+--------------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |_Officers._| _Men._ | | _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K. | W. | K. | W. | +--------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |19th Hussars | - | - | 2 | 4 | |Naval Brigade | 2 | 2 | 6 | 9 | |Royal Artillery | - | 2 | - | 2 | |Heavy Cavalry Camel Corps | 6 | - | 48 | 28 | |35th R. Sussex | - | - | 5 | 25 | |Light Cavalry Camel Corps | 1 | 3 | 8 | 9 | |Mounted Infantry | - | 1 | 5 | 35 | +--------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ KIRBEKAN, FEBRUARY 10, 1885. This battle honour, which is borne by the South Staffordshires and the Royal Highlanders, commemorates the only action fought by what was known as the River Column in the advance up the Nile for the relief of General Gordon in the Soudan Campaign of 1885. Whilst Sir Herbert Stewart with the camel corps was endeavouring to force his way to Khartoum by the desert route, Major-General Earle, a guardsman at the head of the River Column, was slowly moving south from Korti. On February 10 an indecisive action was fought with a small body of the enemy. Our losses were numerically insignificant, but they included the General in command, Major-General W. Earle, late of the Grenadier Guards, and the commanding officers of the two line regiments present. The news of the death of General Gordon and the occupation of Khartoum by the Mahdi caused the Home Government to order the withdrawal of the British troops from the Nile, and the task of conducting the retirement was entrusted to Major-General Sir Redvers Buller. CASUALTIES AT THE ACTION OF KIRBEKAN. +-----------------------+-----------+-----------+ | |_Officers._| _Men._ | | _Regiments._ +-----+-----+-----+-----+ | | K | W. | K. | W. | +-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ |General Staff | 1 | - | - | - | |38th S. Staffs | 1 | 2 | 5 | 22 | |42nd Royal Highlanders | 1 | 2 | 4 | 21 | +-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+ SUAKIN, 1885.[11] This honour, which commemorates a short campaign in the Eastern Soudan, is borne by the 5th Lancers. 20th Hussars. Grenadier Guards. Coldstream Guards. Scots Guards. Royal Berkshires. Shropshire Light Infantry. 9th Hodson's Horse. 2nd Queen's Own Sappers and Miners. 15th Ludhiana Sikhs. 17th (Loyal Regiment). 128th Pioneers.