The Allan and Janet Woodliffe Collection of Medals Relating to the Reconquest and Pacification of the Sudan

The Great War D.S.O. group of ten awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Samuel Hutchins, Royal Irish Regiment, who served on the Dilling patrol on secondment to the Egyptian Army, and at Galipolli, before reverting to command the Camel Corps in the Canal Zone and Palestine - for which services he was awarded his D.S.O.

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, complete with top bar; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Lieut., Rl. Irish Regt.); King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps (Lieut., A.S.C.); 1914-15 Star (Major, A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col.); India General Service 1908-35, 1 clasp, North West Frontier 1930-31 (Lt. Col., D.S.O., R.A.S.C.); War Medal 1939-45, unnamed; Egypt, Order of the Nile, 4th Class breast badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamel, rosette on ribbon; Khedive’s Sudan 1910-22, 1st issue, 1 clasp, S. Kordofan 1910, unnamed, mounted as worn, some contact marks, very fine and better (10) £2500-3000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Allan and Janet Woodliffe Collection of Medals relating to the Reconquest and Pacification of The Sudan 1896-1956.

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D.S.O. London Gazette 6 June 1917.

Samuel Hutchins was born on 30 August 1877, at Fortlands, Charleville, Co. Cork. son of Samuel Newburgh Hutchins B.A., J.P. The family later moved to Ardnagshel, Bantry, Co. Cork. He was educated at Portora, Enniskillen, and Trinity College Dublin and married Effie Penniman, daughter of George Milvern of New York in 1915.

He joined the 9th Battalion K.R.R.C. (North Cork Rifles Militia 1900. (1 year 134 days) to 4 May 1901. Hutchins volunteered for service in South Africa. He served in operations in Cape Colony south of the Orange River, February-April 1900; operations in the Orange Free State, April - May 1900; operations in the Orange River Colony, May - 29 November 1900; operations in the Orange River Colony, 30 November 1900 - March 1901; operations in the Transvaal, March 1901- March 1902. On 12 January 1902 he contracted severe enteric fever and was invalided home.

He was commissioned from the Militia to 2nd Lieutenant in the 18th Royal Irish Regiment on 1 October 1902 and transferred to Army Service Corps as a Lieutenant in May 1904. Lieutenant Hutchins was seconded to the Egyptian Army as Bimbashi, 25 May 1909 and served in the Blue Nile District, 30 November-31 December 1909. Hutchins was promoted Captain, 21 December 1910. He served in operations in South Kordofan 1910 in charge of the transport, 25 October 1910-7 January 1911; Blue Nile, 6-10 February 1911; Mongalla District 23 March-12 May 1911.

Hutchins was mentioned in Egyptian Special Army Order of 12 June 1911. Operations in Jebel Tagoi, South Kordofan. ‘Brought to the notice of H. H. the Khedive for good services during the recent operations in South Kordofan’.

He served at Bahr-el-Ghazal 15 November 1911-8 June 1912.

He was commended on 20 October 1912. ‘El Bimbashi Hutchins was in charge of the mule transport season to Yambio, Bahr-el-Ghazal and to Yei, Mongalla, Sudan 1912. Sirdar sends his appreciation of good and arduous work in charge of No1 Company Transport’.

He served in the Mongalla District 21 February 1914-4 March 1915, and again 9 September-31 December 1915 and was promoted to Major on 30 October 1914.

On 11 April 1915 Major Hutchins landed on Gallipoli - still an officer attached to the E.A.

Letter of thanks forwarded from the Sirdar (Wingate):

‘Lt. Col. Hutchins was in charge of the Supply Depot at Cape Helles, and did admirable work under the most trying conditions, carrying on under heavy fire regardless of his personal safety. He was the only officer to fulfill that position who could stand the strain of constant work under frequent shelling’ (Maj. Gen. Fred Krol, Director of Supplies, Dardanelles, 2 February 1916).

He then returned to the Mongalla District, 9 September-31 December 1915.

Leaving the Egyptian Army on 2 April 1916, he was appointed Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel, 3 April 1916. On 7 April he was placed in command of the Camel Corps in Canal Zone. He had direct control over six Egyptian Camel Companies and 4th Indian Camel Corps, comprising of some 54 officers, 8,000 men and 15,000 camels. He saw subsequent service with camel transport in Sinai (El Arish) and Gaza in Palestine.

For his services he was twice mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 5 November 1915; 6 July 1917); awarded the Distinguished Service Order (London Gazette 6 June 1917); granted permission to accept and wear the Egyptian Order of the Nile 4th Class and was granted the brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel.

Hutchins was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in January 1927, with seniority of November 1923. Posted to Peshawar, India as A.D.S. & T. 16 September 1925. Commanded Heavy Repair Shop C. II, Peshawar 9 May 1929. Took over as A.D.S. & T. Peshawar Division 28 May 1929. Commended: ‘His duties during the past hot weather, during the civil disturbances and incursions by the Afridi’s have been very heavy’ 9 October 1930. For his services he was awarded the T.G.S. Medal with clasp. Placed on the Half Pay List in January 1931, he returned home to a 2,500 acre estate at Tanfield Lodge, Ripon, Yorkshire.

On 19 March 1932 he applied for consideration as District Remount Officer Ripon District T.A., as he ‘had lifelong experience with horses both in South Africa and India’. On 15 November he was offered the post of D.R.O. (No..1 Dist) Yorkshire, at a salary of £200 pa., an offer that he accepted. He took up the post on 16 February 1933. On 15 October 1939, he was appointed DAD of Remounts, Scottish Command, at a salary of £337 pa. He reverted to his old posting at (No..1 Dist) Yorkshire, Northern Command. R. Hutchins was finally retired on 1 March 1942, at the age of 65. His services during the war earning him the 1939/45 War Medal. Colonel Hutchins died on 11 Feb. 1961, at the age of 84.

With a folder containing copied research.