|
|
|
"7081 Private Nuttall
J 28th M.I Lancashire Fusiliers
He served with the XX at the battle of Omdurman ,then later at Spion Kop in the Boer War and ended his service being wounded in action during WW1"
Dad wanted his photo taken by his friend, however his horse (Robert) kept nibbling at his pocket, where he usually had food for him. So, unfortuneately he took the photo, while his friend held the horse, At the pyramids, Dad is the one in the middle. led by a boy. Joan Sent in by his daughter Joan Hanlon December 2011. |
|
|
A
|
B
|
C
|
|
1
|
 |
LFConway1893.jpg) 3rd (Volunteer) Bn LF Conway 1893 |
 |
|
2
|
 |
 |
 |
|
The Battle
of Omdurman-Sudan 1898
It was feared the Dervishes would launch a night attack on the camp from the surrounding hills, so the troops slept with their rifles. In the morning the men in the camp could see the Dervishes advancing, the 1st battle began with a charge from the Dervish army. With the British army pounding the oncoming force with howitzers and machine guns, the attack was short lived and after the battle 2,000 Dervishes lay dead in front of the British lines. Kitchener assuming the battle was over ordered the troops to advance on Omdurman. Hector Macdonald's brigade was in reserve about a mile or two north of the main body of Kitchener's force, Macdonald commanded a force of 3,000 Sudanese and Egyptians and most unlikely would not be used. Later a Camel Corps' officer arrived at Macdonald's line and informed Macdonald that a sizable force of about 20,000 Dervishes was advancing towards Macdonald's line. Macdonald's 3,000 troops were all that stood between the main force and the oncoming Dervishes. Kitchener was unaware of the danger and had his troops marching in columns with their rear flank to the attacking Dervishes, and ordered Macdonald to break camp and join the rest of the army. Macdonald had gotten the order from Kitchener, Macdonald replied: "I no do it. I'll see them damned first. We maun just fight!" Macdonald called his commanders to order and quickly mapped out in the sand a plan of defense. Macdonald wheeled his troops into a half circle and had the task of meeting the attacking Dervishes from two directions. If Macdonald's line was to fail, it could result in the destruction of the army. Dervishes attacked in wave after wave, the attack was so heavy that one of the lines of Macdonald's Sudanese battalions broke, and had to resort to hand to hand fighting.
Meanwhile Kitchener was now
aware of the grave danger the army was in and ran about desperately
shouting orders and trying to reverse his army, and put them back into
fighting formations. Macdonald's brigade met the attacking Dervishes
with heavy fire, Macdonald kept his troops well organized and disciplined,
he continually maneuvered the lines to meet the ongoing threat of the
attacking Dervishes. Before long other regiments
began to arrive and backup Macdonald's lines, the firing upon the Dervishes
was so intense that they began to retreat, fleeing into the desert.
At the battles end 10,000 Dervishes lay dead, 16,000 wounded, and 5,000
prisoners. The battle was over the British army saved, the army lost
48 men and 382 wounded. At the end of the day, when the ammunition from
Macdonald's brigades was counted, there were two rounds per man. The
British army won the battle and avenged the death of General Gordon
of Khartoum. Macdonald was the hero of the day and truly saved the British
army.
Story based on sources: Death Before Dishonour 1982
|
|
4847 Pte Thomas McNay.
A really important set of documents
sent to me by his grandson John McNay
Click on any of the above to see enlarged |
|
Newspaper
Cutting from the Daily Mail August 1891 Minden Day in Poona India |
Henry Gething was a local Fusilier (St Helens, Lancashire) who took the ‘King’s Shilling’ and enlisted on 5th July 1892 in Bury. He was then 19 years old. He was soon posted to barracks at Poona in India on 26th November 1892 where he remained until 1897 when he was transferred to Quetta.
On 10th January 1898 the battalion sailed from India to Egypt to see action in the First Boer War in Sudan. He was awarded the ‘Queen’s Sudan Medal’ and ‘Khedive’s Sudan Medal’ for service at Khartoum. In 1898/1899 the battalion moved to Crete and Malta where Henry remained in hospital. He saw out the end of this initial 7 years service in Malta before he was posted to Section B Army Reserve.
He was not home for long though and was recalled for service in South Africa on 13th November 1899 before eventually sailing to join the 2nd battalion on 14th February 1900. The 2nd battalion were part of the 11th Brigade in Sir Charles Warren’s 5th Division. For his part in the Second Boer War Henry was awarded the ‘Queen’s South Africa Medal’ with clasps for ‘Cape Colony’, ‘Orange Free State’, ‘Transvaal’ and ‘Laing’s Nek’; he also received the ‘King’s South Africa Medal’ with ‘1901’ and ‘1902’ clasps. On 4th July 1904 his service was over and he once again agreed to be transferred to Reserves this time Section D where he served until 10th August 1908.
Eventually Henry returned to St Helens, adjusted to civilian life, married and had 5 daughters!
However on 26th August 1914, 3 weeks after the British Government had declared war on Germany, Henry once again volunteered for Service and joined the South Lancashire Regiment, 2nd battalion where he was made Lance Corporal. Having seen so much previous active service and at the ripe old age of 40 Henry was ill equipped to endure the first bitter, wet, miserable winter of the flooded trenches of Armentieres. He was invalided home with frost bitten feet and chronic head pain in February 1915. He was detained in hospital for 5 weeks but was never again able to stand straight or walk for any period of time. A medical board ruled that his condition had been caused by “over exertion and exposure on active service” and he was discharged on 12th May 1915 with a small pension. He was however awarded the WWI trio of medals ‘Pip, Squeak and Wilfred’ plus an honourable discharge badge.
Henry died on 20th September 1920 with the delayed result of gas inhaled in the trenches and is buried in a Commonwealth War Grave in St Helens, Lancashire.
We are extremely proud of Henry and his service and commitment to his country. We are also, like he was, very proud that he made a conscious decision to become a Lancashire Fusilier.
|
|
 |
|
Medals and awards known to
have been won during this campaign by the 2nd Battalion Click here for the link to Dr Stott
|
