A scarce Omdurman D.C.M. group of eight awarded to Staff Quarter-Master Sergeant John Parsons, Army Service Corps, late Commissariat & Transport Corps

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Sergt. J. Parsons, A.S.C. (2nd Sept. 1898)); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse,1 clasp, Tel-El-Kebir (4199 P[te.], 11th C[ompy. S. &] T.C.), naming details partially worn through bruising; Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (S/4199 Sgt., A.S.C.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Cape Colony, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill (4199 S.-Sejt., A.S.C.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (4199 S. Qr. Mr. Serjt., A.S.C.); Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., small letter reverse (4199 Staff Sgt., A.S.C.); Khedive’s Star 1882; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (4199 Sergt., A.S.C.), the first with (slack) refixed suspension claw, the second with edge bruising and pitted and thus good fine, otherwise generally very fine or better (8) £2500-3000

D.C.M. London Gazette 15 November 1898.

John Parsons was born in Glastonbury, Somerset and enlisted in the Commissariat & Transport Corps in June 1882, aged 19 years. Posted to Egypt in August 1882, he was present at Tel-el-Kebir in 12th Company, and was advanced to Corporal in August 1894 and to Sergeant in September 1897. Re-embarked for Egypt in July of the following year, he participated in the Khartoum operations and was mentioned in despatches by Kitchener for his services at Omdurman that September (London Gazette 30 September 1898 refers), in addition to being awarded the D.C.M., which decoration was presented to him at a parade at Aldershot on 19 March 1899 - ‘The C.O. pinned the decoration to the tunic of the recipient, shook hands with him, and, in congratulating him, trusted he would live long to wear it.’ Parsons was next actively engaged in South Africa from October 1899 until August 1902, when he served variously in ‘C’, ‘E’ and 10th Companies, A.S.C., and added the L.S. & G.C. Medal to his accolades in November 1900 (WO 102/7 refers). He was finally discharged in June 1903, having been advanced to Staff Quarter-Master Sergeant in April 1902.