August, 1893.=--This bar, with the West Africa medal, was granted
to about 200 men from H.M.S. "Blanche," "Swallow," and "Sparrow," who
were landed under the command of Captain Geo. Robert Lindley, and with
the assistance of Zanzibar and Sudanese troops punished the chief Fumo
Omari. Two hundred and fifty medals were issued.
=Juba River, 1893.=--The bar for JUBA RIVER 1893 was awarded to about
40 men of H.M.S. "Blanche," who volunteered to proceed up the River
Juba to release two Englishmen who were besieged by a force of Somalis,
August 25th, 1893. They were commanded by Lieutenant Price Vaughan
Lewis, R.N. Forty bars were issued for this expedition.
=Lake Nyassa, 1893.=--The bar for LAKE NYASSA 1893 was awarded to
36 men of the "Adventurer" and "Pioneer," two screw steamers of 35
tons, who were engaged against Makaujira and other chiefs, and in the
bombardment of Okuirka in Nyassaland in 1893. One hundred and one
Sikhs, who were also engaged, received the Central Africa medal, with
clip and ring as described on page 228. Thirty-six medals with this bar
were issued.
=Gambia, 1894.=--The bar for GAMBIA 1894 was awarded to the naval
brigade from H.M.S. "Alecto," "Magpie," "Raleigh," "Satellite," and
"Widgeon," which landed early in February at Bathurst on the River
Gambia, West Coast of Africa, to operate against Fodi Selah, a
slave-raiding chief. The expedition, which lasted from February 22nd
to March 11th, 1894, only achieved its object of punishing the chief
after surmounting considerable difficulties, and surviving much hard
fighting, during which 2 lieutenants and 17 men were killed, and nearly
50 officers and men--mostly of the "Magpie" and "Raleigh"--had been
wounded. Surgeon Bowden won the D.S.O. during this expedition.
=1893-4.=--It is noteworthy that those men of the 1st W.I.R. who were
also engaged received the medal with bar for 1893-4, instead of the bar
for GAMBIA 1894; a very definite distinction is thus made between the
military and the naval medal.
=Benin River, 1894.=--The bar for BENIN RIVER 1894 was issued to
those sailors and marines of H.M.S. "Alecto," "Philomel," "Phœbe,"
and "Widgeon" who, assisted by Houssas, fought against the chief
Náná, the terror of the inhabitants of the Benin River, whom he had
plundered for a number of years. The steam launch of the "Alecto,"
while steaming up the narrow creek leading to the stronghold Brohemie,
on August 25th, was fired upon by a concealed battery, the steersman
shot dead, and every man on board wounded. In this unfortunate affair
Chief Petty Officer Crouch and Leading Stoker Joseph Perkins earned the
Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for their exceeding bravery. On September
18th Brohemie was attacked and captured, and the expedition proceeded
to another fortified town three miles distant, and this also was
captured, together with Nana's war canoes, which had helped him so much
in his depredations. Brohemie was then placed under the Niger Coast
Protectorate. Commander Heugh and Lieutenants Hickley and Gore-Browne
gained the D.S.O. in these operations.
=Brass River, 1895.=--The bar for BRASS RIVER 1895 was awarded to the
men from H.M.S. "Barrosa," "Saint George," "Thrush," and "Widgeon" who
took part in the attack on Nimbi, the stronghold of King Koko and
other native chiefs, from February 17th to March 26th, 1895.
=Benin River, 1897.=--Those sailors and marines who landed from the
following ships were awarded the bar for BENIN RIVER 1897: H.M.S.
"Alecto," "Barrosa," "Forte," "Magpie," "Philomel," "Phœbe," "Saint
George," "Theseus" and "Widgeon"; about 1,400 officers and men took
part.
=Sierra Leone, 1898-9.=--The bar for SIERRA LEONE 1898-9 was awarded to
those who landed from H.M.S. "Alecto," "Blonde," and "Fox," likewise
the Colonial boat "Countess of Derby," and took part in the boat
expedition up the river and were actually under fire. The men from
H.M.S. "Blonde" were engaged in the Sherboro neighbourhood from May 1st
to 15th, and with the men from the "Alecto" on the Boom Kittam River
next day. Those belonging to the "Fox" and the "Countess of Derby" were
engaged on the Brempé River between May 11th and 14th, 1898. This bar
is wider than the others previously issued, as the inscription is in
two lines.
=Mwele, 1895-6.=--By an Admiralty Order dated January 1st, 1897, a
further grant of the West Africa medal was sanctioned, and the medal
awarded to those who had taken part in the operations against Mwele,
the stronghold of the rebel chief Sheik Mbarnok Bin Rashid, which was
captured on August 17th, 1895. No bar was issued for this affair,
the name and date MWELE 1895 being engraved on the edge of the medal
in slanting Roman capitals, together with the name, etc., of the
recipient. Those already in possession of the medal had MWELE 1895
engraved after their name. The little force comprised men from H.M.S.
"Barrosa," "Phœbe," "Racoon," and "Saint George," and the 24th and 26th
Bombay Infantry--their medals had MWELE impressed on one side of the
claw of the suspender and 1895 on the other side--who also received the
medal, while camp followers were given the medal in bronze. This medal
is described on page 228.
[Illustration: THE IRON CROSS.]
[Illustration: AUSTRIAN ORDER OF THE IRON CROWN.]
[Illustration: PRUSSIAN MEDAL FOR DISTINCTION. IN SERVICE, 1825.]
[Illustration: AUSTRIAN OFFICER'S GILT CROSS.]
=Central Africa, 1895.=--Payne has in his collection the only Central
African 1895 medal believed to have been issued to the navy. It was
awarded to Lieutenant J. S. Brogden, R.M.L.I., who afterwards became
Captain R.N.
BOER WAR
During the Boer War a naval contingent was employed, and their
assistance in the defence and relief of Ladysmith is one of the
outstanding features of that long conflict. The men of H.M.S.
"Powerful," who helped in the defence of Ladysmith under Captain
(afterwards Admiral Sir) Percy Scott, R.N., whose genius was such
a material asset to the beleaguered, did excellent work, while the
naval brigade which took part in the Natal campaign and the relief
of Ladysmith made splendid efforts. It comprised 39 officers and 403
men of the Royal Navy, and 2 officers and 50 men of the Natal Naval
Volunteers, who during the fighting leading up to the relief, on
February 28th, 1900, had fired 4,000 rounds of ammunition from the
4·7-inch guns, and 12,000 rounds from the 12-pounder quick-firing guns.
=Bars Gained by Navy.=--The officers and men of H.M.S. "Powerful"
received the bar for the DEFENCE OF LADYSMITH. The bar for the RELIEF
OF LADYSMITH was awarded to officers and men from H.M.S. "Terrible"
and "Philomel." Men from the latter ships also took part in the battle
of the TUGELA HEIGHTS. The sailors from the "Philomel," in addition to
the bars already mentioned, received those for ORANGE FREE STATE and
LAING'S NEK, while men from the "Monarch" and "Doris" were awarded bars
for BELMONT, MODDER RIVER, PAARDEBERG, DRIEFONTEIN, DIAMOND HILL, and
BELFAST. Men from H.M.S. "Naiad" fought in, and received bars for, CAPE
COLONY, TRANSVAAL, WITTEBERGEN, and SOUTH AFRICA 1902.
Medals with bars to the navy are rare, and those with more than two
particularly so. A leading stoker of H.M.S. "Doris" received, in
addition to those mentioned above as awarded to men from his ship, the
rare one for WEPENER, but though this bar to the navy was afterwards
recalled, Dr. Payne has this rare medal with this and six other bars in
his collection.