War Medals and Their History

by William Augustus Steward

First type.

Republican Variety.

CROSS OF THE LÉGION D'HONNEUR.

For the bombardment of Alexandria the Egyptian Medal 1882 with a bar inscribed ALEXANDRIA JULY 11 1882 was awarded to the officers, seamen, and marines, and for TEL-EL-KEBIR to those who took part in that decisive battle (see facing page [160] for medal, also the Khedive's Star which was issued by Prince Tewfik); the naval medals were named.

El-Teb.—When the Mahdi incited the Sudanese to rise against the Khedive in 1883, and practically gained control over the entire Sudan, it became necessary, as I have already explained, to send a British force to deal with the Mahdi and his principal lieutenant Osman Digna. In the war in the Sudan the men of the navy again distinguished themselves by their cheery willingness and ability. At Suakin, Admiral Sir William Hewitt's brigade of sailors and marines was landed from the "Decoy," "Euryalus," "Ranger," and "Sphinx" to defend the place, which they did quite successfully against Osman Digna. On February 1st, 1884, Osman Digna's force practically annihilated the army of 5,000 Egyptian troops at El-Teb under Valentine Baker Pasha (at one time Colonel of the 10th Hussars).

The work this undisciplined force set out to accomplish was then taken 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.