War Medals and Their HistorySteward, William Augustus
History
War Medals and Their History
Steward, William Augustus
Great Britain. Army -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.; Great Britain. Royal Navy -- Medals, badges, decorations, etc.
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.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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