Orders, Decorations and Medals

A fine Omdurman D.C.M. group of seven awarded to Colour-Sergeant Michael Mullen, Royal Irish Fusiliers, for services with the Maxim Gun Detachment during the campaign in the Sudan in 1898

Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Corpl. M. Mullen, R. Ir. Fus. (2nd Sept. 1898)); India General Service 1895-1902, 1 clasp, Relief of Chitral 1895 (3188 Pte. M. Mullan, 1st Bn. Royal Irish Fuslrs.); Queen’s Sudan 1896-98 (3188 L/Sgt. M. Mullin, 1/R.I. Fus.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 4 clasps, Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal (3188 Sgt. M. Mullen, Rl. Irish Fus.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (3188 Serjt. M. Mullen Rl. Irish Fus.); Meritorious Service Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue (C.Sjt. M. Mullen, R. Ir. Fus.); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 1 clasp, Khartoum (3188 Lce-Sergt. M. Mullin, 1st R.I.F.) mounted as worn, note variations in spelling of surname, contact marks but generally very fine or better and a rare group (7) £3500-4000

D.C.M. recommendation submitted to the Queen on 9 November 1898, and published in London Gazette of 15 November 1898, and in Army Order 153 of September 1899. Awarded for Omdurman, 2 September 1898, one of two such awards to the Royal Irish Fusiliers for the Sudan Campaign.

The following details are given in R. de M. Rudolf’s Short Histories of the Territorial Regiments of the British Army: ‘The Omdurman Campaign 1898 - Colour-Sergeant J. Teague and Corporal M. Mullen were the N.C.Os. in charge of the Maxim Gun Detachment, 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers, during the above campaign, and for the excellent and determined manner in which they performed their duties during the campaign and in action they were awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.’

The 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles was represented at Omdurman by only a small force, consisting of 4 officers and 91 men, of which 2 officers and 26 men formed a Maxim Gun Detachment, while the remainder constituted a remount depot. The Maxim detachment was commanded by Captain Douglas Churcher, with whom went Lieutenant Wilson. The remount group was led by Captain de Berry and Lieutenant Heard.

Captain Churcher’s Maxim detachment, travelling by boat and train, reached Atbara, south of Wadi Halfa, on the evening of August 8th. De Berry, who arrived on the barren scene a few days later, wrote while en route: ‘The duties are hard, as we have two boats full of animals which need 10 men always in each of them. We have had rather too much river work and I fancy the men will be rather glad to get out of the boats, although the train is far worse, yet there will be only 24 hours of it from Halfa to the Atbara. The steamers shake very much, and it is hard to write clearly.’

In the battle, the Maxim detachment fought as a self-contained unit in Major-General Lyttelton’s brigade, and was so mentioned in Kitchener’s despatches. After Omdurman most of the Irish Fusiliers returned to Alexandria, but Churcher, with 20 men and 2 Maxims, left Khartoum with General Hunter’s expedition up the Blue Nile.

Mullen was one of eight signallers of the Royal Irish Fusiliers to receive the medal for the Relief of Chitral 1895, together with Captain T. O’Leary of the regiment, who was Inspector of Army Signalling in the Punjab. Mullen also received the Meritorious Service Medal, anounced in Army Order 122 of 1938.