Bidspirit auction | A scarce example of the

A scarce example of the Egypt and Sudan Medal 1882-89 named to a fatal casualty of the Battle of El-Teb on 29 February 1884. The Medal (undated reverse) with single clasp EL-Teb named to: 2216 Pte P Callanan 1/York & Lanc R. As part of their campaign to subdue the Mahdist invasion of the Sudan, the British government sent a force under the command of Major General Sir Gerald Graham VC to the port of Suakin to confront the Mahdist forces who had earlier routed a British officered Egyptian force, inflicting heavy casualties. The force started landing at Suakin on the 20th February 1884 and, once the full force had arrived, they were moved down the coast to Trinkitat, with the intention to move inland to relieve the Egyptian forces in Tokar. On the 29th February 1884, the force of some 4,500 troops moved towards the hamlet of El-Teb several miles inland. The infantry marched in a square, with 1st Battalion York & Lancaster Regiment forming the left side of the square and with the artillery positioned at the corners. The two regiments of cavalry, the 10th and 19th Hussars, followed behind the square. The Mahdist forces numbered some 15,000, under the command of Osman Digna, many armed with captured rifles together with some captured artillery pieces. They repeatedly charged the British square with swords and spears but failed to break in. The British then advanced and assaulted the Mahdist entrenchments. After a period of heavy fighting the cavalry brigade under Colonel Stewart charged the Mahdist forces, but the terrain was not ideal for cavalry with a lot of thick thorny scrub. The cavalry was attacked in the flank by an enemy force hidden in the scrub, and during this severe hand-to-hand fighting the two Hussar regiments suffered the heaviest casualties of the British force with 20 killed and 48 wounded from a force total of 34 killed and 155 wounded. The York & Lancaster Regiment casualties were 7 killed and 35 wounded, including Pte Patrick Callanan amongst the killed. The Mahdist force lost approximately 2000 killed and an unknown number wounded. The Battalion also took part in the later battle at Tamaii on 13 March 1884 and the clasp ‘El-Teb_Tamaii’ was issued for service in both actions. The Egypt medal is therefore scarce with ‘EL-Teb’ as a single clasp, especially so when awarded to a casualty. With copies of medal rolls for the Egypt Medal and Khedive’s Bronze Star, confirming that Pte Patrick Callanan was killed at EL-Teb. There is a ‘dig’ to the reverse, but otherwise Good Very Fine (GVF) condition.