A rare ‘posthumous’ Battle of the Atbara D.C.M. group of three awarded to Sergeant G. R. Wyeth, Army Service Corps, attached Cameron Highlanders; mentioned in despatches and awarded the D.C.M., he was mortally wounded at the Atbara ‘while performing duty of flag-bearer to British Brigade under General Gatacre’; the Union Jack was three times pierced on what is believed to be the last occasion a flag was carried into battle by a British Regiment

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Corpl. G. R. Wyeth, A.S.C.(8th April 1898)) official correction to initials; Queen’s Sudan 1896 (S.C/205 Cpl. G. R. Wyeth, A.S.C.); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, The Atbara (S.C.205 Corpl. J. R. Wyeth, S.C.S. A.S.C.) extremely fine (3) £10000-12000

D.C.M. recommendation submitted to the Queen 9 November 1898; The Atbara 8 April 1898, “since deceased”. One of approximately 7 D.C.M. awards for the battle of the Atbara, this being unique to the Army Service Corps.

Sold with a group photograph of Gatacre with his staff, including Wyeth holding the Union Jack, two portrait photographs of Wyeth, various news cuttings, and an original manuscript letter from Major-General Gatacre to Wyeth’s family relating his death and enclosing a sketch of his burial place by the Atbara river at its confluence with the Nile.

‘Wyeth - On Sunday, April 17th, at Dakbilla, Egypt, after amputation of his leg, george robert wyeth, aged twenty-seven, sergeant, Army Service Corps, formerly chief clerk, 3rd Brigade Office, under General Gatacre, wounded in the battle of Atbara, on April 8th, 1898, while performing duty of flag-bearer to British Brigade under General Gatacre.’ (Obituary news cutting which accompanies the medals refers).

General Gatacre’s letter reads:


‘Camp Abadar, Sudan. 22-4-98.

Sir,

I am sending you a line to express our sympathy with your family on the loss of your son Serg. Wyeth, who died from the effects of a rifle shot while storming Mahmud’s Zariba on the 8th April. As you are aware Serg. Wyeth was my Brigade Clerk at Aldershot and the last word he gave me when I was leaving in Jan. was “I hope you will get me out with you”. Well I did so & I believe he had thoroughly enjoyed his trip here till this disastrous day when he received his wound in the knee. The bullet hit him in the left knee cap & went right through making a very dangerous wound. From the first I had very grave doubts of his recovery as he had a good deal of fever & the wound was a bad one. After amputation, 16th April, he never recovered from the shock, died & was buried on the 17th April. We buried him near the banks of the Nile where it is joined by the Atbara River, I send you a sketch of the spot.

Serg. Wyeth was an excellent Clerk and was a plucky soldier, he carried my flag the day of the action on the Atbara and to my deep regret was wounded there. His effects will be sold, but such small things as may be found belonging to him shall be sent you. It will be a great satisfaction to you to know that sympathy with you is universal on your loss; while alive he was the best known man in the force & when he was wounded, all ranks of officers went to enquire about him. The Egyptian Army officers were particularly kind in their enquiries & he constantly told me how much he felt their kindness.

I saw him every day but the day he died & duty elsewhere prevented my visiting him.

I am yours very truly,

(Sgd.) W. Gatacre, Major-General, Commg the British Brigade.’





‘For perhaps the last time in British military history, a brigade commander placed himself at the head of his brigade and led it into battle on foot with drawn sword - a kind of infantry Cardigan but with less disastrous results. Beside Gatacre were his A.D.C., Captain Ronald Brooke of the 7th Hussars, his chief clerk, Lance-Sergeant Wyeth of the Army Service Corps carrying a large and conspicuous Union Jack, and his orderley, Private Cross of the Camerons. Behind this little group were the Camerons in line abreast and behind them the Lincolns, the Warwicks and the Seaforths, drawn up in companies... Gatacre, first to reach the zariba, was attacked by a whirling dervish with a huge spear as he tugged at the loose branches. “Give him the bayonet, lad!” he growled at Cross and strode on into the blazing inferno to which Mahmud’s fortress had been reduced. Meanwhile, the flag-bearing Wyeth had been seriously wounded by a bullet in the leg and died a few days later when it was amputated. This incident led to criticism from Brooke, who’s brother Reginald in a letter to a friend, accused Gatacre of causing the death of a fine soldier by exposing him as an obvious target under his unnecessary Union Jack.’ (A Good Dusting by Henry Keown-Boyd refers).

‘Staff-Sergeant Wyeth, A.S.C., and Private Cross of the Camerons, were both mentioned in despatches. The first carried the Union Jack, which was three times pierced; the other was General Gatacre’s bugler. Wyeth was severely wounded, and Cross presently seized with terrible dysentery; both died within a few days.’ (With Kitchener to Khartoum by G. W. Steevens refers).